The topic was: “THE FUTURE OF TECH ADVANCES OVER THE NEXT DECADE”. Of course, the answer was going to be A.I.
AI is evolving almost every week.
As a result, AI is driving everything else:
🌀 Semiconductors.
🔹 Advanced Packaging.
💠 Data Centers.
🌊 Power and Water requirements.
☀️ Sustainability.
🏤 What our offices will look like (less people).
🤼 How we work (faster).
So, “HOW CAN WE KEEP UP WITH THE RAPID TECH ADVANCES?”
The moderator asked the panel at MBOT’s ENTICE 2025 event this week.
My answer: BE CURIOUS 🤔
Be curious about new announcements. About old ways.
About how to use new tools; how to improve your work.
That’s the starting point. Then go explore. Learn.
As I said at the panel:
“YOU DO NOT NEED TO GO TO UNIVERSITY TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE ANY MORE.” Everything is now available from the internet.
Or from AI.
If you know how to ask questions.
Of course, formal learning is the fastest way to get foundational knowledge of any subject. But AI is moving faster than any educational system can respond.
Start-ups in Silicon Valley have long ago not required you to have a university degree to join them. They just need your brains.
And skills.
They find talent wherever they can.
🟢 To develop a product.
🔵 To build their business.
🟠 To innovate.
Large corporations are beginning to realise this.
A certificate does not guarantee you can do any of that.
CURIOSITY does.
People who are curious, and then ACT.
Ask questions.
Look for answers.
Malaysian companies need to realise this.
You need curious staff to innovate. Not just engineers with degrees.
You also need managers who know how to respond and nurture innovation.
I related an example of our RFID highway toll system. The idea is good. But the implementation is unreliable. How many of us had to reverse our cars at the toll gate because it could not detect our RFID tag? Many hands shot up. 🙋♂️ 🙋 🙅
The company has not yet shown any curiosity (or interest) to find out and fix it.
How can our companies be able to show face and say our products are “Made By Malaysia”?
Malu-lah. I said.
By 2030, ASEAN is forecast to be the 3rd largest populated region in the world – after India and China. Expected to exceed 700 million. More than Europe.
And Malaysia is smack in the right position to leverage this.
If only our companies know how to do this.
With the right talent. At all levels.
And the mindset to Cooperate. Collaborate.
And Combine expertise.
With universities. With other companies. Countries.
Perhaps even with their competitors.
The world is our oyster. Starting with ASEAN.
Thank you to President Siti Hamisah Tapsir and Malaysia Board of Technologists for inviting me to celebrate their 10th Anniversary event. And meeting so many others there, too numerous to mention here.
