BUSAN, South Korea: Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping esports training by turning complex performance data into practical, coachable insights.
Having said that, Sarawak’s Afiq Fadhli Narawi cautioned that accelerated AI adoption must be matched with strong governance frameworks to preserve fairness and competitive integrity.
“AI should train the athlete, not replace the athlete. Performance data is sensitive and must be protected to prevent unfair competitive advantages,” he stressed at the 10th IESF World Esports Summit here.
Held over two days from Feb 10-11, the summit gathered international esports leaders, federation presidents, publishers, academics and policymakers to address emerging industry challenges.
Afiq, who is Deputy President of the Malaysia Esports Federation, an IESF Board Member, and President of the Sarawak Esports Association, was representing Malaysia at the event.
He contributed to a high-level panel titled ‘AI and Esports: Leap or Threat?’, examining how artificial intelligence is transforming competitive gaming ecosystems worldwide.
Drawing from Malaysian and Sarawakian experiences, Afiq explained how AI-driven analytics are enhancing athlete preparation, efficiency and long-term performance development pathways.
“In our training programmes, we use AI to analyse telemetry and gameplay patterns, especially in sim racing, eFootball and Tekken 8,” he said.
He said that AI-assisted feedback improves consistency, decision-making and mechanical precision, particularly for athletes in developing esports regions.
The panel also addressed the growing urgency for unified global governance on AI usage within esports competitions and training environments.
“If federations do not define ethical boundaries now, those rules will be dictated by commercial interests rather than sporting integrity,” Afiq warned.
Reflecting on the summit, Afiq expressed pride in representing both Malaysia and Sarawak on an influential international platform.
“It is an honour to represent Malaysia and to showcase Sarawak’s growing esports ecosystem contributing meaningfully to global discussions,” he said.
The session was widely regarded as one of the summit’s most grounded discussions, offering actionable guidance on responsible AI adoption.
Other panelists included Dr Seth Jenny of Slippery Rock University, Ignat Bobrovich of Valvur, and Dr Tsubasa Shinohara of the University of Tsukuba.
