from Anticipating the opportunities presented by 6G, Malaysia is exploring the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into our daily lives and reshaping the digital social and economic landscape.
With an economic growth forecast of 4.2%, the digital economy is expected to contribute a staggering 24.4% to Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) this year, as shown in a recent study conducted by the local Digital Association. This transformation has significant economic value because of its potential to Malaysian National Technology Association.
Digital and Internet-driven applications form the basis of future value creation and are widely recognized around the world.
In the Malaysian context, this certainty extends to the pivotal role of data-intensive AI applications, collaborative business models, and the immersive internet in securing tomorrow’s prosperity.
Additionally, it is essential to recognize that your current infrastructure may not be able to meet the demands of future applications. As a new currency in Malaysia’s evolving digital economy, the pressing need for rapid data exchange increases delays.
Importance of every millisecond
Latency (the amount of time it takes during data transfer) plays a key role, especially in scenarios where milliseconds can make a difference.
For example, computers in the self-driving cars that recently began plying Malaysian roads must make instantaneous decisions about obstacles, pedestrians, and empty lanes.
Similarly, in local factories and factories where AI facilitates secure collaboration between humans and machines, and in immersive experiences such as the Metaverse, latency becomes a critical factor.
Tactile, visual, and acoustic senses require different processing times in the brain. It takes 20 milliseconds for touch, 13 milliseconds for the central nervous system to interpret a visual stimulus, and less than 1 millisecond for hearing.
When it comes to the issue of delays, our understanding remains steadfast. This unwavering quality will determine the success or failure of the Metaverse. Because our engagement with immersive applications is only complete when the experience feels completely natural.
When video and audio are out of sync, it’s not just an inconvenience, it’s considered unacceptable.
Reduce wait times, enhance prosperity
In the evolving landscape of the Internet, more and more devices in Malaysia need to exchange huge amounts of data quickly. Low latency will be essential to ensuring the safety of self-driving cars, seamless collaboration between robots and engineers in local factories, and the continued growth of the digital economy, making a significant contribution to the nation’s prosperity.
To pave the way for the next generation of the Internet, including fiber optics, mobile networks, and satellite connectivity, it is important to improve the capabilities of current infrastructure to handle faster data packet exchanges. This requires a collaborative effort to prioritize customers and applications, not only between networks and users, but also across different networks.
One approach involves strategically relocating large data lines and high-performance computers closer to areas where intelligent applications are essential to daily life and work. The ultimate goal is to create a robust, globally distributed and interconnected network with future-ready capabilities that facilitate agility from the cloud to factory server rooms to compact edge units in smart vehicles. It’s about establishing the infrastructure.
DE-CIX In markets with thriving interconnection ecosystems surrounding Internet exchanges (IXs), the correlation between reduced latency and increased prosperity is clear.
For example, Dubai significantly reduced latency from 200ms to 3ms from 2012 to 2022, boosting regional entrepreneurship. During the same period, on-site data centers have increased by 3x and the number of networks has increased by 8x.
A similar trend is occurring on the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Madrid, where the number of data centers has increased from 20 in 2016 to more than 30 today, with 15 more in the pipeline.
The collaboration between DE-CIX and market researchers from Digital Realty and IDG will be announced soon in Spain. This trend reinforces the trend for data centers to emerge at the intersection of networks, creating jobs, strengthening the economy, and ensuring prosperity.
According to IDG experts, every €1 invested by Spain’s data center industry contributes €7 (RM37) to GDP.
Similarly, in Malaysia, the expansion of data center infrastructure, facilitated by interconnected infrastructure such as robust IX, correlates with increased economic growth, job creation, and prosperity.
together we drive progress
The path forward requires collaborative efforts within the industry to address technical challenges and prepare for future digital advances.
By investing in technology infrastructure today, Malaysia can ensure that it is prepared for the coming era of digital advancement.
Deloitte estimates that the impact of the metaverse on Asia’s GDP will be between US$0.8 trillion (RM3.75 trillion) and US$1.4 trillion per year by 2035, amounting to approximately 1.3-2.4% of total annual GDP by 2035. I am estimating.
The opportunities for Malaysia’s digital future are vast and promising, especially with emerging concepts such as the Metaverse, which have the potential for significant economic benefits.
The author is CEO of the Internet exchange DE-CIX and Chairman of the Board of DE-CIX Group AG. He has over 20 years of experience in the legal and regulatory aspects of the Internet industry. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
