Latest news with #I-Bhd
The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
I-Bhd commits RM10mil to AI, robotics rollout across income-generating portfolio
SHAH ALAM: I-Bhd , the master developer of I-City, has announced an initial commitment of RM10 million to roll out artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics infrastructure across its portfolio of income-generating assets. In a statement, the company said the rollout, expected to be completed in 2028, will begin with the AI-Driven Enhancement at Mercu Maybank, a 33-storey corporate tower that serves as Maybank's alternate head office in i-City. According to the statement, the implementation will extend to other assets, including Wyndham Suites I-City, Wyndham Suites KLCC, Wyndham Garden, DoubleTree by Hilton i-City, Central-City Mall, I-City theme park, car parks, a data centre, and residential developments in i-City. "This rollout builds on the success of I-Bhd's pivot towards 'extracting value from the land', a strategy first introduced in 2024 to unlock long-term value from its RM10 billion gross development value (GDV) in i-City. "With over 50 per cent of the completed GDV made up of income-yielding properties, the group is now entering a phase focused on performance optimisation, operational scalability, and intelligent infrastructure,' it said. The statement added that the four-year technology roadmap is designed to embed automation into both internal operations and customer-facing experiences, including predictive maintenance, visitor flow management, and robotics-assisted service delivery across commercial, retail, and hospitality spaces. "The group's i-City SuperApp will serve as the central platform for integrating Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) capabilities across its asset ecosystem, with future plans for tenants to tap into shared infrastructure to optimise their operations,' it noted. The company also noted that it is currently in discussion with leading robotics and AI partners, including Unitree, DeepSeek, and Baidu, as it positions i-City as a scalable, AI-powered development. Meanwhile, chairman Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong said the group is not only addressing current demand but also future-proofing its assets by developing an intelligent urban ecosystem where performance, user experience, and data integration are aligned to generate long-term value for stakeholders. He added that the group has demonstrated its ability to generate recurring income and is now strengthening that foundation with intelligent systems designed to improve efficiency, adaptability, and long-term resilience across its assets. "AI and robotics are the next frontier in driving value from our ecosystem," he said. - Bernama
New Straits Times
7 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
I-Bhd unveils RM10mil AI and Robotics rollout to future-proof i-City
KUALA LUMPUR: I-Bhd, the master developer of i-City in Shah Alam, has committed RM10 million to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics infrastructure across its portfolio of income-generating assets, with the initiative expected to be completed by 2028. In line with its long-term digital strategy, the company is currently in discussions with leading global technology players including Unitree, DeepSeek, and Baidu to transform i-City into a scalable, AI-powered smart city. The rollout will begin at Mercu Maybank, a 33-storey corporate tower serving as Maybank's alternate headquarters, and will extend to high-profile assets such as Wyndham Suites I-City, Wyndham Suites KLCC, Wyndham Garden, DoubleTree by Hilton i-City, Central-City Mall, the i-City theme park, car parks, a data centre, and residential components. Director Datuk Eu Hong Chew said the investment is not a trend-driven move but part of a deliberate strategy to ensure long-term relevance and competitiveness for I-Bhd's business and assets. "We're not just adding tech for the sake of it. This is about sustaining performance, unlocking value, and enabling intelligent systems to optimise asset efficiency and user experience," Eu said. The initiative aligns with I-Bhd's "value extraction" strategy introduced in 2024 to maximise returns from i-City's RM10 billion gross development value (GDV). With over 50 per cent of completed GDV comprising income-generating properties, the company is now entering a new phase focused on performance optimisation and smart infrastructure. Under its four-year technology roadmap, I-Bhd aims to embed AI and robotics into both operational systems and customer-facing services—ranging from predictive maintenance and energy management to visitor flow optimisation and robotics-assisted hospitality. The company's proprietary i-City SuperApp will serve as the digital backbone of the ecosystem, integrating Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) features that will eventually be made available to tenants and residents to enhance their operations. "When we launched i-City, we didn't set out to build just another property development. We set out to build Malaysia's first digital city. We set out to build a place where infrastructure, technology, and people come together to create lasting value. "That's how we became the first to deploy fibre-to-home as a core utility and build a Tier-3 data centre. But that was just Phase 1. "We kept the technology ecosystem dynamic and scalable for future enhancements. Today, as technology matures, we are ready and entering Phase 2, where intelligence is embedded into the ecosystem. This phase is where the city starts to think, learn, and adapt," Eu said. AI will allow the company to manage buildings more intelligently through predictive maintenance, energy optimisation, and visitor flow management, while robotics will assist in service delivery, from concierge bots to logistics and cleaning, he said. "AI and robots are expensive today, especially for individuals or small businesses. But with RM1 billion in assets, we have the scale to deploy and share this infrastructure. Over time, as the tech matures, we expect it to be accessible within corporate budgets," said Eu. He added that I-Bhd is following the same playbook it used two decades ago, working with strategic partners to integrate advanced technology that enhances property value and maintains i-City's edge as Malaysia's leading tech city. "When we started i-City, it wasn't just about building property. It was about building a digital city. Phase one was about infrastructure, fibre-to-home, and Tier-3 data centres. Now we're entering Phase Two, where the city begins to think, learn, and adapt," he said. Chairman Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong echoed the sentiment, adding that AI and robotics represent the next frontier in delivering value across I-Bhd's ecosystem.
The Star
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
I-Bhd quarterly net profit soars 140% to RM10mil
From left: Wyndham Hotels & Resorts APAC President Joon Aun Ooi, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts CEO Geoffrey Ballotti and I-Bhd executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong at the signing ceremony to rebrand Best Western Hotel to Wyndham Garden i-City KUALA LUMPUR: I-Bhd executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong in delivering the group's report for the first quarter of financial year 2025 (1Q25) said the company's strong start reflects its evolution into a more balanced, asset-driven business. Accordingly, the group's performance was underpinned by steady contributions from three core business segments – property development, property investment, and leisure and hospitality. 'Over the past year, we've restructured our growth engine to ensure we create an ecosystem that generates recurring income across our existing assets. 'The performance we are seeing today shows that our strategy is working – our earnings are broad-based, resilient and supported by both recurring income and market-responsive development,' Lim said in a statement. During 1Q25 ended March 31, 2025, I-Bhd posted a net profit of RM9.96mil, which was about 140% more than RM4.07mil in the year-ago quarter. Quarterly earnings per share jumped to 0.54 sen from 0.22 sen previously, while revenue came to RM62.06mil, up from RM40.63mil in 1Q24. The company's leading revenue contributor – leisure and hospitality – registered RM26.4mil in quarterly revenue and pre-tax profit of RM2.97mil.
