By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, July 24: The world’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-based power switching device, KETEQ AI, created by a Sarawak-born innovator, is expected to receive international intellectual property (IP) registration approval by the end of this year.
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, in making the announcement, hailed the device as a major global technological milestone fully developed by local firm SMD Semiconductor Sdn Bhd in collaboration with strategic partner CSA Catapult in the United Kingdom and backed by the British government.
“Alhamdulillah, we now have a company producing the world’s first AI chip. God willing, the IP will be granted by the end of this year,” he said.
The inventor is Sarawak-born Shariman Jamil, Chief Executive Officer of SMD Semiconductor, currently based in Cardiff, Wales, where the development is underway.
“This is the result of collaboration with a British government-owned company, and they are learning from us in chip technology. It shows that Sarawakians are just as capable,” Abang Johari remarked during the official launch of Jambatan Tun Taib Mahmud in Bintulu last night (July 23).
In May this year, Abang Johari had revealed that the device was awaiting the conclusion of the IP registration process before being officially launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The first prototype of KETEQ AI was unveiled by the Premier himself during his visit to the CSA Catapult facility in Cardiff in April.
This AI-integrated nanochip is capable of collecting data, performing analysis, and responding to complex system issues including those in energy, automotive, and critical infrastructure within less than 0.3 seconds.
The project, which began in April 2024, marks a significant breakthrough under the Sarawak Semiconductor Roadmap 2030, aimed at positioning the state as a regional high-tech hub.
KETEQ AI is built with real-time scalable responsiveness and has wide-ranging applications in smart grids, electric vehicles, industrial IoT, predictive maintenance, and mission-critical control systems.
Abang Johari further urged Sarawakians to take advantage of the free education initiative to be implemented next year, which he described as vital to transforming Sarawak into a developed state by 2030.
“With educated and skilled Sarawakians, they will be able to secure high-paying jobs in strategic sectors and contribute to the economy,” he said.
He added that long-term investments in education will help raise household income levels. “If one child earns RM6,000, and two children earn RM12,000, combined with the parents’ income, the household could exceed RM15,000. This is how we fight poverty,” he stressed.
The Premier also noted that increasing foreign investments signal Sarawak’s emergence as a high-profile economic destination, with companies from Japan, Korea, and Belgium showing keen interest.
To support this growth, the Sarawak government will continue to improve infrastructure, including building international schools and creating a conducive environment for investors. — DayakDaily
