Google in collaboration with Malaysian government to boost its digital economy

The Malaysian government and Google have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at fostering inclusive growth opportunities in Malaysia’s rapidly expanding digital economy. The partnership aims to enhance the digital competitiveness of businesses, irrespective of their size, through various initiatives such as skilling programs, investments in digital infrastructure, responsible AI innovation, and the adoption of cloud-first policies.

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated how “This latest commitment by Google, aimed at accelerating local innovation and talent development in the field of AI, will certainly boost the nation’s digital competitiveness, in line with the Madani Economy Framework and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030)“.

Google, through the Go Cloud program will offer learning pathways for upskilling 300,000 Malaysians by 2026. The online courses in these learning paths focus on improving the application of generative AI, data analytics, and cloud-based productivity tools for individuals. This would be an extension of Google’s Gemilang program, which has already offered 31,000 Google Career Certificate scholarships to underprivileged individuals. Overall, the initiative will enable Malaysians to obtain professional certifications in high-demand fields like data analytics, IT support, e-commerce, and digital marketing without any cost while serving as an entry-level pathway for relevant jobs. Additionally, Google will also provide support in refining Malaysia’s existing Cloud First Policy by offering policy expertise and incorporating the latest advancements in cloud computing and AI through its Secure AI Framework.