Kuala lumpur: Artificial intelligence (AI) is a tool to assist decision-making, not a substitute for human judgment, former Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi said. Zaki, who is now Pertama Digital Berhad chairman, emphasized that while AI can offer new perspectives and support preliminary analysis, the ultimate responsibility for decisions must remain with humans, who are guided by experience, ethics, and sound judgment.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Zaki highlighted the role of AI in the future, stating, "AI will not replace the human mind, but it will make our work easier." He stressed the importance of judges reading and interpreting the law themselves, as AI is still prone to 'hallucinations'. Speaking to reporters after the Wisdom Malaysia 2026 Conference (WMC2026), Zaki drew from his experience as former Chief Justice of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts. He revealed that a directive had been introduced requiring lawyers to disclose the use of AI in preparing legal research or court documents. This measure ensures that the court is aware and can exercise greater vigilance.

In his keynote address, Zaki noted the significance of differing opinions among experienced judges as evidence of why human reasoning cannot be replaced by technology. "Human beings can disagree. At the Court of Appeal or the Federal Court, we have more than one mind to help decide because judges may interpret the law or assess the credibility of evidence differently," he explained. "That is why in appellate courts, we sit in panels of odd numbers three, five, seven, or nine so that the majority view prevails."

Meanwhile, KerjayaOne PLT chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Mutalib Razak spoke on the conference's theme, 'Learning from the Past, Looking to the Future', which aims to bridge the leadership gap between generations. "Wisdom is forged through experience, making difficult decisions, managing crises, and learning from both success and failure," he said. "Bringing together leaders from different generations helps preserve this invaluable knowledge for future custodians of our institutions."

WMC2026 features prominent leaders from the corporate and institutional sectors, including former Tenaga Nasional Berhad president Tan Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh, Cypark Resources Berhad and IOI Corporation Berhad chairman Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar, and former Malaysia Aviation Group chief human capital officer Datuk Dr Mohd Khalis Abdul Rahim.