OCBC Malaysia, a unit of the Singapore-based OCBC Group, is investing over MYR 10 million ($2.37 million) a year in people development programs, with a significant focus on artificial intelligence (AI), reskilling and upskilling.

The bank said in a statement on Wednesday that the investment aims to equip its workforce of more than 5,000 employees with the skills needed to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities presented by rapid global changes.

“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 programs, spanning from foundational AI concepts to advanced topics such as Generative AI and Agentic AI,” OCBC Malaysia’s Chief Executive Officer Tan Chor Sen said.

According to him, nearly 3,890 employees have participated, with close to 12,500 course completions recorded to-date.

“To support the nation’s development of local talent in AI, we are pleased to announce that starting next year, the bank will dedicate two scholarships under our OCBC Scholarship Program for students pursuing AI-related disciplines,” he added.

He said that beyond AI, the bank will also introduce more forward-looking programs soon, including growth and skills coaching, designed to strengthen and connect employees with experts and skill coaches for career and skills development.

Meanwhile, Steven Sim, Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia, highlighted that while certain conventional jobs may be at risk of being replaced by AI, digitalization, and
green technology, this transformation will also open up substantial opportunities for new, high-skilled roles that better match future demands.

In addition, he stressed the need for a clear framework to address the ethical and legal dimensions of AI, beyond its technical development, and underscored that AI should be leveraged to enable smarter, data-driven decision-making across industries.

He also applauded OCBC Malaysia for spearheading these initiatives which are closely aligned with the government’s workforce transformation agenda, advancing an AI-driven digital future.

“It is critical that we embrace AI along with the numerous opportunities it brings…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 added.

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