Tech Events I Attended in Malaysia and What I Learned

Hi everyone, Over the last few months in Malaysia, I attended several AI and tech events that changed the way I think about this country, about technology, and even about my own journey as a Digital Nomad. These events helped me meet amazing people, learn new ideas, and understand how fast AI is growing in this region.

I moved to Malaysia because I prefer calm, organised, and stable environments. But after attending these events, I realised something more — Malaysia is not just peaceful, it is also becoming a strong place for AI innovation.

Banner image for AI and tech events I attended in Malaysia

Between the last week of August and the first week of October, I attended four key events. Each one gave me a new perspective on AI, business, and my own career as both an ACCA and an AI developer.

🇲🇾 ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025 — The Event That Changed My View

ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025 at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur

(Photo: ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025 at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur)

My first event in Malaysia was the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025, held at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur. For me, this was more than just an event — it was the moment I truly understood the importance of Malaysia in the AI world.

It was a gathering of thought leaders, innovators, and policymakers shaping the future of AI across the region. Tech giants, developers, entrepreneurs, and even people who were just curious about AI joined the event.

Over two days, I gained valuable insights into:

  • how big companies are using AI to transform their businesses
  • what kind of innovative AI solutions startups are building
  • which companies are embedding AI into their operations
  • how policymakers are thinking about the AI future in ASEAN

Key lessons from the summit

1️⃣ Technology only matters when we use it

One strong message I heard again and again was this: technology has no real value if we don’t apply it. We can talk about AI all day, but if it does not solve a real problem or create real impact, it stays as “potential” only.

2️⃣ The era of AI-powered personal computing is very close

We are entering a time where most PCs will be “AI PCs.” People will be able to download AI models, fine-tune them locally, and run smart applications directly on their own devices. This will change how we build software and how we use computers every day.

3️⃣ AI Sovereignty is becoming a big topic

Another important topic was AI sovereignty — making sure countries and organisations keep control over their AI infrastructure, data, and decision-making processes. This is important for autonomy, security, and even protecting culture and values.

4️⃣ AI is already transforming specific sectors

Some of the sectors discussed were:

  • 🌱 Agriculture – precision farming, smart irrigation, and predictive analytics for crop yields
  • 💹 Islamic Finance – building AI-driven products that are Shariah-compliant
  • 🧠 AI Residency Programs – training the next generation of AI talent through deep, hands-on programs
  • 💰 Taxation – improving compliance, detecting fraud, and managing revenue better with AI

I also met many developers, startup founders, and policymakers. It felt like everyone was serious about building useful things, not just talking about hype.

After this event, I was fully hooked into AI again. It pushed me to restart my old project TaxGPT Bangladesh — a project I built back in 2023 but didn’t update for a long time. This summit reminded me that there is still so much to build, especially around tax and finance.

🤝 Building for Good (ft. Lovable) — Creating With Developers and Non-Developers

Build With AI x Lovable event at UOB Tower, Kuala Lumpur

(Photo: Build With AI x Lovable event at UOB Tower, Kuala Lumpur)

The next event I joined was “Building for Good (ft. Lovable)”, organised by the Build with AI club and held at UOB Tower in Kuala Lumpur.

What I loved about this event is that it brought together developers and non-developers in the same room. The goal was simple: build impactful AI-powered applications using Lovable.

It was inspiring to see how excited the non-developers were. Many of them had never written code before, but with AI tools, they were still able to create meaningful prototypes and ideas. This was a strong reminder that:

With the right tools, anyone can build something useful.

There were also some investors in the room, listening to ideas and looking for opportunities to invest in early-stage concepts.

What I took away from this event

  1. AI is encouraging non-developers to start building

    People who never thought of themselves as “technical” are now creating apps, workflows, and tools using AI. This is a big shift.

  2. Developers must take AI seriously

    If developers ignore AI, they will fall behind. AI is not here to replace developers, but to make them much more efficient. A smart developer with AI becomes 2x–10x faster.

  3. Good foundations open doors to bigger roles

    If you are already good at coding and have a strong base, this is a great time to grow into more strategic roles — like project manager, product owner, or business analyst. AI can write code, but humans still need to provide critical thinking, guidance, and decisions.

  4. Keep a small budget for AI experiments

    AI is not free. You need to pay for models, APIs, and tools. I realised it’s smart to keep a small monthly budget just for AI experiments. If you use it wisely and push the limits, the return on investment can be very good.

This event made me feel optimistic. AI is not only for experts — it is becoming a tool for everyone.

🚀 Build Club — A Community of Serious Builders

Build Club AI community event in Damansara

(Photo: Build Club AI community event in Damansara)

Another event I attended was organised by Build Club, a community of builders passionate about AI and innovation. This one was held in Damansara.

The focus of the event was simple but powerful:

“Show what you’re building with AI. And if you’re not building anything yet, join someone who is.”

Recruiters, angel investors, startup founders, and developers all joined the event. What fascinated me was how serious people were about AI — and not just the developers. There were a few investors who were actively talking to builders about their projects and looking for ways to invest.

For me, this event was a big personal milestone.

I finally gathered the courage to showcase my “TaxGPT Bangladesh” project. I explained how I want to help people in Bangladesh understand and interact with tax rules using AI.

To my surprise, I spoke to a startup that is also building an AI-based tax application for Malaysia. We connected and discussed possible ways to learn from each other.

That moment taught me something important:

When you show your work, opportunities find you.

📊 Master AI in Accounting — Where My ACCA and Tech Skills Met

'Master AI in Accounting' event by Intuit QuickBooks in Malaysia

(Photo: “Master AI in Accounting” event by Intuit QuickBooks in Malaysia)

While the earlier events were mostly technical and developer-focused, this one was special to me as a Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA) and an AI developer.

The event was called “Master AI in Accounting”, organised by Intuit QuickBooks. The attendees were mainly accountants, directors, and partners of firms across Malaysia.

It felt like the perfect place where my two worlds — accounting and technology — finally met.

The session showed how QuickBooks is integrating AI into accounting workflows. They shared that upcoming updates will introduce three new AI Agents:

  • 💡 Accounting Agent
  • 💬 Customer Agent
  • 💰 Financial Agent

What made it even more exciting is that Malaysia is among the first countries in the world to experience these updates. Also, Malaysia is the first to make e-invoicing mandatory, which means there will be a lot of changes and opportunities in the accounting and finance space here.

It also appears that QuickBooks will be investing a lot in this region. For me, this was a strong signal that it might be a great time to go deeper into QuickBooks and offer more technical services around it.

The timing felt almost perfect because, during that period, I was already working on a QuickBooks project — building an Excel dashboard for a company’s board using QuickBooks data. I remember thinking:

“The timing could not have been better for me.”

🎯 Final Thoughts

These events were more than just conferences or meetups. They helped me:

  • see how fast AI is growing in Malaysia and the wider region
  • meet people who are serious about building, investing, and innovating
  • restart my own AI project, TaxGPT Bangladesh, with new energy
  • understand how my ACCA background plus programming and AI skills can create unique value

If you are a digital nomad, developer, accountant, or just someone curious about AI, I truly believe Malaysia is a great place to learn, grow, and build your future.

For me, this is just the beginning of my journey. I’m excited to attend more events, build more projects, and share what I learn along the way.