By Nancy Nais
KUCHING, Sept 27: Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg wants to invite renowned author James Barrat to speak at the upcoming International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) 2025.
Speaking at the Sarawak Bumiputera Entrepreneur Awards (AUBS) 2025 on Saturday night (Sept 27), Abang Johari said Barrat wrote a book called ‘Our Final Invention’, which explores the benefits and existential risks of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it could become an artificial superintelligence.
Barrat’s book stresses the immense difficulty of controlling or even predicting the actions of an entity potentially orders of magnitude more intelligent than any human.
“In that book, Barrat stated that the global economy will be driven by AI, which will become the primary tool for all economic activities. He emphasised that the future economic landscape will be highly complex—so much so that navigating and directing your business will require strong rational thinking and sharp analytical skills.
“That’s why I’ve directed (Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation chairman) Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani and his team to invite Barrat to give a talk at IDECS on the latest technologies particularly on AI,” he said.
He acknowledged AI’s negatives sides, misused to a point of causing chaos such as what DeepFake or even ChatGPT can do.
DeepFake is a form of AI that can be used to create convincing hoax images, sounds, and videos.
However, Abang Johari also asserts the importance of understanding AI for everyone to position themselves and Sarawak effectively, and chart its future direction.
With Sarawak’s strength in energy, having almost everything such as hydro, solar, biomass, coal, and fossil fuels, Abang Johari wants leaders to focus on these so that the State can be the game maker is controlling energy prices.
“Indeed, innovation is an important method, but you must remember, innovation requires analysis of the current situation and also the future economic landscape.
“When we have the advantage of choosing the strengths that we possess, that we can leverage it against our competitors. Therefore, our strengths must be enhanced in several ways, including using technology and it must align with the demands of the future,” Abang Johari said.
Meanwhile, AUBS returns this year to recognise excellent Bumiputera entrepreneurs who excel through their entrepreneurial, creative, innovative, and committed traits.
Jointly organised by the Ministry of International Trade, Industry, and Investment (Mintred), Sarawak Bumiputera Chamber of Entrepreneurs (DUBS), and Idris Ibrahim & Co Groups of Companies (IIG), there were three main categories, namely the Outstanding Bumiputera Entrepreneur Award; the Successful Entrepreneur Award, which recognises 10 recipients across various sectors; and the Promising Entrepreneur Award. — DayakDaily
