Kuala Lampur:First paragraph of the news story. The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) is targeting the production of 30,000 graduates skilled in artificial intelligence (AI) from 2025 to 2030. This initiative is in response to the challenges posed by automation and the growing needs of the future workforce.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the target will be achieved through 30 specialised programmes at bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels currently offered at 11 public universities. MOHE Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir highlighted that to keep academic programmes in line with technological progress, 455 programmes across various levels were reviewed by the end of September.

For AI-focused programmes, development and accreditation have been reinforced through the Programme Standards: Artificial Intelligence (PS:AI) developed by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). This ensures that the programmes are systematically developed and meet quality standards.

Zambry also mentioned the strengthening of the talent development ecosystem through the establishment of AI faculties at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, and Universiti Malaysia Perlis. MOHE plans to integrate AI elements into 80% of bachelor's degree courses at public universities to maintain graduates' competitiveness.

Additional efforts include implementing upskilling programmes, work-based learning, and stackable programmes to enhance AI skills at all study levels, ensuring employability upon graduation. Zambry addressed concerns about students' critical thinking skills, emphasizing the need to balance AI as a learning aid rather than a replacement for human thought.

He cautioned against the dangers of "agentic AI," which can assume human-like thinking and problem-solving capabilities, stressing the importance of producing well-rounded individuals through the higher education system.