Malaysia will add 100,000 more free AI subscriptions Malaysia can claim for young Malaysians under Budget 2027, with the expanded roster now including ChatGPT. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the expansion on 9 October 2026, citing strong take-up of the first tranche.
Last updated: 12 October 2026. The first tranche of 100,000 subscriptions began rolling out in phases from 31 August 2026. The terms of the second tranche have not been announced.
Free AI subscriptions Malaysia: how the programme works
The scheme, called AI Untuk Rakyat, targets Malaysians aged 18 to 30. Users register on the Platform Rakyat Digital portal, complete a series of AI-related courses, and receive three months of free access to selected AI tools.
The first round’s tools included Google’s Gemini Enterprise, YTL’s ILMUchat, and Alibaba’s MuleRun and WonderClip. The second tranche expands the roster to include ChatGPT. The budget speech did not state the second tranche’s start date, eligibility rules, or whether the three-month period and age band carry over.
Through the same platform, Malaysians can also access more than 16,000 free Coursera courses and professional certificate programmes from leading universities.
The tools: what you actually get
The four tools in the first tranche serve different use cases. Gemini Enterprise is the broadest: Google’s business AI platform that handles text, code, and document analysis through a single interface. ILMUchat is YTL’s contribution — a locally trained model that understands Bahasa Malaysia context better than most imported models. MuleRun handles document processing and data extraction. WonderClip covers video generation and editing.
ChatGPT is the newest addition and arguably the most significant. Its inclusion means young Malaysians will get access to the AI tool with the largest global user base and the most developed plugin and integration ecosystem. Whether the subscription covers the free tier or a premium tier has not been specified.
What else Budget 2027 announces for AI
- RM6 billion across ministries for R&D and commercialisation
- RM15 million for AI Malaysia Bhd (target: 200,000 AI-skilled workers)
- RM30 million MDEC fund for 4,000 MSMEs to adopt AI and train 5,000 AI professionals
- Sovereign AI Cloud planned to keep citizen data under Malaysian control
- Malaysia at Tier 1 for post-quantum cryptography readiness
What the first tranche achieved
The first 100,000 subscriptions were announced in July 2026, with registrations opening at the end of August. The government described the response as encouraging, which is the stated reason for adding another 100,000. The programme targets Malaysians aged 18 to 30 who complete AI-related courses on the Rakyat Digital portal before receiving their three-month subscription.
The platform also serves as a broader digital learning hub. Through a partnership with Coursera, Malaysians can access more than 16,000 courses and professional certificate programmes from leading universities and industry organisations worldwide. This makes the portal both an AI-access gateway and a skills-development platform.
How to claim a free AI subscription
For the first tranche, the process was: register on the Platform Rakyat Digital portal using a valid student ID or MyKad, complete five mandatory skill modules covering AI safety, cyber hygiene, prompt basics, agentic systems and cloud fundamentals, then receive three months of fully subsidised premium AI tier access. The second tranche’s registration process has not been announced, but the first round’s portal and course structure are likely to carry over.
The tools in the first round were Google’s Gemini Enterprise, YTL’s ILMUchat, and Alibaba’s MuleRun and WonderClip. These are enterprise-grade AI tools. Gemini Enterprise is Google’s business-focused AI platform. ILMUchat is YTL’s locally trained AI assistant. MuleRun and WonderClip are Alibaba’s document-processing and video-generation tools. Adding ChatGPT gives users the most widely recognised AI brand.
What this means for Malaysian businesses
For SMEs, the more immediate opportunity is the RM30 million MDEC fund, which provides matching grants of up to RM7,500 per business for AI adoption and team certification. Approximately 4,000 MSMEs are expected to benefit. Enterprises should monitor the MDEC portal for the application process.
Wider AI access among young Malaysians may lift AI literacy in the future workforce. Businesses may find new hires more familiar with AI tools. The MDEC fund for SMEs is a separate, more direct line: enterprises should watch for the matching grant application process when MDEC releases it.
The announcement as reported: another 100,000 free AI subscriptions for youths, with ChatGPT added to the roster. Source: lowyat.net/2026/406893/, 9 October 2026.
Platform Rakyat Digital, the portal where the subscriptions are claimed. The page reports 1.5 million registered users and 5.3 million modules accessed, with AWS, Cisco, Coursera, Google and IBM among the partners. Source: Platform Rakyat Digital, the portal referenced in the Budget 2027 speech, captured 13 October 2026.
Sources
- The Sun, Budget 2027: Govt to offer 100,000 more free AI subscriptions, including ChatGPT — thesun.my, 9 October 2026
- Lowyat.NET, Budget 2027: Another 100,000 Free AI Subscriptions For Youths — lowyat.net, 9 October 2026
- RinggitPlus, Budget 2027: 100,000 More Free AI Subscriptions For Young Malaysians — ringgitplus.com, 9 October 2026
- ProductNation, Malaysia’s Budget 2027 Adds 100,000 More Free AI Subscriptions, ChatGPT Included — productnation.co, October 2026
The AI Untuk Rakyat programme and the Coursera partnership are part of a broader government push to build AI literacy. The government has attached a target of 200,000 AI-skilled workers to the AI Malaysia Bhd allocation. Whether the free subscriptions feed into that workforce pipeline is not yet clear, but the training-module requirement suggests the programme is designed to build skills, not just provide tool access.
BD Media is the editorial desk of Big Domain. The second tranche’s eligibility rules, start date and tool roster have not been announced. Confirm with the Ministry of Digital before making plans around this programme.
