[COLUMNIST] Accelerating AI and 5G innovation in ASEAN - Rais Hussin

IT'S 2025, and all eyes are on Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. At every corner of the show floor, it’s clear that 5G and AI have moved well beyond buzzwords—they’re fueling an unprecedented wave of innovation that’s reshaping entire industries and forging new ones. But the most intriguing story may not be unfolding in Silicon Valley or Shenzhen—it’s happening across ASEAN, and Malaysia is emerging as a surprise gateway to this rapidly transforming region.

The Global State of 5G and AI

By 2025, 5G has moved well beyond its infancy (Figure 1). Around the world, mission-critical Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC), immersive enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), and massive IoT (mMTC) are becoming everyday realities. Private 5G networks are expanding in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and energy. Service providers are pairing edge computing with 5G for on-site real-time analytics, substantially reducing bandwidth needs. Network slicing and virtualization allow 5G to adapt dynamically to the needs of each industry.

On the AI front, we see dramatic strides in generative AI, multimodal intelligence, edge computing, and responsible AI governance (Figure 2). Large language models now work alongside vision–language systems and advanced reinforcement learning solutions orchestrating complex tasks in real time. Sustainability is also at the forefront—both reducing AI’s carbon footprint and ensuring privacy, fairness, and transparency.

Major leaps in edge AI and federated learning allow data to be processed on devices or local nodes, improving response times while safeguarding user privacy. This is especially vital in the 5G era, where countless sensors generate continuous data. Swarms of factory robots or autonomous vehicles can now collectively train AI models without sending raw data to distant clouds, all within milliseconds, thanks to 5G’s high-speed, low-latency connections. That’s the amazing 5G-AI synergy unfolding in 2025.

Take, for instance, a “5G \ AI Synergy Matrix” (Figure 3) linking ten global 5G trends to six key AI developments—ranging from Predictive Analytics & Maintenance to Computer Vision, NLP, Robotics, Anomaly Detection, and Edge AI & Federated Learning. Each cell highlights how AI and 5G can elegantly “tango” together in real-world deployments. While 5G provides the necessary bandwidth, reliability, and scale, AI adds predictive intelligence, learning, and automation. In tandem, they are pushing the boundaries of what connectivity and computation can achieve.

ASEAN’s Digital Ecosystem

ASEAN—home to more than 680 million people, 65% of whom are under 35—has embraced 5G and AI to modernize public services, encourage economic growth, and compete globally. This youthful demographic fuels the demand for connectivity and innovation, prompting many governments to prioritize 5G and AI to drive economic growth, modernize public services, and boost global competitiveness.

A “5G \ AI Synergy Matrix” (Figure 4) tailored to the ASEAN context reveals real or pilot applications across port operations, manufacturing, public services, and healthcare. Each cell shows how a specific 5G application uses AI to address regional challenges in port operations, manufacturing, public services, and healthcare—all are critical sectors given ASEAN’s geographic diversity and rapid growth.

These use cases highlight the practical impact of 5G + AI across ASEAN—not just in industrial IoT or robotics, but also in everyday life. They can help close gaps in healthcare, agriculture, education, and more.

Recurring themes in this matrix include the shift toward Industry 4.0 and automation, as well as extensive use in service-oriented sectors.

Furthermore, these examples underscore a broader trend: public-private collaborations—telecom operators, government agencies, and industrial giants—are a critical driver of digital transformation.

Malaysia’s “Active Neutrality” and Strategic Position

ASEAN’s members are all forging unique AI–5G paths. While each nation is forging its own AI–5G path, Singapore stands out with its extensive initiatives across government, telecom, and private sectors—a testament to its advanced high-tech ecosystem, strong policy support, deep innovation culture, and vast talent pool.

However, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines are rapidly advancing, piloting 5G–AI applications in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and smart city management, signaling strong momentum in their digital transformation efforts.

