Malaysia launches ILMU: First locally built AI language model
Speaking at the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025 (AAIMS25), Anwar said the goal is to position Malaysia as an 'AI nation' that uses technology to improve governance, drive innovation and uplift communities.
'This is a generational opportunity. AI can bridge divides, empower small businesses, strengthen public services and expand access to healthcare, education and justice for all,' he said.
Developed by YTL AI Labs in collboration with Universiti Malaya, ILMU integrates local languages and culture with world-class performance.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo called it a 'groundbreaking Malaysian innovation' that safeguards linguistic and cultural identity while delivering global-standard AI capabilities.
Fluent in Bahasa Melayu, Malaysian English (Manglish) and dialects such as Kecek Kelate, ILMU is built on YTL AI Cloud for enterprise-grade performance and local data residency.
It reportedly matches or outperforms GPT-4o, DeepSeek and Llama 3.1 in key benchmarks, and leads globally in Malay language understanding.
The model can process and generate text, voice and images, enabling applications across multiple sectors.
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