I had the privilege of joining the AIFTIS panel on
“Modern Management, AI & Emerging Technologies,” sharing the SME and private sector perspective on AI adoption.
It was an honour to speak alongside:
• Professor Datuk Dr. Siti Hamisah
• Prof Ulung Dr. Rajah Rasiah
• Prof Raymond Ooi
• Moderated by Datuk Dr. Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman
My key message was clear:
AI governance and trust are no longer optional — they determine whether AI strengthens your brand equity or destroys it.
In today’s environment, one poorly governed AI decision can lead to:
❌ Data leaks
❌ Wrong recommendations at scale
❌ Customer distrust
❌ Reputation damage that is hard to recover
But with the right governance, the opposite happens:
✔️ AI builds trust
✔️ AI enhances credibility
✔️ AI elevates brand value
✔️ AI becomes a competitive advantage
And this begins with leadership.
Leaders must be AI-ready — not to code, but to shape the guardrails, values, and culture behind responsible AI use.
Leadership decisions determine how teams use AI, how risks are managed, and how trust is earned.
From the SME perspective, these issues are even more critical.
SMEs move fast, rely heavily on customer trust, and cannot afford mistakes that damage reputation. Proper AI governance gives them the confidence to innovate safely and sustainably.
Thank you AIFTIS for creating a platform where policy, academia, and the private sector can come together.
Let’s continue building a future where AI accelerates growth with trust, clarity, and human values at the centre.
