Why Sarawak Wants Its Own AI Infrastructure
Most organisations today can access AI through public cloud platforms.
For government systems, however, data control and service availability are especially important.
SAINS CEO Busiai Seman said Sarawak cannot risk critical government systems becoming unavailable because an external technology provider changes its policies or stops providing a service.
That is why Sarawak has invested in its own data centres, private cloud, cybersecurity capabilities and now sovereign AI infrastructure.
The Sarawak Sovereign AI Infrastructure Platform was officially launched on 17 August 2026.
What Does “Sovereign AI” Mean?
Sovereign AI is essentially about having greater control over the technology running AI.
For Sarawak, this means important data and AI workloads can be processed using infrastructure controlled locally rather than relying entirely on overseas platforms.
The state says the platform will also help distinguish information that can be shared from strategic government data that needs stronger protection.
That becomes increasingly important as AI begins working with sensitive government information.
More Than 450 Applications Are Already Hosted Locally
Sarawak is not starting from zero.
SAINS currently hosts more than 450 applications across its data centres and operates infrastructure across two locations so services can continue if one facility experiences problems.
The state has also identified 1,106 government services.
About 670, or roughly 60%, have already been digitalised, with the goal of bringing almost all suitable services online by 2030.
The next stage is to add more intelligence to those systems.
Busiai described the direction simply as moving from “digital government to AI government.”
Cybersecurity Is Part of the Plan
Running AI locally does not automatically make it secure.
SAINS says cybersecurity is therefore built into its development process using a security-by-design and DevSecOps approach rather than being added only after an application is completed.
The organisation has also operated its own Security Operations Centre since 2018.
This matters because AI can help defenders analyse threats faster — but attackers can also use AI to automate parts of cyberattacks.
For government systems, AI adoption and cybersecurity increasingly need to develop together.
Why This Matters
Sarawak’s approach highlights a bigger change happening in AI.
The conversation is moving beyond:
“Which AI model should we use?”
Organisations are increasingly asking:
Where does our data go?
Who controls the infrastructure?
Who can access it?
What happens if an external service becomes unavailable?
These questions are especially important for governments, banks, healthcare organisations and companies handling sensitive information.
Closing Thoughts
Sarawak’s sovereign AI strategy is not about trying to build another ChatGPT.
It is about controlling the infrastructure underneath AI.
By combining local cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity and AI computing, Sarawak wants to adopt AI without giving up control over critical government data.
As AI becomes more deeply integrated into everyday operations, where the AI runs may become almost as important as what the AI can do.