KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 6): Digital infrastructure is quickly becoming a cornerstone for businesses to achieve a competitive advantage and succeed in an increasingly important digital economy.

In an email interview, Equinix managing director for Malaysia Cheam Tat Inn said that the ascent of artificial intelligence (AI) in Malaysia is reshaping industries, generating fresh opportunities for businesses and individuals.

Equinix specialises in internet connection and data centres.

“Recognised as a key driver of economic growth, AI is poised to transform sectors like healthcare, logistics, and finance, projecting a significant increase in adoption over the next two years.

“The Malaysian government, aligning with the AI Roadmap 2021-2025 and MyDigital blueprint, actively supports AI development, aiming for a 30% boost in productivity across all sectors by 2030,” he said.

Cheam said the pivotal trend of integrating AI into data centres is driving innovation and efficiency, shaping the digital era’s future.

He said businesses seeking to harness AI’s potential must acquire data from reliable sources and employ suitable models.

“The challenge lies in maximising AI model value while protecting sensitive data, leading to the exploration of private AI for exclusive use,” he said.

Cheam said as Malaysia’s digital economy expands, the need for highly efficient systems rises to meet global manufacturing and digital ambitions.

“Advanced cooling technologies, especially liquid cooling, play a crucial role in supporting the escalating demands of AI and high-performance computing workloads in data centres.

“Liquid cooling stands out as an energy-efficient method, expected to see significant growth in Malaysia, with the expanding use of cloud storage,” he said.

Cheam said with liquid cooling, data centres can transfer heat more efficiently than air.

“In fact, as per Gartner Inc, liquid conducts more than 3,000 times as much heat as air and requires less energy to do so, allowing increased data centre densities.”

He said Equinix is actively exploring and testing new liquid cooling technologies, and "has implemented these innovations in our own production servers for Equinix Metal to great effect".

Cheam said the growth of Malaysia’s digital footprint does not have to come at the cost of the environment. Sustainability has been a rising trend in the technology space.

“With the nation’s push towards reducing carbon emissions, encouraging industry, society, and non-governmental organisations to adopt sustainable practices, businesses have implemented greener policies and are expected to continue doing so.

“Additionally, the adoption of green technology in Malaysia has been on the rise, and has played an effective role in enhancing sustainable development,” he said.