Yet in this diverse landscape, Malaysia stands out for its doctrine of “active neutrality.” Working with both Eastern and Western powers, the country attracts diversified investments and fosters technology transfer while preserving strategic autonomy. This balanced strategy clearly positions Malaysia as an important hub for innovation and collaboration in the region.

A success story is Johor’s data center boom. Catalyzed by Singapore’s data center moratorium in 2019, Johor has become a prime alternative for global cloud providers, backed by sustainable energy strategies and advanced cooling solutions. These data centers deliver the computational muscle behind AI and manage the data flow demanded by next-generation 5G services.

On the connectivity side, Malaysia shifted from a Single Wholesale Network to a more competitive Dual Wholesale Network (DWN) model. With a multi-operator ecosystem, firms can test solutions across different networks in secure facilities, creating a vibrant digital market that encourages carriers to innovate while safeguarding core infrastructure for industrial IoT.

Commercial successes already include agritech, healthcare, and manufacturing. Importantly, these are not isolated pilot projects. Malaysia’s strategy establishes an ecosystem of testbeds, regulatory sandboxes, and venture funding that helps prototypes evolve into full-fledged, market-ready products. Programs like National Technology and Innovation Sandbox by Technology Innovation Park Malaysia (TiPM) have accelerated over 160 tech startups through access to prototyping labs, mentorship, and “first big customer” collaborations with government-linked companies.

TiPM’s leadership in orchestrating Malaysia’s tech-driven ecosystem includes a dedicated AI Sandbox with global partners like NVIDIA, training over 90 SMEs to integrate AI. Moreover, TiPM is driving 5G adoption by establishing Malaysia’s first technology park with 100% 5G coverage, allowing enterprises in Dronetech, Agritech/Biotech, and Healthtech to test solutions in real-world settings. Collaborations with major telcos showcase practical use cases such as 5G-enabled smart poles, safety drones, and robotics.

Malaysia’s “active neutrality” extends to facilitating partnerships between American cloud giants and Chinese open-source AI labs. By offering regulatory support and advanced 5G infrastructure, the country attracts a wide array of investors looking to commercialize AI solutions for the 680-million-strong ASEAN market. This approach fosters healthy competition, multiple technology options, and diversified capital inflows—minimizing reliance on any single power bloc.

The Road Ahead for ASEAN and Malaysia

Moving forward, ASEAN will continue accelerating 5G rollouts, boosting AI adoption, and driving digital transformation across government and the private sector. Key priorities include:

1. Continued AI-5G Integration: Further melding connectivity with intelligence for advanced use cases like real-time robotics, immersive VR, and autonomous vehicles.

2. Sustainability as a Core Driver: Ensuring greener data center operations, reduced AI carbon footprints, and better resource management.

3. Education Reform: Training a new generation of AI engineers, data scientists, and 5G specialists to sustain growth.

4. Cross-Border Collaboration: Establishing shared 5G testbeds and AI standards, encouraging knowledge exchange among ASEAN telecom operators, governments, and industries.

Malaysia invites global telecom operators, AI startups, cloud providers, venture capitalists, and R&D institutions to collaborate in this new frontier. Its strategic advantages include:

• Prime Location and Market Access: Proximity to a massive, young consumer base.

• Active Neutrality: Attracting investments from multiple global power centers.

• Data Infrastructure Readiness: Expanded facilities in Johor, Penang, and Kuala Lumpur support AI at scale.

• Strong Government and Policy Support: MyDIGITAL, TiPM, the National AI Office, and other entities driving robust innovation ecosystems.

Whether the goal is to test new 5G–AI solutions in Industry 4.0, pioneer sustainable data center strategies, or co-develop quantum-ready security frameworks, Malaysia stands ready as a strategic partner for ASEAN and beyond.

As the region continues to shape the future of connectivity and intelligence, this is a clarion call for meaningful partnerships, fresh ideas, and bold actions that will propel both ASEAN and the world into a new era of progress.

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Dr Rais Hussin, CEO, Technology Innovation Park Malaysia (TiPM) presented at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona.

** The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Astro AWANI.

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