Kademy urges Malaysian firms to pair AI with skills

Kademy Corporate has urged Malaysian businesses to invest in workforce skills alongside digital tools, as attention in Malaysia turns to digitalisation, artificial intelligence and productivity.

Datuk Kimi Lau Pei Ling, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kademy Corporate, said organisations should focus on whether employees can apply technology in day-to-day work, rather than simply introducing new systems or sending staff on courses.

In a live interview on TRAXX FM, Lau said many employers and workers understand artificial intelligence in broad terms but still struggle to use it in practical business settings. She said the gap has become more significant as companies respond to rapid technological change and look for higher-value ways of working.

"Technology should help us work smarter, grow our businesses and create better job opportunities. But technology alone is not enough. We need to make sure businesses know how to use it and that our people have the right skills," said Datuk Kimi Lau Pei Ling, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kademy Corporate.

Her remarks focused on the idea that AI adoption should be tied to specific business tasks. She pointed to uses such as preparing proposals, responding to customers, supporting marketing, analysing information and reducing time spent on repetitive work.

That, she said, can give employees more time for decision-making, creativity, customer engagement and other higher-value work. At the same time, she argued that human judgement and leadership remain central to business performance.

"A lot of people know what AI is, but they do not necessarily know how to apply it to their business or workplace," Lau said.

She added that digital transformation should not be treated simply as a technology purchase. In her view, employers need to give staff at different levels opportunities to learn, practise and adapt, including those with little or no experience of AI tools.

"Technology is only a tool. We still need people who know how to think, make decisions and lead," Lau said.

Training outcomes

Lau said businesses should judge training by workplace results rather than attendance or certification. Relevant measures, she said, could include gains in efficiency, better use of AI, improved sales, less preparation time, stronger customer service or better team leadership.

"For me, training is not just about attending a course or getting a certificate. The important thing is whether you can actually use what you have learned," Lau said.

According to Lau, Kademy Corporate customises learning programmes to suit different organisations and industries. This allows participants with different levels of digital knowledge to start from where they are, including those with no previous experience of AI.

"Training should create value for people and businesses, not just increase attendance numbers," Lau said.

Broader expansion

The interview also outlined Kademy's development from education support work during the COVID-19 period into a broader learning business serving both schools and employers. Lau said the organisation first helped schools and teachers shift to virtual learning through technical set-up, troubleshooting, content development and digital guidance.

It later expanded into programmes for children from around six years old, and then into work with primary and secondary school students. Lau said these activities included classroom learning and experiential work beyond conventional classroom settings.

That experience has since informed Kademy Corporate's workplace offering, extending the same emphasis on continuous learning into business settings.

"At Kademy, we believe education is a lifelong journey. We started with young children, and now we are extending that journey to working adults and companies," Lau said.

Programme range

During the TRAXX FM discussion, the host highlighted Kademy Corporate's portfolio of more than 45 programmes across six learning pillars. These include AI and future skills, data and smart automation, leadership and strategy, and other areas linked to business and workforce development.

The programmes are aimed at organisations ranging from small businesses and SMEs to larger companies and government-linked company environments. Lau said digital skills are becoming relevant across sectors and company sizes, including online businesses seeking to improve customer response, marketing and operational efficiency.

For larger organisations, she said AI can help reduce the time needed for proposal writing, information processing and internal workflows. Her broader point was that the value of digital tools depends on whether employees know how to use them productively.

Lifelong learning

Kademy currently works with a team of trainers across school-based and corporate learning activities. Lau said the organisation's approach is based on the idea that capability-building should be open to people at different ages and stages of work.

The model spans children, students, working adults, business owners and corporate leaders. The aim, she said, is to keep learning accessible as workplace requirements and technology continue to change.

"Technology is moving very fast and we cannot afford to stop learning. Whether you are a student, an employee, a business owner or a leader, we all need to keep improving ourselves," Lau said.

She closed with a broader point about the direction of digital change in Malaysia: "The future is not just about how advanced our technology is. It is about how well we prepare our people for the future."