Generative AI Reshapes Malaysia's Creative Workforce
Generative AI is displacing traditional illustration and creative work across Malaysia, with government data showing the creative sector recorded 1,087 loss-of-employment cases for every 1,000 workers between 2022 and 2025 - the highest rate among all occupations studied. The shift has left young professionals like 25-year-old illustrator Ain Moses rethinking careers they trained for, while companies and government agencies embrace cheaper AI-generated alternatives.
Ain joined a textbook publisher after graduating with a graphic design degree in 2025, expecting to illustrate. Instead, she became a prompt editor. "I was hired as an illustrator, but I ended up becoming a prompt editor," she told The Straits Times. Prompt editing involves typing written instructions into a generative AI platform to produce visual output - a process far removed from hands-on drawing.
Her account of the experience went viral on Instagram, drawing seven million views and growing her following from about 600 to 9,500. The attention brought unexpected opportunities: a children's storybook commission from a Seattle client and character design work for a Los Angeles theme park. She has since resigned from the publisher.
The Scale of Job Displacement
A Ministry of Human Resources study in August 2025 projected AI would affect as many as 620,000 Malaysian workers across aerospace, electronics manufacturing, energy, ICT, pharmaceuticals, and retail. The study did not cover creative industries, where adoption has been swift. A separate June 2026 study by ISIS Malaysia economist Calvin Cheng found that degree-holders in AI-exposed occupations had a 78 per cent higher rate of job losses, with workers aged 25 to 34 facing significantly greater risk.
The creative sector - grouped with advertising, marketing, and public relations - recorded the highest job-loss rate among all occupations studied. The figure accounts for individuals losing jobs more than once over the three-year span.
Voiceover artists are feeling the pressure too. A survey by Voice Guild Malaysia, conducted between November 2025 and February 2026, found AI had wiped out as much as 30 per cent of jobs among its 154 members. English- and Chinese-language talents were hit hardest, with English-language artists reporting declines exceeding 50 per cent.
One voiceover artist with over a decade of experience said her bilingual English-Malay skills provided partial insulation. "So far, the market for Malay talent is still unaffected," she said, attributing this to AI's ongoing difficulties with Malay dialects. "The current (AI) models also confuse Malay with Indonesian, which is a major turn-off for clients."
Public Sector Adoption and Digital Twins
Malaysian government departments have begun publishing AI-generated posters, infographics, and social media content. National broadcaster RTM introduced AI-generated avatars Aaron Lim and Che Rita as public service announcers in April, following the September 2025 launch of AI radio presenters Aira and Dio. Political parties used free AI tools like Suno to generate campaign videos and songs during the recent Johor state election.
Some entrepreneurs see opportunity in the disruption. Proxifai, founded in May 2026 by advertising veteran Daniel Yap, lets talents and influencers license their likenesses as digital twins - AI replicas that reproduce appearance, voice, and mannerisms in new content. "We see AI as a tool for creativity, not a replacement," Yap said. "AI should not replace people, but augment what a human can do."
Yap cited projections that the global virtual-influencer market could reach between US$46 billion and US$63 billion by 2030. Contracts could include provisions allowing performers to have their digital replicas deleted once agreements end. "With a digital twin, you can sleep at home while making money," he said.
Actor Redza Minhat pushed back on the concept. "I believe authentic portrayals of human experiences should come from humans who understand what those experiences mean," he told ST. "Otherwise it is just hollow and derivative."
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's own digital twin experiment did not help the cause. The "PMX AI" chat platform launched in July allowed the public to interact with his AI replica, but it was taken offline after users shared screenshots of the chatbot advising against voting for Anwar and cheerfully suggesting holiday itineraries.
Why This Matters for Creatives
The Malaysian experience shows that AI adoption in creative fields is uneven - brutal for some specialisations, slower for others. English-language voiceover and illustration have been hit hard, while Malay-language talent remains insulated for now. For creatives, the practical takeaway is that bilingual skills, niche expertise, and work that requires cultural or linguistic nuance still command value. Meanwhile, AI for Creatives is becoming a necessary competency, and understanding Generative Art tools may determine who adapts and who gets displaced. Ain's advice to others in her field: "We live in an age where avoiding AI is impossible, but letting it dictate our lives is a choice."
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