LETTERS: The Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the Rakyat portal, launched on Jan 16, aims to narrow the digital literacy gap among Malaysians and transform our society into a digitally driven, high-income nation and a regional leader in the digital economy.
The online learning website can be accessed in Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil, and is designed to promote public understanding and awareness of AI as well.
The portal offers two learning modules, Kesedaran AI and AI Appreciate, that can be attained by anyone, any time and anywhere.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli had said the government aimed to get one million Malaysians to master AI skills in three years.
Given the digital developments in the country, we hope that will be achievable.
A study in 2018 found that many people lacked nine common computer-related skills.
These skills included copying or moving a file or folder, sending an email with attached files, using basic arithmetic formulas in a spreadsheet, connecting and installing a new device, transferring files between a computer and other devices, writing a computer programme using a specialised programming language, and searching, downloading, installing and configuring software.
However, in 2022, the percentage of people proficient in these skills improved significantly.
The highest percentage are copying or moving a file or folder (97 per cent), using copy and paste tools to duplicate or move information within a document (96.3 per cent), sending an email with attached files (89.4 per cent), transferring files between computer and other mobile devices (83.1 per cent) and connecting and installing new devices (79.2 per cent).
Such improvement shows the possibility of realising the aims of the AI for the Rakyat initiative.
The programme has come at the right time to also encourage youth and students to participate in digital advancement.
DR SAYED MOHAMMAD REZA YAMANI SAYED UMAR
Research fellow
Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies
Universiti Malaya
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times