This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on November 13, 2023 - November 19, 2023

Hernan Corp Sdn Bhd has partnered with Tapway Sdn Bhd and Mega Fortris Sdn Bhd to launch a durian grading system empowered by agritech artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionise the durian industry.

The value of the global durian market now stands at US$25 billion (RM117 billion) and is expected to surpass US$49 billion by end-2023, with high demand coming from Asian countries, especially China.

“We aim to be the number one player in the durian industry by delivering best-quality whole foods and products to consumers via automation and digitalisation,” said Anna Teo, co-founder and group CEO of Hernan Corp, at the launch of the system at the Malaysia Digital Expo 2023 Grand Finale during the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre on Nov 7.

The company’s mission is to create an AI vision system for grading durian, with automated sorting to increase grading accuracy as well as high-quality assurance output and a traceability system to ensure peace of mind from farm to table.

Hernan Corp hopes the success of this innovation and collaborative effort with Tapway and Mega Fortris will inspire professionals and organisations in the agriculture and technology sectors to adopt digital transformation for increased productivity. — By Grace Yap Ern Hui

Investments in 5G private networks globally are forecast to reach US$6.8 million by 2027, with transport and logistics, manufacturing, and energy and utilities being the top three vertical markets, according to a private LTE and 5G networks market forecast done by Omdia.

Using China’s basic-advanced-flexible business model as an example, ZTE Malaysia deputy country manager Tey Khang Lian said 5G technology strengthens business digitalisation through the implementation of an automated dispersed manufacturing line. He was speaking at the Malaysia Digital Expo 2023 Grand Finale organised by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation on Nov 7.

An automated dispersed manufacturing line consists of multiple short production lines with multiple control points. With an end-to-end digitalised process platform, businesses can upload data to the cloud and send intelligent orders to their manufacturing lines, all of which can be viewed on a compiled dashboard.

Tey suggested using a small and medium enterprise and corporate vertical development strategy where businesses can build a personalised cloud network suited to their business needs.

Between a shared public network, a dedicated public network and an exclusive network, businesses can pick and choose the applications that are best suited to their needs. Smaller companies, especially, can progressively change their network infrastructure while being cost-efficient. — By Grace Yap Ern Hui

Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology arm of Alibaba Group, launched its latest large language model (LLM) known as Tongyi Qianwen 2.0 on Oct 31.

In response to the demand for infrastructure supporting generative artificial intelligence development, Alibaba Cloud also unveiled an AI model training platform and a series of innovative cloud products.

The upgraded Tongyi Qianwen 2.0, an LLM with an extensive parameter count, signifies an advancement from its previous iteration launched in April. The company reports that the model exceeds several prominent LLMs in various benchmarks across domains.

Through an expanded model size and refined alignment technique, Tongyi Qianwen 2.0 demonstrates enhanced capabilities in comprehending complex instructions, crafting content, logical reasoning, memory retention and averting hallucinations.

The model is now accessible to the public via its website and mobile applications. It has also been made available to developers through APIs (application programming interfaces).

In response to the growing demand for generative AI, Alibaba Cloud has introduced the GenAI Service Platform. This all-inclusive platform is designed to facilitate streamlined model development and the creation of applications using AI models.

The platform offers a suite of tools for data management, model deployment and valuation, and prompt engineering. This makes the development of enterprise-specific AI models easier.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has rolled out Temporary Cloud Backup, a secure and convenient way to save and transfer important data.

Temporary Cloud Backup is the latest feature to be added to Samsung Cloud, mitigating the risks of users losing data on lost, stolen or broken Samsung Galaxy devices. It is protected by Samsung Account’s two-factor authentication (2FA), making uploading and restoring data a secure process.

It is a free service with no total storage limit, but individual file sizes are capped at 100GB. A PC or any external memory device is not needed, but WiFi is required for data transfer.

Data is stored for up to 30 days from the date of the user’s initial backup and they are notified when approaching their time limit before their data is automatically deleted.

Temporary Cloud Backup is also included as part of Maintenance Mode, helping to ensure personal data on a device, including private files within the Secure Folder, can be safely backed up for recovery after repairs.

The full global roll-out of Temporary Cloud Backup takes place starting this autumn for all Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets operating on One UI 6, beginning with the Galaxy S and Z series smartphones in South Korea.

The state of online privacy has reached the “very creepy” level, as found by Mozilla’s first Annual Consumer Creep-O-Meter. Shoppers can now measure threats to their personal privacy posed by technology with the meter.

The Annual Consumer Creep-O-Meter provides a high-level, annual benchmark and is calculated using both quantitative and qualitative measures. This year’s score is 75.6 out of 100 — in other words, very creepy.

