OCBC Malaysia is investing than RM10 million a year into preparing its 5,000-strong workforce for an AI-driven future, rolling out hundreds of courses and new scholarships to sharpen skills.

At the launch of its “Grow Your Way with MOBI” flagship event in Kuala Lumpur, CEO Tan Chor Sen said the investment aims to “equip our workforce of more than 5,000 employees with the skills needed to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities presented by rapid global changes.”

He added,

“AI is rapidly transforming the world, and OCBC Malaysia is committed to ensuring our people are well-equipped to harness this technology effectively to innovate and work efficiently.

Today, we offer close to 480 AI programmes, spanning from foundational AI concepts to advanced topics such as Generative AI and Agentic AI. Nearly 3,890 employees have participated, with close to 12,500 course completions recorded to-date.”

From next year, two OCBC scholarships will be dedicated to students pursuing AI-related disciplines “to support the nation’s development of local talent in artificial intelligence.”

Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong, who officiated the event, said Malaysia must embrace AI while putting clear frameworks in place to address ethical and legal considerations.

“It is critical that we embrace AI along with the numerous opportunities it brings, and I am pleased to see OCBC Malaysia leading the way for its staff and the industry. I encourage all Malaysians to pursue a similar path to future-prove ourselves and remain ready to adapt.

AI will not replace workers, rather it will create new roles and opportunities by redefining current job scope. We should embrace this technology and turn it into opportunities.”

he said.

OCBC said it plans to introduce more growth and skills coaching programmes to link employees with experts and career coaches.

It also opened a refurbished collaboration centre at Menara OCBC to encourage teamwork and a more dynamic work environment.

The Grow Your Way with MOBI initiative has been held in Singapore, Greater China and Indonesia.

The bank said its MOBI AI Career Growth Companion helps staff explore skills and chart career paths across the OCBC Group.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Malaysia, based on image by OCBC CEO Tan Chor Sen’s LinkedIn post.