This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 10, 2026 - August 16, 2026 Samsung Malaysia Electronics and Yayasan Didik Negara (YDN) are partnering to expand access to digital learning tools and strengthen technology skills among students and educators. In a memorandum of understanding signed on July 25 at SMKA Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin in Penang, Samsung will provide mobile devices, displays and interactive smartboards to support digital learning infrastructure. As YDN’s official technology partner, Samsung will also work with the foundation on smart classroom experiences, digital upskilling for teachers, STEM activities and other programmes aimed at developing future-ready skills. Planned activities include Samsung AI Classroom showcases, STEM and artificial intelligence (AI)-focused learning programmes, interactive smartboard demonstrations and student innovation initiatives offering hands-on exposure to emerging technologies. “The future of education lies in the effective integration of digital technology into everyday learning,” said YDN CEO Mohd Nasrul Khairi. He said digitalisation should go beyond introducing devices into classrooms to transforming how students learn, educators teach and schools prepare young Malaysians for the future. The partnership will also focus on educator development, digital literacy and encouraging innovation and creativity among students. One in four consumers in Asean uses generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) tools to discover new products and services when shopping online, found the Southeast Asia (SEA) Influencer & Affiliate Marketing Report, released on July 23 by commerce market intelligence platform Cube Asia and partnership management platform Impact. Despite the growing use of Gen AI, traditional channels remain dominant. The report found that 71% of shoppers still rely primarily on online marketplaces for product discovery while 57% turn to search engines. The report is based on an online consumer survey conducted this year involving 2,400 respondents aged 18 to 69, a separate 2025 online survey of