Five years of data from Privacy Not Included (PNI) was examined, covering 172 different products from cars and mental health apps to fitness trackers and children’s toys. The assessment of privacy legislation and enforcement was also factored into the score.

The scale is expressed from 0 (not creepy) to 100 (super creepy), with “a little creepy”, “somewhat creepy” and “very creepy” in between.

The Digital Privacy Footprint quiz, another tool launched by Mozilla, allows consumers to measure and obtain their custom score, indicating how well or poorly their personal data is protected through the apps they use.

The Annual Consumer Creep-O-Meter also outlines big trends, and winners and losers, such as the lack of transparency in privacy consent and the collection of intimate details through mental health apps. Half of all products reviewed in 2023 and late 2022 earned a PNI warning label, with more products than ever lacking an “offline” mode.

Password usage without 2FA is still dominant in Asia-Pacific, but given the option, users would want other authentication methods, according to FIDO Alliance in its third annual Online Authentication Barometer.

The open industry association, which develops and promotes authentication standards, stated that consumers enter a password manually nearly four times a day, or 1,200 times a year. The report is based on insights into the state of online authentication in 10 countries globally.

But when given the option, users want other authentication methods; on average, biometrics is both the preferred method for consumers to log in and what they believe is most secure, while awareness of passkeys continues to grow.

Other than that, threats are seen to be active across several channels, but primarily email, SMS messages, social media and fake phone or voicemails.

The surge in scams and phishing threats is possibly fuelled by the increased availability of generative artificial intelligence tools. Tools such as FraudGPT and WormGPT, developed and distributed on the dark web for cybercrime purposes, have made crafting compelling social engineering attacks far simpler, more sophisticated and easier to do at scale.

Deepfake voice and video are also being used to bolster social engineering attacks, tricking people into thinking they are talking to a known trusted person.

Passkeys, offering secure and convenient passwordless logins for online services, have gained increased recognition among consumers in Asia-Pacific within just over a year, rising from 41% awareness in 2022 to 58% at present.

This non-phishable authentication method has received public support from major industry players. Google recently introduced passkeys for all users to shift from passwords and 2FA. Apple and other brands like PayPal have also made these options accessible to consumers in the past year.

Nine out of 10 Malaysians are worried about the cost of living, with groceries and food prices causing the most concern, based on poll research done on Malaysians aged 18 and above by the UCSI Poll Research Centre.

This has prompted Grab Malaysia to introduce new and enhanced features on its Grab app with #SavewithGrab. Budget-conscious consumers can now save with Grab’s Stamp Card loyalty programme and long-term GrabUnlimited subscription plans.

Currently being piloted with a select group of merchant-partners nationwide, Stamp Cards is a loyalty programme on the Grab app that merchant-partners can use to reward loyal customers.

Meanwhile, GrabUnlimited subscriptions will now be available in long-term monthly plans, giving consumers the ability to save on subscription fees when they purchase a longer-term plan.

As for the Group Order feature, it will calculate the exact cost of each participant’s meal that is owed to the host, who will have the option of dividing the entire bill evenly or by individual order — including delivery fees, tax and tips.

Saver, GrabFood’s delivery option, had helped Malaysians save over RM27 million in delivery fees between January and August this year.

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) and Basis Bay, a provider of sustainable cloud and green data centres, have entered into a joint venture (JV) to develop, construct and operate data centres in Kuala Lumpur and Cyberjaya.

Through the partnership, the entities plan to build their first data centre campus in Cyberjaya, with two buildings on more than three acres of land that will deliver a capacity of almost 20MW.

The JV is a domestic direct investment-foreign direct investment partnership between Basis Bay and STT GDC. With Malaysia’s growing demand for digital infrastructure, the JV is actively sourcing for new opportunities to further expand in the country.

The data centre campus, dubbed Cyberjaya DC.2, will be a Rated-4 facility that is certified eco-green premium and meets global standards of security and sustainability, taking into account the environmental nuances unique to the surrounding habitat. It will focus on serving local and international banks, financial institutions, government agencies and other similar mission-critical industry segments and will be ready for service in 2024.

The second building — STT Kuala Lumpur 1 — will serve the hyperscale segment. Construction of the first phase is expected to commence in the coming months and it is anticipated to be completed by 2025.

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation and the World Financial Symposium are partnering for the “Growth and Exit Strategies: Building for Scale and Building for Sale” conference on Nov 16.

The conference is for tech entrepreneurs and founders who are considering options for growth or tech mergers and acquisitions. The conference will also impart information on current trends and best practices on how to exit, with insights from leaders in private equity, venture capital and investment banking as well as valuation specialists and CEOs who have successfully sold their companies.

To register for the online conference, use this link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1839568049204382299?source=MDEC+VIP

MYStartup NXT, a series of micro-conferences by MYStartup, will make its fourth stop in Kota Kinabalu on Nov 24.

