KUCHING: Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) Berhad has strengthened the state's standing in the global digital and artificial intelligence (AI) landscape following its participation in the WITSA Global AI Summit 2026, held recently in Taipei, Taiwan.

Themed 'AI Alive, Beyond the Future', the second edition of the summit gathered AI leaders, innovators, policymakers and industry figures from around the world to discuss AI development and emerging opportunities in the global AI ecosystem.

SDEC Chief Executive Officer Dato Ir. Ts. Sudarnoto Osman delivered a keynote address at the summit, outlining Sarawak's progress in turning its digital and AI ambitions into action grounded in the needs of its people.

"We are exploring how global developments can inform Sarawak's own direction in areas of our interest such as AI Grid models, tokenisation, sovereign AI capabilities, and models that better reflect local knowledge and conditions," Sudarnoto said.

"This means strengthening local capabilities while remaining open to international partnerships and technology providers and, where appropriate, open-source approaches," he added.

He noted that the state's AI journey was progressing from vision to investment, investment to capability, and capability to application — reflecting a shift from technology adoption towards homegrown technology creation.

Sarawak's efforts were recognised at the summit with two WITSA Global AI Awards, in the Public Policy and Investments categories, acknowledging its enabling environment for digital transformation and its success in attracting investment and innovation.

SDEC also became a founding hub partner of the WITSA Global AI Ecosystem Network (WITSA GAIN) earlier this year, a platform connecting global expertise, resources and cross-border opportunities.

Looking ahead, Sarawak is set to host the WITSA Global AI Summit 2027 alongside the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) 2027 in Kuching, further cementing its role as a bridge between ASEAN and the global AI community.

Launched in Taipei in 2025, the WITSA Global AI Summit is organised by the World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), hosted by the Taiwan Innovative Software and Services Association (TISSA). –UKASnews