IN today’s business landscape, data is more than just digital exhaust – it’s the driving force behind growth, innovation and staying one step ahead.
Whether it’s predicting customer demand, improving operations or crafting personalised offers, data—when paired with artificial intelligence (AI) – is giving entrepreneurs a new edge.
From Silicon Valley to Sarawak, businesses large and small are learning how to turn raw signals into smart decisions. And in Malaysia, entrepreneurs are stepping up – using AI not just to automate but to adapt, grow, and thrive.
How Global Giants Are Making Data Work
Across the globe, major brands are already using AI and Data Science to transform how they operate.
Amazon captures millions of shopper clicks every second to adjust prices and stock levels in real time.
Netflix processes over 400 billion daily viewing events to keep playback seamless and personalised.
Tesla continuously improves its self-driving software by collecting data from millions of vehicles on the road.
Even Starbucks’ Deep Brew system combines weather data, time of day and purchase history to send customers the right offer at the right time. These companies don’t just collect data – they act on it. Shell, for instance, analyses 20 billion sensor readings each week to fix machines before they fail.
PayPal detects fraud within milliseconds using AI models, and McKinsey consultants now use generative AI to draft reports and summarise research, cutting hours of manual work.
The message is clear: when AI is embedded into day-to-day business decisions, it leads to faster, smarter and more sustainable outcomes.
The Shift Toward Real-Time, Data-Driven Action
Gone are the days when business reports simply told you what happened last month. Modern dashboards now answer: What’s happening now? What comes next?
AI has evolved from a prediction tool into a decision-making partner. In finance, Goldman Sachs uses AI to digest massive datasets and provide investment guidance.
In retail, Walmart’s Wallaby AI engine recommends products tailored to each shopper while HSBC teams up with Google Cloud to scan billions of transactions for suspicious activity with greater accuracy – more accurately and efficiently.
This shift isn’t just about automation – it’s about enhancing human decisions. It’s the new business intelligence: responsive, dynamic and deeply personalised.
How Malaysian Entrepreneurs Are Catching Up Fast
Closer to home, Malaysian businesses are proving that you don’t need to be a tech giant to benefit from AI. Entrepreneur Khairul Aming turned his TikTok Live data into a business insight engine, helping him generate over RM20 million in sambal sales a year.
By analysing viewer behaviour, he identified exactly when and how to pitch his products. Now, he’s even experimenting with AI-generated video scripts and forecasting tools to time future launches.
Nando’s Malaysia replaced static spreadsheets with Microsoft Power BI dashboards, giving managers instant access to real-time data on sales, staffing and inventory. The result? Faster decisions on the ground.
JurisTech, a local fintech pioneer, is helping banks and credit providers adopt low-code platforms with built-in AI for customer management and credit scoring – making once-complicated processes quick and more scalable.
Even regional champions like AirAsia MOVE are applying AI in their “super-app” to predict demand, personalise travel deals, and reduce delays. These aren’t just tools – they’re business enablers.
The Policy Push Toward a Digital-Ready Nation
Malaysia isn’t just watching this shift – it’s accelerating it.
Through the MyDIGITAL Blueprint and National AI Roadmap 2021-2025, the government is placing data and AI at the heart of national development.
Fifteen flagship use cases – from smart farming to predictive healthcare – are being tested, while programmes like AI4S help SMEs explore AI tools for marketing and logistics, even without large tech teams. At the state level, the Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030 sets a clear priority: use data to boost public service delivery and create a future-ready economy.
Fuelling this ambition are massive investments from tech giants:
Microsoft is investing USD2.2 billion to build three Azure cloud regions and train 200,000 Malaysians in AI skills. Google is bringing a USD2 billion cloud region to Selangor, projected to create 26,500 jobs.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is committing RM25.5 billion to launch a dedicated Malaysian region for secure, local cloud services. With accessible cloud infrastructure and a supportive policy environment, the cost of innovation is falling – especially for startups and SMEs.
It’s Not Just About Tech – It’s About Possibility
This data and AI revolution isn’t about replacing people – it’s about empowering them.
For entrepreneurs, this means making better decisions, faster. It means understanding customers more deeply and scaling ideas more efficiently. It means turning passion into performance – and insights into income.
So, whether you’re running a neighbourhood café, launching a digital product or expanding a logistics firm, the tools are here – and so are the opportunities. The future of entrepreneurship in Malaysia is data-driven, AI-enhanced and human-led.
The question now is: are you ready to act?
Dr Vong Wan Tze, School of Information and Communication Technologies, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at mvoon@swinburne.edu.my.
