He said this gap was evident in various defence-related fields such as surveillance, cyber warfare and autonomous systems.

“I believe that this gap will leave developing nations like Malaysia and other countries in the Global South in an unfavourable position.

“If not adequately addressed, this significant disparity between nations could lead to monopolies, exploitation and unfair practices,” he said during a ministerial roundtable session at the Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM) 2024 Summit here.

He said the inequality could also undermine the principles of responsible and ethical AI use in the military domain.

Khaled said that while Malaysia’s AI plans are mapped out in the National Artificial Intelligence Roadmap 2021-2025, there were ongoing challenges concerning AI technologies, including technological limitations and a shortage of skilled professionals.

While recognising the great potential of AI in the global power landscape, he stressed the need to tackle these challenges to ensure fair access to advanced technologies.

The REAIM 2024 Summit, which concluded today, gathered representatives from 90 countries.

Khaled is scheduled to attend the Seoul Defence Dialogue tomorrow which will be officiated by South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo.