YTL Power International Bhd has unveiled ILMU, Malaysia’s first homegrown large language model (LLM), designed to rival the world’s leading artificial intelligence systems while embedding the nation’s language, culture, and values at its core.

Developed by YTL AI Labs in collaboration with Universiti Malaya, ILMU is a multimodal model capable of understanding and responding through text, voice, and vision. All data is stored within Malaysia to maintain AI sovereignty and protect user privacy.

The launch was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025, alongside Minister of Digital Gobind Singh Deo and YTL Power managing director Datuk Seri Yeoh Seok Hong.

Gobind described ILMU as a milestone for Malaysia’s technology sector, showcasing the nation’s ability to develop world-class AI while preserving its linguistic and cultural identity. He said the project aims to empower Malaysians, businesses, and the country in the digital era.

Leading AI in Bahasa Melayu

Benchmark tests rank ILMU as the highest-performing AI in Bahasa Melayu, outperforming GPT-4, DeepSeek V3, and GPT-5 in Malay MMLU benchmarks, including dialects such as Kelantanese. On global performance metrics, it matches advanced models like GPT-4o and Llama 3.1.

Yeoh said the model is designed to deliver accessible, reliable, and culturally relevant knowledge to Malaysians, driving smarter systems, productivity gains, and inclusive progress across sectors.

Full AI Stack and Core Principles

Beyond the model, YTL has invested in the complete AI stack, including local data centres and AI cloud infrastructure in partnership with Nvidia. More than 10 industry partners are part of the ecosystem to accelerate adoption.

ILMU is guided by four principles: Intelek (intelligence), Luhur (integrity), Malaysia (local identity), and Untukmu (for you), underscoring its mission to deliver ethical and culturally aware AI.

Programmes to Support Adoption

YTL AI Labs and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation will roll out the ILMU AI Accelerator Programme, offering Malaysian startups, SMEs, and international developers up to RM5 million in free API credits, Malaysia Digital status, and support for talent passes and work permits.

Early industry partners come from sectors including automotive, finance, media, healthcare, education, and telecommunications. These include Aco Tech, Ryt Bank, Astro, Media Prima, Yes, Carsome, Swipey, Vision Machina, Vistel, TeeniAI, TrustAI, and Mesolitica.

Public Access from Malaysia Day 2025

For consumers, ILMUchat, the AI-powered chatbot, will be available for early access starting 16 September 2025 to coincide with Malaysia Day. This will give the public a first look at the model’s capabilities and potential everyday applications.

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• TAGS:
• Bahasa Melayu
• Ilmu
• Large Language Model
• LLM
• YTL Power