Malaysia's GBS sector enters AI-driven phase

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's global business services (GBS) sector is entering a new phase as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how companies manage finance and other business operations. The industry now comprising around 750 companies and revenue on track to reach roughly RM28 billion, according to AGOS Asia head of digital Chang Te Sheng. Malaysia was among the world's top three GBS locations, he added. "The industry has to redesign workflows and upskill talent, not simply adopt new technology, to sustain the shift from cost savings to enterprise value," Chang said in a statement.

AGOS Asia said AI is now accelerating that evolution, but the challenge for organisations is moving beyond deploying new tools to redesigning the processes, roles and operating models needed to generate measurable business value. These issues will take centre stage at the AGOS GBS Summit 2026, which returns for its ninth edition on Sept 10. The summit will focus on covering AI transformation, human capabilities and the evaluation of AI tools based on return on investment, data privacy and cybersecurity risks. The full-day summit will bring together more than 300 delegates and over 10 international GBS, finance and technology leaders for panel discussions and roundtables. The stakes are especially high for Malaysia, with its GBS workforce growing from around 20,000 professionals in the early 2000s to more than 150,000 today and creating 36,600 new high-value jobs since 2021.

- Written by By S. Birruntha, September 8, 2026 from News Strait Times