KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 11): OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Bhd is investing more than RM10 million a year in people development programmes, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), reskilling, and upskilling, as part of its long-term workforce strategy.

OCBC Malaysia, part of Singapore's Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd, said the commitment, which began three years ago, has already seen RM30 million channelled into staff development.

The commitment will continue in the years ahead in preparing its more than 5,000-strong workforce for rapid AI changes, it said.

The bank has also launched its in-house AI career growth platform MOBI, which could provide recommendations for learning courses to plug the user's skills gaps, and help out personalised pathways to reach the user's career aspirations.

“We view AI as a powerful tool to help us grow and innovate. We are enabling and equipping our colleagues to operate in an AI-enabled work environment,” OCBC Malaysia chief executive officer Tan Chor Sen said at the launch of MOBI.

According to Tan, OCBC Malaysia now offers 480 AI programmes, covering topics from foundational concepts to generative AI (GenAI) and agentic AI, with nearly 3,890 employees participating and about 12,500 course completions to date.

The bank has integrated multiple generative AI platforms into its daily operations, Tan added.

“We have not one, not two, but three GenAI platforms — OCBC GPT, Buddy and Copilot — within our system to empower our employees by boosting productivity and efficiency across the bank,” Tan said. 

The bank also has its in-house virtual assistant “Buddy”, which turns speech into text, translates documents and writes customers call reports.

At the launch, Tan announced that OCBC Malaysia will offer two scholarships next year for students pursuing AI-related disciplines under its scholarship programme. 

“If it is needed, we will give more. This is our way of supporting Malaysia in building the pipeline, for the next generation of AI talent,” Tan said.

Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong, who officiated the launch, said while digitalisation and green technology may displace certain conventional roles, they will also create new high-skilled jobs. 

“AI will not replace workers; rather it will create new roles and opportunities by redefining the current job scope. We should embrace this technology and turn it into opportunities,” Sim said.