ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) continues to dominate global headlines, often painted as a force that will remove more jobs than it creates.
Malaysians see this debate playing out everywhere. In Parliament. In corporate discussions. Even in small businesses trying to stay competitive in a crowded market.
Yet the reality inside Malaysian companies is far more complex.
A conversation last week with the founder of a marketing and advertising firm in Kuala Lumpur revealed how one small and medium enterprise (SME) is growing faster today than at any point in its history despite the rapid adoption of AI across the industry.
The founder leads a company that has doubled its headcount in the last 12 months. The company also secured more projects than ever before. This growth took place even as larger regional agencies leaned heavily on AI tools to generate fast proposals.
According to him, the pattern is clear. Malaysian companies reviewing proposals can already tell which ones are created entirely by AI.
“Clients pick it up straightaway,” he said. “Nine out of 10 proposals are generic. The ideas are recycled. Companies are not paying for copy-pasted content. They want thought and intent.”
His firm uses AI for minor support tasks, but the core creative thinking remains with people. That is what clients respond to.
Several Malaysian and international organisations have warned about the shifting nature of work as AI adoption increases.
• A recent Khazanah Research Institute study observed that a significant share of routine and repetitive tasks across manufacturing, finance and administrative support could face automation pressure by 2030.
• Bank Negara has highlighted that logistics, retail and customer service roles are changing quickly as digital systems take on more volume.
•The International Labour Organisation has reported that clerical roles across Asean may face increasing automation as companies streamline operations.
•The World Economic Forum has listed data processing, transcription, basic content generation and standardised support functions among the job categories with the highest exposure to automation.
The Malaysian SME that doubled in size demonstrates a counter-trend. Companies are not simply replacing people. They are becoming more selective about the quality of work they commission.
What clients value most is the one thing AI cannot produce. Nuance. Context. Local understanding. Creative judgment. The ability to ask the right questions and build ideas that feel tailored.
And Malaysia’s agencies are preparing for this transition.
TalentCorp continues to strengthen industry partnerships and build pathways for Malaysians to return from abroad with new skills.
The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation remains focused on digital-capability building and industry-placement programmes that help companies adopt new tools without reducing headcount.
Instead of asking whether AI will take our jobs, Malaysia should ask a better question. How do we position ourselves so AI becomes a tool that supports growth rather than a threat to employment?
The marketing firm in Kuala Lumpur grew because it understood this early. AI can assist. It cannot replace intention, insight or the human touch that clients recognise immediately.
And no doubt Malaysian companies can tell the difference.
The writer is author of ‘Unleashing Malaysia’s Economic Potential’
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