Malaysia: Human Empathy Must Remain Central as AI Transforms Landscape Artificial intelligence and automation are increasingly shaping the customer experience (CX) industry, but human empathy and personal connection remain essential to effective service delivery. Speaking at the National Contact Centre Conference (NCCC) 2026, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Chief Executive Officer Anuar Fariz Fadzil said technology should support — rather than replace — the human capabilities that underpin customer trust and problem-solving. Malaysia is now recognised internationally as a major regional hub for high-value customer experience operations serving global markets and the remarks highlight Malaysia’s efforts to balance digital innovation with talent development as the sector evolves. Anuar emphasised that the integration of AI tools across customer engagement operations must not overshadow the human dimension of service. The country’s CX and global business services ecosystem has expanded significantly over the past two decades, supported by strong digital capabilities and a multilingual workforce. Technology As An Enabler Of Human-Centred Services Industry leaders at the conference highlighted that while automation and AI can improve efficiency and streamline operations, the ability to understand customer needs and respond empathetically remains a uniquely human skill. “You can have all the tech. You can have all the ChatGPTs and all the tools in the world, but nothing replaces humans. Nothing replaces human empathy and nothing replaces the desire to be able to make a connection,” – Anuar Fariz Fadzil, CEO, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation Malaysia’s CX sector has progressed from traditional outsourcing operations into more sophisticated global business services (GBS) and customer engagement hubs. This transition reflects broader national efforts to expand high-value digital services as part of the Malaysia Digital (MD) initiative and the country’s ambition to become an AI-driven economy by 2030. These developments align with wider national initiatives exploring AI adoption across sectors,