Sarawak To Host WITSA Global AI Summit 2027

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- Sarawak is set to host the World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) Global AI Summit 2027 in Kuching, further strengthening the state’s position in the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape while showcasing its growing digital capabilities and investment potential.

The summit will be held in conjunction with the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) 2027, building on Sarawak’s growing engagement with the global AI ecosystem.

“The proposed hosting will further strengthen the region’s role as a bridge between ASEAN and the global AI community,” Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) Berhad said in a statement.

The 2027 event builds on SDEC’s participation in the WITSA Global AI Summit 2026, held in Taipei, Taiwan, on Sept 1 and 2, where Sarawak received two WITSA Global AI Awards in the Public Policy and Investments categories.

The accolades recognised Sarawak’s efforts to create an enabling environment for digital transformation and AI development, attract investment and foster innovation.

Earlier this year, SDEC also became a founding hub partner of the WITSA Global AI Ecosystem Network (WITSA GAIN), a platform connecting global expertise and resources to foster innovation and cross-border opportunities.

At the WITSA Global AI Summit 2026, SDEC Chief Executive Officer Datuk Sudarnoto Osman highlighted Sarawak’s efforts to translate its digital and AI ambitions into practical initiatives that respond to local needs.

“We are exploring how global developments can inform Sarawak’s own direction in areas of our interest such as AI Grid models, tokenisation, sovereign AI capabilities, and models that better reflect local knowledge and conditions.

“This means strengthening local capabilities while remaining open to international partnerships and technology providers and, where appropriate, open-source approaches,” he said.

Sudarnoto said Sarawak was moving “from vision to investment, from investment to capability, from capability to application”, and increasingly from technology adoption to technology creation.

Launched in Taipei in 2025, the WITSA Global AI Summit is an annual, invitation-curated platform organised by the World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), bringing together decision-makers from government, industry, academia and civil society to discuss AI trends, policies, investments and opportunities.

The 2025 and 2026 editions were hosted in Taipei by the Taiwan Innovative Software and Services Association (TISSA).

SDEC, a wholly owned company of the Sarawak government, was established in July 2020 to accelerate digital adoption across industries and spearhead technological innovation in the state.

-- BERNAMA