Set up task force to deal with AI use, govt told

Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan says the call for a task force is not to stifle the development of AI but to future-proof Malaysians against the challenges ahead.

PETALING JAYA: Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan has urged the government to set up a special task force to regulate issues surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

He said that with the introduction of Sora, OpenAI’s latest model capable of creating realistic and imaginative videos from text prompts, “we really need to talk about AI”.

He said the protection of intellectual property (IP) was one of the concerns about AI-generated elements, and questioned if the country’s IP laws should be relooked in view of the surge of AI to prevent copyright infringement.

“Secondly, it will not be long before someone uses AI to generate a fake video or image against political opponents, or to create disunity among the races,” he said in a post on X.

He questioned the effectiveness of the Penal Code and enforcement agencies in identifying AI-generated content that breaks the law.

Syahredzan also raised concerns over the protection of creators and designers, urging the government to resist the use of AI-generated images or videos and to continue commissioning artists to prevent their replacement by technology.

“I call upon the government to set up a task force comprising several ministries (including the home, digital, communications, as well as domestic trade and cost of living ministries) and agencies to look into these issues, along with experts.

“I must stress, this is not to stifle the development of AI. It is to future-proof ourselves for challenges ahead.

“These are just some of the issues that we need to start talking about. It does not mean that legislation is immediately the answer, but we must start talking about it now to prepare for the future (which is closer than we think),” he said.

In August 2023, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government was considering the need for a regulatory framework to tackle ethical concerns related to the use of AI technology.

Fahmi said the establishment of the framework would help the government comprehend the various challenges associated with the technology.