PUTRAJAYA April 18, 2026 – Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has urged Malaysians to exercise greater caution amid the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), warning of rising risks such as deepfakes, more sophisticated scams, and the spread of fake news.
In a post on X today, Fahmi highlighted the double-edged nature of AI technology.
“Walaupun AI makin canggih, ada juga risiko kian membimbangkan, contohnya deepfake, scam yang lebih licik, dan berita palsu,” he wrote.
He called for collective responsibility to protect society from misuse of the technology.
“Sebab itu kita kena lebih berhati-hati, tingkatkan literasi digital, dan guna teknologi dengan lebih bertanggungjawab supaya masyarakat tak terkesan dengan penyalahgunaannya,” he added.
(Translation: “Although AI is becoming increasingly advanced, there are also increasingly worrying risks, for example deepfakes, more cunning scams, and fake news. That is why we need to be more careful, increase digital literacy, and use technology more responsibly so that society is not affected by its misuse.”)
The minister accompanied his message with a 57-second video that illustrates the very dangers he described. The clip features Fahmi himself in multiple scenarios designed to show how convincingly AI can generate realistic-looking but fabricated content, complete with on-screen text such as “AI” versus “REAL” labels, celebrity impersonations, and warnings about distinguishing truth from falsehood.
Fahmi’s statement reflects the government’s continued push to strengthen public awareness and digital literacy as Malaysia embraces digital transformation. It comes amid growing global and local concerns over AI-powered fraud, misinformation campaigns, and the erosion of trust in online content.
The Communications Ministry has previously supported initiatives including the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) and public education drives to combat online threats.
Netizens are encouraged to verify information sources, avoid sharing unverified content, and report suspicious materials to relevant authorities.
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