About the Project
We established the AI Empowerment Hub to expand opportunities for young people in Malaysia by equipping them with practical skills in AI and technology. What began as a plan to deliver practical workshops has evolved into a nationwide effort with approvals from eight government agencies and partnerships across sectors.
Through our workshop, Future AI Leaders Workshops, students from four states have gained hands-on experience with AI tools and career pathways. We also launched Rakan AI, a digital learning community platform on Discord, which now features 16 nanomodules and four impact dashboards. Together, these efforts show how AI education can be both practical and impactful.
Why do you care about this specific topic/issue?
AI is central to global conversations, yet many students in Malaysia and across ASEAN have little exposure to it. While young people are curious, they often lack role models, suitable spaces, and structured programs to support their learning.
Coming from an educational background, we saw this gap at the intersection of teaching, technology, and professional development. We knew we could help by creating pathways that make AI approachable, practical, and relevant to young people’s lives.
Why did you decide to start this project?
We began as an online tutoring community during COVID-19 under the name Rakan Tutor. When schools reopened, we realized that tutoring alone could not meet the larger opportunities ahead. At the same time, AI was becoming a major topic of discussion, yet very few programs made it practical to young people.
We decided to pivot and draw on our experience in tutoring, product development, and technology to create the Future AI Leaders Workshops and the Rakan AI platform. These tools are designed to give students both practical skills and the confidence to explore AI in a supportive environment.
What are your goals for this project?
Our goal is to prepare students for the future by demystifying AI and showing its real-world applications. We want students not only to use AI but to see themselves as leaders in shaping its future.
In the long run, we plan to expand our workshops and digital platform across Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region, offering free, high-quality AI education to all students.
How will YSEALI Seeds help you achieve your goals?
YSEALI Seeds has been key to turning our idea into a full-fledged initiative. The grant supported logistics for workshops in four states, funded the development and launch of the Rakan AI platform, and provided us credibility to secure approvals from eight government agencies.
Our regular check-ins with YSEALI and Biji-Biji mentors also helped us refine our strategy, manage our timeline, and measure the outcomes. Without this support, we would not have scaled from a small online tutoring group into a nationwide AI program.
What have you accomplished and implemented so far?
Since early 2025, we have achieved several milestones. We gained approvals from eight government agencies, including the Ministry of Education, to run programs in public schools. We delivered seven Future AI Leaders Workshops in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, and Kedah, reaching a total of 362 students.
To extend our reach, we launched the Rakan AI digital platform on Discord, which currently hosts 16 nanomodules with more in development. We also built four impact dashboards and secured partnerships with TalentCorp, Sunway University, and other organizations. Additionally, we supported the National AI Competition, which engaged 2,120 participants across 530 teams.
What are the most significant lessons learned you’ve experienced so far?
One of our key lessons is the importance of adaptability and perseverance. We translated surveys into Bahasa Melayu and Mandarin Chinese to better understand the needs of our students. We also learned perseverance matters, as it took months to gain ministry and school approvals, often relying on internal referrals to move forward.
Adaptability guided our choice to use Discord as the platform for Rakan AI, based on a feasibility study that matched student preferences and the realities of internet access. These decisions helped us align our project with the students we serve.
What are the success stories you can share with others?
Our strongest stories come from the students themselves. Many of them told us the workshops “broke down prejudice against the use of AI,” while another shared a new excitement about how AI could “help our lives with balanced pros and cons.”
These voices demonstrate that we are not only delivering workshops and modules, but also changing mindsets. By making AI education available and relatable, we empower young people to see themselves not just as consumers of technology but as active contributors. This shift is laying the foundation for future innovators and leaders who will shape the development of technology in their communities.