Axcova Partners with Alto AI, Zhipu AI and UM to Develop Malay LLM
- Zi Shen Hong
- Sep 6, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 9, 2024
On September 3rd, 2024, Axcova is proud to announce its collaboration with Alto AI and Zhipu AI on a project collaboration to develop Malaysia's Malay Large Language Model (Malay LLM). This innovative initiative, undertaken in partnership with Universiti Malaya (UM), Zhipu AI, ShangYa Consultancy, and Knownsec, is set to transform the nation's AI landscape by addressing the unique linguistic and cultural needs of the Malay language.
A Major Step for AI in Malaysia
The LLM collaboration aims to empower businesses, educational institutions, and public services with advanced LLM solutions specifically designed for the Malay language. This collaboration will help ensure that Malaysia can lead in the development of AI technology for the region, fostering local talent and creating new opportunities for growth in the digital economy.
As an integral technology partner, Axcova will be responsible for overseeing the core application development and solution integration for the project. Leveraging our vast experience in delivering IT and AI solutions across various government projects, Axcova is dedicated to ensuring this project meets the highest industry standards in quality and performance.
Speeches from Key Leaders
During the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signing ceremony, Sylvester Wong, Executive Director of Alto AI, highlighted the importance of developing the Malay LLM in addressing the challenges AI models face in fully understanding diverse languages. He emphasized that the Malay LLM will enhance customer interaction, automate content creation, and support intelligent applications tailored to the cultural and linguistic context of Bahasa Malaysia. Wong noted that this model will be particularly valuable across industries like healthcare, finance, education, and media.
In addition to the Malay LLM, Alto AI and its partners are working on a Model as a Service (MaaS) platform to democratize AI access for businesses of all sizes. Wong explained that this platform will provide developers with user-friendly APIs to simplify and scale the use of AI models, even for companies without extensive technical resources. This initiative is aimed at making AI more accessible, allowing developers to create smarter applications efficiently and without the need for complex infrastructure.
Prof. Ir. Dr. Chan Chee Seng from UM's Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology emphasized the growing significance of AI in the coming years. He highlighted that the collaboration with Alto AI and Zhipu AI will enable UM to develop AI applications across sectors. Prof. Chan noted that the partnership will address the challenge of limited infrastructure by establishing an AI lab at UM, giving the university one of the largest AI compute powers in Malaysia. Additionally, the collaboration will create opportunities for both students and the industry, including a six-month internship program for UM students at Zhipu AI’s headquarters in Beijing, China.
Introduction of Zhipu AI
Carol Lin, Vice President of Zhipu AI, introduced the company’s vision and role in advancing AI at the ceremony. Zhipu AI, a Tsinghua University spin-off, is a leading AI company founded in 2019, specializes in AI large model R&D and applications. The company’s main research and development directions include large-scale pre-trained models and multimodal models, aiming to promote the application and development of AI technology in various fields.
Additionally, Rosie Gong, Southeast Asia Market Consultant of Zhipu AI, showcased several AI-powered demos highlighting the real-world applications of Zhipu AI's technology. These demos included use cases in finance, education, healthcare, and tourism, showing how AI models can automate processes, improve decision-making, and enhance customer engagement.
Alto AI formalized agreements with five partners today, including a MoA with UM, and MoUs with Zhipu AI, Axcova, ShangYa, and Beijing Knownsz. The key attendees were::
Alto AI: Dato' Stanley Ling (MD), Sylvester Wong (ED), Mason (GM)
Zhipu AI: Wang Shaolan (President), Carol Lin (VP), Rosie Gong (SEA Market Consultant)
Universiti Malaya: Prof Ir. Dr. Chan Chee Seng (Dean of FSKTM), Dr. Erma Rahayu binti Mohd Faizal Abdullah (Head of Department of AI), Dr. Saw Shier Nee (Senior Lecturer of FSKTM)
ShangYa: Canny Low (MD), Dr. Patricia Lim (ED)
Beijing Knownsz: Jason Dong (Vice Chairman), Li Weichen (VP of Beijing Knownsec)
S Capital: John Chen (MD)
Xiamen University Malaysia: Wong Hui-Qiong (Assitant President)
AttreLogix Networks: Kent Choong (MD)
Axcova: Tan Sri Dato' Sri Barry Goh (Chairman), Hong Zi Shen (MD), Dr. Patricia Lim (ED)
Looking Ahead
This landmark collaboration aligns with Axcova’s vision of driving Malaysia’s digital transformation by delivering advanced AI solutions tailored to local needs. As part of the partnership, Axcova will work closely with Alto AI, Zhipu AI, and UM to provide crucial technology support for the development and implementation of the Malay LLM, ensuring seamless integration and scalability. ShangYa will contribute by offering a robust talent pool and recruitment services to nurture local AI expertise, while Knownsec will ensure the highest standards of cybersecurity throughout the project. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Malaysia's journey toward becoming a leader in AI and digital technologies, paving the way for future developments that will further enhance local innovation.
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