KUALA LUMPUR (June 16): Malaysians are confident in the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) tools but few trust their output or see wider economic benefits, according to a survey.

An Ipsos poll released on Tuesday found that eight in 10 Malaysians reported strong daily productivity gains from AI. However, less than half were convinced that AI will improve the broader job market and economy, according to the market research and consulting firm.

“This gap indicates the view on AI is anchored in daily productivity, while its wider economic and societal impact remains less fully grasped,” Ipsos said.

The survey, part of the global Ipsos AI Monitor, polled 500 Malaysians adults aged 18-74 between March 20 and April 3 this year. The findings on Malaysia are largely in line with the outlook across Asia largely optimistic about AI and significantly outpaces sentiment in Western Europe and the US.

Malaysia is one of the most digitally-savvy nations in Southeast Asia with near-universal smartphone adoption and internet access among its 34 million people that regularly pay and shop online.

However, only about one-third of the Malaysian respondents trust AI tools without checking their work, below the average of 40% in Asia. Malaysians also place similar levels of trust in both AI and humans to make fair and unbiased decisions, the poll showed.

“A clear disconnect emerges between the perceptions of AI’s impact on individual productivity and its broader economic implications,” Kuan Sawu Fang, a director at Ipsos Malaysia, said in a statement.

That highlights the needs for continuous upskilling to build an AI-skilled workforce and society, she added.