Malaysia developed its first domestic edge AI processor.
Malaysian chip design company SkyeChip announced its MARS1000 processor at an industry event on Monday, according to Bloomberg. The edge processor is not as powerful as the advanced NVIDIA chip, but it represents a technical milestone in Malaysia and plays a bigger role in the global AI race.
Malaysia has already built a foothold in the chip manufacturing sector, and has recently increased its efforts and investment, focusing on AI. The country announced the establishment of the Malaysian National AI Office in late 2024. It plans to focus on seven areas, including accelerated AI adoption, AI adoption regulatory frameworks, and AI ethics.
In early July, the Trump administration was rumoured to consider limiting the sale of US AI chips to Malaysia to prevent the smuggling of these chips into China.
These rumors have not yet been realized, but Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry announced on July 14 that it would require a trade permit for US AI chips. This rule means that individuals and businesses plan to export or transport US AI chips, they must notify the Malaysian government at least 30 days in advance.
