TAIPEI, 1 SEPTEMBER 2026 – Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) Berhad is strengthening Sarawak’s position in the global digital and artificial intelligence (AI) landscape through its participation in the recent WITSA Global AI Summit 2026 held in Taipei, Taiwan.
The second edition of the summit, which carried the theme ‘AI Alive, Beyond the Future’, brought together AI leaders, innovators, policymakers, and industry trailblazers from across the globe to exchange perspectives on the development and application of AI, as well as emerging opportunities within the global AI ecosystem.
As part of Sarawak’s participation, SDEC Chief Executive Officer, Dato Ir. Ts. Sudarnoto Osman, was invited to deliver a keynote address, where he highlighted Sarawak’s journey in translating its digital and AI ambitions into meaningful action and grounded in the needs of its people.
“We are exploring how global developments can inform Sarawak’s own direction in areas of our interest such as AI Grid models, tokenisation, sovereign AI capabilities, and models that better reflect local knowledge and conditions.
This means strengthening local capabilities while remaining open to international partnerships and technology providers and, where appropriate, open-source approaches,” Sudarnoto said.
He added that Sarawak’s current journey is moving from vision to investment, from investment to capability, from capability to application, and increasingly from technology adoption to technology creation. This signals Sarawak’s continued commitment to moving beyond mere adoption towards developing homegrown talent, solutions, and innovations that create value for the region and its people.
As a testament to Sarawak’s efforts in advancing AI agenda, it received international recognition at the summit, with two WITSA Global AI Awards presented in the categories of Public Policy and Investments. The accolades reflect Sarawak’s continued efforts to establish an enabling environment for digital transformation and AI development, as well as its commitment to attracting investment and fostering innovation within the AI network.
Earlier this year, SDEC became a founding hub partner of the WITSA Global AI Ecosystem Network, or WITSA GAIN. It is a platform for building a thriving AI ecosystem by bringing together a diverse community to tap into global expertise, unite shared resources, cross-pollinate innovations, and open doors to cross-border opportunities.
Looking ahead, Sarawak is set to build on this engagement further by hosting the WITSA Global AI Summit 2027 in conjunction with the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) 2027 in Kuching, Sarawak.
The proposed hosting will further strengthen the region’s role as a bridge between ASEAN and the global AI community, while providing opportunities for Sarawak to showcase its digital capabilities, initiatives, and investment opportunities to a global audience. Launched in Taipei in 2025, the WITSA Global AI Summit is an international platform organised by the World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA). The 2025 and 2026 series were hosted by the Taiwan Innovative Software and Services Association (TISSA) in Taipei, Taiwan. The summit provides a platform for global stakeholders to discuss AI trends, policies, investments and opportunities shaping the future of the digital economy.