Full Breakdown
CelcomDigi's AI Transformation: Enhancing Business Operations
9/8/2025, 11:59:34 AM
Overview of CelcomDigi's AI Initiatives
CelcomDigi, a merged entity of Celcom and Digi, has unveiled a comprehensive suite of internally developed artificial intelligence (AI) solutions aimed at transforming its business operations. At the ASEAN AI Summit, the company showcased its AI ecosystem, which includes a digital assistant named Sophia that automates 300 processes, equivalent to the work of 50 employees. The initiative is part of CelcomDigi's broader strategy to enhance productivity and efficiency across various business functions, including finance, legal, and customer service.
The Fusion Strategy and Internal Development
CelcomDigi's approach, termed the "fusion" strategy, emphasizes the integration of AI and data across all business functions. Chief Innovation Officer Kugan Thirunavakasaru explained that the company employs a "dogfooding" method, developing AI solutions internally before refining them based on user feedback. This internal focus runs parallel to the company's external AI Experience Centre (AIX), which collaborates with over 50 partners to foster innovation. The company has allocated approximately US$59.16 million (RM250 million) to develop its innovation ecosystem, while internal AI projects primarily utilize open-source platforms, enabling rapid development cycles.
Key AI Projects and Their Impact
One of the standout projects is the SAGE (Scope Assembly Generation Engine) developed by the legal team, which automates contract scope preparation, reducing the time required from days to minutes with an accuracy rate of 70%-90%. Additionally, Sophia has been instrumental in automating regulatory compliance tasks, significantly reducing processing times from several days to just one hour.
The company is also exploring healthcare applications, such as converting 2D MRI and CT scans into 3D visualizations, which are currently being utilized by 65 surgeons across various Malaysian hospitals. This showcases CelcomDigi's commitment to leveraging AI for both operational efficiency and societal benefits.
Criticism and Employee Sentiment
Despite concerns regarding job security due to automation, CelcomDigi has reported no retrenchments, emphasizing that the goal is to enhance productivity and upskill employees. Kugan noted that the introduction of AI has generated enthusiasm among staff, who are eager to adopt more efficient methods of working.
Future Prospects and AIX 2.0
Looking ahead, CelcomDigi plans to launch AIX 2.0, which aims to further enhance its external innovation capabilities. The original AIX attracted significant interest, with over 4,400 visitors from various sectors. The company is also targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, which represent 96.1% of the business ecosystem, by offering affordable AI solutions to help them digitize their operations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Most of this development is done in-house by our citizens to improve and automate processes, and enhance business efficiency,” — Kugan Thirunavakasaru, Chief Innovation Officer, CelcomDigi
- “We are getting very positive feedback internally, because the buzzword today is AI and we don't want to be left behind.” — Kugan Thirunavakasaru
Conclusion
CelcomDigi's dual-track approach of developing AI solutions internally while fostering external partnerships positions the company as a significant player in the AI landscape. As it prepares to launch AIX 2.0 and expand its offerings to SMEs, CelcomDigi's internal AI maturity is expected to play a crucial role in its overall strategy to enhance operational efficiency and drive innovation in Malaysia's telecommunications sector.
