KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — On Thursday, Malaysia inaugurated a national office for artificial intelligence to formulate policies and tackle regulatory challenges, as it seeks to position itself as a regional center for AI growth.

The Southeast Asian nation has obtained billions of dollars in investments over the last year from international tech companies aiming to develop essential infrastructure to meet the increasing demand for their cloud and AI offerings.

In its inaugural year, it aims to achieve seven deliverables, such as creating a code of ethics, establishing an AI regulatory framework, and formulating a five-year action plan for AI technology leading up to 2030.

On Thursday, the government revealed strategic collaborations with six firms, such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, all of which have unveiled data center, cloud, and AI initiatives in Malaysia over the past year.

Digital initiatives have driven Malaysia's economy in 2024, reporting RM71.1 billion (US$16.06 billion) in sanctioned investments in the information and communications sector, according to its investment authority this week.