KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 6): While the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has been used extensively and relied upon in the last few years, Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar cautioned for the need for human oversight in its usage.

Dusuki said there is no doubt that AI offers significant opportunities in various sectors.

For instance, he said, in healthcare, it can assist clinical judgement while in the corporate sphere, it can support decision-making, improve efficiency, and help professionals process increasingly complex information.

“But as our reliance on these systems grows, so, too, does the importance of understanding how they are used and how they are governed. We need to ask some very practical questions: How reliable is the information produced by an AI system? What are the limits of its capabilities? Who is responsible for checking its output?” he said.

He questioned what would happen when the AI system does not perform as expected.

“These are not merely questions about technology. They are questions of governance, professional responsibility, and human oversight. Increasingly, they may also have consequences for legal liability and insurance.

“For any institution adopting AI, it is therefore important to understand why the technology is being used, what risks may arise from its use, and what safeguards are necessary. Technology may assist professional judgement, but effective human oversight remains essential,” he reminded.

Dusuki was delivering his keynote address at the Inaugural Financial Lines Forum at a hotel here.

Also present were Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman and RHB Bank founder Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussin, who delivered a special address, and former Federal Court judge Tan Sri Zainun Ali, former Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohamed Hashim, as well as former and current judges.

The AG said that while there are continuing issues in the usage of AI, there is a need to use it responsibly.

Dusuki said the use of AI requires engagement among those who develop the technology, those who deploy it, those who rely on it, and those who assess and manage the risks associated with its use.

Hence, he welcomed the organisation of such a forum like the Financial Lines forum as it brings together legal professionals, healthcare practitioners, corporate leaders, insurers, brokers, and other stakeholders.

“We have an opportunity to learn from one another, to better understand the risks and opportunities before us, and to consider how our respective professions can respond responsibly to a rapidly changing environment.

“Ultimately, the question is not simply what artificial intelligence can do. The more important question is, how we, as professionals, choose to use it responsibly,” he added.

The one-day forum gathers medical experts, insurers, lawyers, and judges in exchanging views on medical negligence, governance, and AI.

Meanwhile, in her welcoming address, Zainun, the chairperson for the Financial Lines forum, said a decision made in a boardroom may engage directors' duties, regulatory standards, disclosure obligations, and insurance coverage.

“The adoption of AI in a hospital may raise questions of clinical judgement, patient safety, informed consent, data governance, institutional responsibility, and professional indemnity.

“A claim may begin as a private dispute, but reveal a broader weakness in governance, documentation, communication, and risk management. No single profession has all the answers. Judges see how disputes crystallise and how legal principles operate in real cases. Regulators see patterns across institutions and markets. Lawyers advise on duties, responsibility, and remedy,” she said.

Zainun added that directors and general counsel confront the practical demands of governance.

“Doctors and hospital leaders carry responsibility for patient care. Insurers and reinsurers and brokers understand how emerging risks are assessed, transferred, and ultimately borne.

“Sound risk management begins before a claim arises by identifying exposures, strengthening safeguards, and preparing for the consequences of loss. Risk professionals, insurers and reinsurers bring combined experience that can help institutions make informed decisions about the risks they accept, reduce, or transfer. The purpose of this forum is to place these perspectives in conversations with one another,” she said.

The forum is organised by Messrs Chan Ban Eng & Co (CBE) where its managing partner, JJ Chan, is the founder of the Financial Lines forum.

Chan said that he is pleased that Malaysia now has its own dedicated, pro bono Financial Lines forum, and he is proud to have founded it.

“Financial Lines connects specialist questions of medical negligence, corporate and directors’ liability, insurance and reinsurance, and AI governance risk. Bringing these disciplines together can help improve patient care, strengthen governance, and deepen understanding of claims and coverage,” he added.