PETALING JAYA, 20 August 2026 — CelcomDigi Berhad is expanding access to advanced artificial intelligence (AI) for Malaysian businesses through the commercialisation of Sophia AI, an AI-powered digital workforce designed to help enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) move beyond using AI solely as an assistant. The solution enables digital agents to execute tasks, connect different systems and coordinate business processes, creating new opportunities for organisations to improve efficiency and accelerate digital transformation.

The introduction of Sophia AI comes as Malaysia continues to strengthen efforts towards building an AI-ready economy and expanding AI adoption across businesses. Despite the growing recognition of agentic AI as an important capability under the national AI agenda, SME adoption remains uneven, with concerns surrounding return on investment and limited access to AI solutions designed specifically around their operational needs.

Through Sophia AI, CelcomDigi aims to provide SMEs with a more practical pathway towards adopting agentic AI without requiring them to establish large technology teams or completely restructure their existing operations. The platform can be customised according to the size, complexity and specific requirements of individual businesses, allowing organisations to begin with processes that offer the greatest potential value.

CelcomDigi Chief Enterprise Business Officer T. Kugan said the company has experienced the benefits of agentic AI firsthand after deploying more than 400 automations across its own operations. These initiatives have helped generate cost efficiencies while improving customer experiences, providing CelcomDigi with practical insights into how agentic AI can deliver measurable business outcomes.

He explained that Sophia AI can help organisations reduce repetitive administrative work while allowing employees to concentrate on higher-value responsibilities that require human judgement, creativity, problem-solving and meaningful engagement with customers. This approach is intended to position AI as a collaborative digital workforce rather than simply another productivity tool.

For the retail and distribution sector, Sophia AI can manage processes such as invoice-to-payment workflows. The system can read and validate invoices, identify exceptions, direct issues to the appropriate personnel, initiate approval processes and automatically update business systems. For companies handling large numbers of suppliers, stores and transactions, such automation can help reduce errors while providing greater visibility across financial and supply chain activities.

The potential applications extend across a wide range of industries. In manufacturing, Sophia AI can automate workflows involving procurement, production, warehousing and finance, including supplier documentation, maintenance requests, inventory and delivery records. In healthcare, the technology can streamline appointments, claims, referrals, procurement and billing, while public sector organisations can apply it to areas such as applications, document verification, case management, citizen enquiries and reporting.

A key feature of Sophia AI is its ability to scale according to business requirements. Instead of requiring SMEs to adopt complex AI systems all at once, businesses can identify high-value processes and introduce AI agents progressively. CelcomDigi will also support organisations throughout the implementation journey, from identifying suitable opportunities and integrating AI with existing systems to deploying AI agents and evaluating business outcomes.

The agentic AI offering is further supported by CelcomDigi’s broader enterprise technology ecosystem, which includes connectivity, 5G, cloud, data, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), automation and AI capabilities. This integrated approach enables businesses to explore AI adoption alongside other digital technologies that can strengthen their operations.

As AI technology continues to evolve, CelcomDigi sees a shift from standalone AI tools towards AI-powered business operations, where digital agents work alongside employees to automate processes and continuously improve organisational efficiency. Through Sophia AI, the company is positioning agentic AI as an accessible and scalable solution for Malaysian businesses, particularly SMEs seeking to enhance productivity and compete in an increasingly digital economy.