AI Malaysia Takeover 2026 (AIMTO_26) brought together more than 3,500 Malaysians – from policymakers and tech leaders to investors and AI enthusiasts – in a national push to transform AI curiosity into hands-on capability. The landmark event marked a major step in Malaysia’s digital journey, highlighted by the unveiling of the new Rakyat Digital portal by YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital.
The event featured a powerhouse line-up of speakers, including Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan (co-founders of Kelas Sekejap), Dr. Rainer Deutschmann (Group Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, Axiata), Paul Copplestone (CEO and Founder, Supabase), Khailee Ng (Managing Partner, 500 Global), and Foong Chee Mun (CEO, YTL AI Labs). Together, they explored Malaysia’s AI trajectory, from ecosystem building to global competitiveness.
From AI Users to AI Builders
The centrepiece of AIMTO_26 was the Learn-A-Thon – an intensive, mentor-led programme that drew over 1,000 participants, ranging from first-timers to seasoned developers. Over the course of the event, teams turned their ideas into working prototypes, earning the initiative the title of LARGEST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) LEARN-A-THON in the Malaysia Book of Records.
Central to this achievement was the support of YTL AI Labs, which provided all Learn-A-Thon participants with free access to ILMUchat – a Malaysian-built AI platform designed to understand local context and operate on secure, sovereign national infrastructure. Participants used ILMUchat to build a diverse range of AI applications, including:
- A Duit Raya Planner for managing festive giving
- A Traffic Light Simulator to model urban traffic flows
- Knowledge Databases enabling multiple AI agents to operate with shared context
To sustain this momentum, every participant received one month of free continued access to ILMUchat, allowing them to refine their projects and explore new ideas beyond the event.
Foong Chee Mun, CEO of YTL AI Labs, said:
“For Malaysia to build meaningful AI capability, more people need the opportunity to work with the technology and see what they can do with it. We want ILMU to be part of that journey – giving Malaysians a locally developed platform they can explore, learn from, and build on. Initiatives like the Learn-A-Thon are an important way to bring that ambition to life.”
Rizal Shah Amat, CEO of Ludic Asia, added:
“The Learn-A-Thon is a starting point for building a growing community of Malaysians who are confident not just using AI, but building with it. By creating opportunities for people to learn by doing, we can turn this momentum into practical AI capability that continues to grow beyond the event.”
Building Beyond AIMTO_26
YTL AI Labs is extending its commitment through a three-month builder programme in partnership with KrackedDevs, offering Learn-A-Thon participants continued access to ILMUchat and the chance to further develop their projects.
The wider AIMTO_26 agenda also featured high-level dialogue on Malaysia’s AI economy, including a session titled “Malaysia’s AI Economy: From Capabilities to Competitiveness” with representatives from Microsoft, Global AI Village, and YTL AI Labs. The event also served as the launchpad for the Rakyat Digital portal, unveiled by the Minister of Digital to strengthen digital inclusion and access for all Malaysians.
