By Lasheeni Ghobi
SHAH ALAM, 26 August 2025: Malaysia has taken a giant leap into the global AI arena with the official launch of Ilmu, its first homegrown multimodal large language model. Unveiled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the inaugural ASEAN AI Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Ilmu is more than just a chatbot; it’s a statement of national capability and a bold step toward digital sovereignty.
Developed through a collaboration between YTL AI Labs and Universiti Malaya, Ilmu, short for Intelek Luhur Malaysia Untukmu (Noble Malaysian Intellect for You), is designed to understand, respect, and celebrate the nation’s rich diversity. Unlike its international counterparts, which are often trained on data from Western cultures and languages, Ilmu is specifically tailored for Malaysians. This deep local understanding allows it to excel in Bahasa Melayu, a feat highlighted by its new benchmark on MalayMMLU, an international standard for the Malay language.
Ilmu’s performance has been benchmarked to rival some of the world’s most advanced AI models, including GPT-4o, DeepSeek-v3, and Llama 3.1. This achievement demonstrates Malaysia’s ability to not just consume technology, but to develop world-class innovations from within. The Prime Minister’s remarks on X underscored this point, saying the launch signifies that Malaysia is “no longer merely a consumer of technology.”
A key distinguishing feature of Ilmu is its commitment to digital sovereignty. All of its data and servers are hosted entirely within Malaysia. This localized security model ensures that sensitive information remains within the country’s borders, building a foundation of trust and control over its own digital infrastructure.
The launch of Ilmu is set to open new doors across various sectors. Its capabilities are designed to be a catalyst for innovation in education, public services, and industrial applications. The first version, Ilmuchat, will be released in web and mobile formats, initially supporting text interactions in Malay, English, and even Manglish (a colloquial mix of Malay and English). Future updates will add voice and image support, further enhancing its multimodal capabilities.
For businesses, Ilmu offers an enterprise-grade solution through Ilmu for Business, allowing companies to integrate the AI’s capabilities via API access. This initiative aims to provide AI tools that are not only powerful but also rooted in local needs, helping Malaysian businesses to scale and compete on a global stage. The development of this AI model positions Malaysia as a builder of technology, paving the way for a more innovative and digitally empowered future for its people.
