KUCHING: Data will form the foundation of Sarawak's future economy as it opens up opportunities for the development of new industries, job creation and long-term economic growth.

Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg said the state's economic development must keep pace with technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) which plays a crucial role in processing data to generate solutions.

"As we can see today, SoftBank is investing its funds here together with Grab, with a seed capital of US$1.85 billion.

"In other words, the future economy will be data-driven, and data will become a resource for economic activities," he said.

He said this during a fireside chat at the Standard Chartered-InvestSarawak British-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce (BMCC) Industrial Transition Forum here on Tuesday.

Datuk Patinggi Abang Zohari said research is underway into technologies capable of detecting false data, including approaches involving the reversal of artificial neural network processes to verify data authenticity.

He said such technological advancements could extend across various sectors, including banking and medicine, thereby shaping a new economic ecosystem.

He also emphasised that energy is a critical component of the digital economy, as data must be transmitted at high speeds to enable real-time processing.

He anticipated that conventional data centres could eventually be replaced by systems known as AI grids.

"If Sarawak's economy develops in this direction, the state has the opportunity to be at the forefront and become a reference point for others. That is the direction Sarawak is currently pursuing," he said.

Also present were Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian, Deputy Minister for International Trade, Industry and Investment Datuk Dr Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, British High Commissioner to Malaysia Ajay Sharma and other dignitaries. -UKASnews