Delivering AL-Powered Public Services: The Intersection of Efficiency and Sustainability

BY BUSIAI SEMAN & KUN HUANG

IN an era where digital transformation is at the forefront of corporate strategy, businesses and organisations worldwide confront myriad challenges as they strive to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Technological advancements, such as, but not limited to, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things, have now emerged as essential tools for them to remain competitive, offering untapped potential for bolstering efficiency, sparking innovation and promoting sustainability.

Equally, this is also the case with public sectors.

Delivering public services fit for the future requires a fundamental shift in how public sectors operate and interact with its residents.

Digital technology is at the heart of this transformation, offering innovative ways to streamline processes, enhance accessibility, and personalise the user experience.

In a world of rapid and often unpredictable change, agility is paramount.

Digital technology enables public services to be more adaptable, allowing for swift responses to emerging challenges such as public health crises, natural disasters, and economic shifts.

Cloud-based solutions and AI-driven predictive models are among the tools that can help anticipate and mitigate the impact of these challenges.

The long-term goal should be a digital ecosystem that works for people and communities, fostering inclusion, trust, safety, and environmental stewardship.

Based on a recent report “Harnessing the Power of Technology: Building a Strong Digital Economy for Malaysia’s Future” (Nurlin Mohd Salleh et al., 2023), the Malaysian government, through Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), intends to drive economic participation in all segments of the industry through digitalisation and adoption of digital platforms, emerging technologies, and innovative business model.

The nation has produced a sturdy framework to encompass strategic councils, specialised agencies, infrastructure reinforcements and standardisations to assure resilience in the rapid technological advancements.

In 2023, the Malaysian government launched e-Madani as part of the Madani Economy: Rakyat Empowerment framework, marking one of the largest government-led efforts to advance towards a cashless society.

This groundbreaking initiative aims to provide eligible recipients with e-wallet credits, facilitating a smooth online registration and redemption process through designated e-wallet platforms.

This digital integration not only streamlines the distribution of direct assistance to Malaysian citizens but also propels the growth of the digital economy.

Specifically in Sarawak, the state government calls on everyone to work in tandem with technological advancements, fostering a conducive environment for economic development.

The state government introduced SarawakID in 2018, which serves as a single online identity for the Sarawak Government’s digital services.

It provides more secure access and streamlines the registration process by eliminating the need to re-register for different online services, making it convenient for the people.

By 2025, the state government aims to further enhance the initiative as it achieves to be the most trusted digital identity^.

Additionally, in the present technological landscape, a trend of partnership between organisations has emerged as a catalyst for driving companies towards the realisation of their digital aspirations.

Recognising the intricate and ever-evolving nature of technology, these companies are increasingly leveraging collaborative efforts to harness their combined strengths, knowledge, pool resources, and navigate the complexities of the digital landscape.

This approach aligns with the understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital era that often requires a collective response.

World Class Digital Solutions

Referencing the aforementioned collaborations, is a notable example of a recent announcement of expanded collaboration between Alibaba Cloud and Sarawak Information Systems (SAINS). Alibaba Cloud and Sarawak Information Systems (SAINS) have continued to build upon their existing successful collaboration since October 2023 to accelerate Sarawak’s digital transformation.

This renewed alliance focuses on improving Sarawak’s digital public services and fostering sustainable practices through innovative cloud and AI solutions.

This collaboration underscores their commitment to transforming the state from a conventional resource-based economy to an environmentally sustainable, technology-driven society.

Through the use of advanced cloud and AI technologies, this collaboration aims to modernise and improve the efficiency of public sector operations.

By integrating innovative technologies, public services can become more responsive, efficient, and accessible, thus meeting the evolving needs of the community.

Additionally, incorporating AI into crucial daily routines will enhance decision-making processes and better manage resources of public services.

As the digital world evolves, many companies worldwide are increasingly adopting green AI, which leverages artificial intelligence technologies to prioritise environmental sustainability by promoting sustainable practices and reducing the overall carbon footprint.

By developing custom sustainability toolkits that build on Sarawak’s existing efforts, Alibaba Cloud and SAINS seeks to improve the efficiency of sustainability assessments.

This initiative not only advances environmental goals but also benefits the community by ensuring a more sustainable future for all citizens.

Furthermore, the partnership will support the Sarawak government by establishing sustainability benchmarks through cloud-based solutions, while also working on improving energy management within government infrastructure.

These are the crucial steps at reaching the goals for green AI and will enable a precise measurement of the carbon footprint and the implementation of effective carbon reduction strategies.

By doing so, it will assist Sarawak in providing more sustainable public services and advancing towards its carbon neutrality goals and will directly enhance the quality of life for the community by promoting responsible and sustainable public service practices.

The future of public service is collaborative.

By embracing digital technologies and streamlined solutions, such collaboration emerges as a beacon of progress, guiding the public sector towards unprecedented levels of efficiency, innovation, and resilience.

By harnessing the power of advanced, innovative and sustainable cloud and AI technologies, Sarawak is steadily progressing towards its goal of becoming a leading digital economy and society by 2030.