The initiative, in line with the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap 2021-2030 spearheaded by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, emphasises the importance of a sustainable and inclusive start-up environment to stimulate a robust economy.

In collaboration with the Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre, the Sabah pit stop will provide insights from ecosystem leaders, networking opportunities and a special “What’s Up Grant” session to share and advise founders on Cradle Fund’s investment programmes, CIP Spark and CIP Sprint.

These grants, ranging from RM150,000 to RM600,000, are aimed at assisting early-stage technology start-ups in developing and commercialising their products in the market.

Prior to Sabah, MYStartup NXT carried out its series of micro-conferences in Cyberjaya, Kuching and Penang. Each micro-conference is curated based on the local ecosystem whilst for Sabah, its goal is to educate, nurture and elevate the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Kota Kinabalu.

To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mystartup-nxt-sabah-tickets-731799601307?aff=MYStartupNXT.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is bringing the Odyssey Cup, an eSports virtual tournament that aims to ignite passionate gamers across the industry, to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The online tournament is designed to provide a holistic gaming and competitive experience for professional gamers, influencers and the community. Showcasing Samsung’s extensive range of gaming monitors, the Odyssey Cup is set to provide a rejuvenating experience to a diverse spectrum of gamers, from hardcore enthusiasts to casual players.

The Odyssey Cup will feature Valorant as the game title with an influencer-fan tournament format. Featuring a total prize pool of US$10,000 (RM47,000), the tournament aims to encourage gaming interest and enhance eSports’ growth in the region.

The Odyssey Cup will be fronted by eight influencers per country, each bringing their knowledge and skill sets within Valorant, spanning competitive plays, shoutcasting and analysis. For the full list of the influencers’ line-up and tournament details, visit www.odysseycup.gg.

Each influencer is tasked with scouting for four members to join their team within their respective communities to help shape and influence each individual to reach their utmost potential, ushering in a new generation of competitive players, shoutcasters, analysts, hosts and more. Participants can be recruited into the Odyssey Cup via their chosen influencers’ social media platforms.

The recruitment started on Oct 30, with the highly anticipated play-offs to be held in December.

Gundams are a popular and prominent part of Japanese mecha anime and manga. They were first created by anime director Yoshiyuki Tomino and the Sunrise animation studio for the Gundam series, Mobile Suit Gundam, which debuted in 1979.

Inspired by these Japanese bots, The Tsubame Archax — a US$3 million (RM14 million) 15ft-tall mecha — was showcased at the Japan Mobility Show from Oct 26 to Nov 5, making it a dream come true for Japanese anime and manga fans.

Apart from its ability to roll out like the Autobots in Transformers, the science-fiction animated series and movies, the Archax has limited practical functionality. Its primary capability is lifting objects of up to 20kg with its hands.

Hailed by Ken Burns as one of the foremost “explainers” of technology and its effect throughout history, Tom Wheeler now turns his gaze to the public impact of entrepreneurial innovation. In this book, he connects the experiences of the late 19th century’s industrial Gilded Age with their echoes in the 21st century digital Gilded Age.

In both cases, technology innovation and the great wealth that it created ran up against the public interest and the rights of others. As with the industrial revolution and the Gilded Age that it created, new digital technology has changed commerce and culture, creating great wealth in the process, all while being essentially unsupervised.

Warning that today is not the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” some envision, Wheeler calls for a new era of public interest oversight that leaves behind industrial era regulatory ideas to embrace a new process of agile, supervised and enforced code setting that protects consumers and competition while encouraging continued innovation.

Wheeler combines insights from his experience at the highest echelons of business and government to create a compelling portrait of the need to balance entrepreneurial innovation with the public good.  — Amazon

Multi-category children’s entertainment company Spin Master Ltd has introduced the Bitzee interactive digital pet. Contained within a purple pod, Bitzee pets are displayed on a full-colour screen that children can engage with physically, creating an immersive play experience. Much like a real pet, Bitzee thrives on love and care for growth.

Through virtual interactions, users can feed, soothe to sleep, and tidy up after their Bitzee. The pet reacts to tilts, swipes and shakes with charming sounds and responses, simulating a real companion. As each interaction occurs, the love metre increases, signalling the pet’s readiness to evolve.

Bitzee offers a wide range of collectible characters, including common pets like dogs, cats and bunnies. There are also unconventional characters such as butterflies,chameleons, meerkats and unicorns. As Bitzee evolves into Super Bitzee, users can unlock special outfits and unique games associated with each character.

Through its vibrant and colourful display, interactive touch features and collectible nature, Bitzee provides an entertaining and inventive avenue for children to have their own digital pet adventure.

Bitzee retails from RM185 on Shopee and from US$29.99 (RM142.50) on the company’s website.

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