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Malaysian Reserve
4 days ago
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Zetrix's Nur.AI set to lead global Shariah AI drive
by SHAUQI WAHAB MALAYSIA must be a creator, not just a consumer, of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, using Maqasid Shariah as the foundation to answer religious queries, provide halal investment advice, and guide the Muslim community in line with authentic Islamic scholarship. Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi framed the launch of Zetrix's as part of Malaysia's broader ambition to strengthen its role as a global leader in halal certification, Islamic finance and now Shariah-compliant AI. 'Make this platform the foundation for shaping public thinking; answering questions on what is halal and haram; providing guidance on zakat and 'faraid'; offering open advice on Shariah-compliant investments; and ultimately guiding society based on true and recognised Islamic scholarship,' he said today during the launch of Zetrix the world's first Shariah-aligned large language model (LLM). Ahmad Zahid envisioned Malaysia becoming a global reference centre for Shariah AI, integrating AI into Islamic education worldwide and applying AI to mosque administration, zakat management and Quranic instruction. He called for collective commitment from the government, industry, educational institutions and religious bodies to ensure success, framing it as both a national responsibility and an investment for the hereafter. Meanwhile, Zetrix co-founder Datuk Fadzli Shah shared that the company is planning to position as the leader of global Shariah AI drive with immediate applications in legal, financial and religious contexts. He stressed that affordability was a key priority, especially for Muslim-majority nations in the Global South, ensuring that the technology benefits the wider ummah without creating financial burdens. 'With the massive addressable market, over two billion Muslims around the world, the economics will work, and so that the AI will be sustainable and the development will continue,' he said at the official launching ceremony today. He revealed that while is currently consumer-focused, Zetrix has already begun adapting its base LLM for professional use cases, particularly in the jurisprudence and legal fraternity across multiple countries, as well as in Islamic finance before expanding to broader financial sectors. These business-to-business (B2B) initiatives will be announced as partnerships mature. Fadzli explained that regional rollout would be carefully phased, beginning with Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, to serve over 340 million people under the Shafie school of thought before expanding to other Islamic legal traditions. Addressing concerns about governance and potential external influence, especially given Zetrix's collaboration with DeepSeek AI, Fadzli assured that remains an independent project with no state interference. Fadzli clarified that Zetrix has implemented technical measures to remove pre-existing biases in the underlying model and reintroduce a Shariah-aligned framework. 'We have been able to remove the bias that was introduced and then to reintroduce into it the Shariah bias. ' remains as an independent project that will be able to serve its purpose and target for the Shariah alignment and Shariah-based LLM, so there is little to no threat of state intervention,' he said. He added that the project remains open to partnerships with governments that share its mission. Moving forward, Fadzli sees strong potential in integrating Zetrix's AI capabilities with its blockchain technology, positioning blockchain as the data layer and AI as the processing engine. The company expects to announce further developments by year-end aimed at enhancing usability, increasing adoption and advancing cross-border collaboration.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Zahid touts nation's potential as Islamic world's digital hub
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has the potential to become the Islamic world's digital hub, particularly in the region, by developing Shariah-compliant artificial intelligence (AI). Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the launch of a Shariah-compliant artificial intelligence platform, by Zetrix AI Berhad today would catalyse advancing the nation's technology sector. By positioning itself as a leader in Shariah-compliant AI, Zahid said, Malaysia could open the door to strategic cooperation with Asean and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries, and strengthen its global influence. "Malaysia, long recognised as a global leader in halal certification, a respected hub for Islamic finance, and a modern centre of Shariah academic reference, is now taking a further step forward to lead the world in Shariah-compliant AI. "I want this launch to mark the beginning of a nationwide movement, with the government strengthening policy and infrastructure, and industry integrating into their operations." "Educational institutions should also embed Shariah-compliant AI into curricula and research, and religious bodies must ensure that every step is correct, with integrity and rooted in Islamic values," he said in his speech at the launch of here today. Zetrix AI Berhad, formerly known as MY E.G. Services Berhad, today unveiled NurAI, the world's first Shariah-aligned, Islamic values-based large language model. NurAI offers guidance consistent with Shariah rulings on a comprehensive spectrum of subject matters, ranging from contemporary topics such as law, healthcare, and finance, to classical Islamic themes including history, Islamic philosophy, and Quranic studies. Meanwhile, Zahid said digital progress must be rooted in values so that technology drives prosperity and wellbeing without undermining the nation's identity and principles. He cautioned that studies had found certain AI-generated content on Western platforms related to Islam contained bias or factual inaccuracies. He said this poses risks when Islamic information is presented without the correct context, when fatwas are misquoted, or when the faith and culture are subtly misrepresented. "We have seen instances where AI systems have provided answers that contradict Shariah principles when asked about Islamic finance rulings, or have quoted unauthenticated sources when discussing matters of aqidah. "This is a gap we must close and, inshaAllah, I am confident that is capable of doing so," he said. He said the platform could be the foundation for shaping public understanding, from clarifying what is halal and haram, to guiding on zakat and faraid, to offering Shariah-compliant investment advice. "I envision a future in which Malaysia serves as the world's primary point of reference and an integrated AI platform for Islamic education systems worldwide. "These include AI applications for mosque administration, zakat management and Quran teaching and international research collaborations that advance innovation grounded in Islamic values," he said.
