KUALA LUMPUR: Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology are essential to the future of education, but their adoption must be accompanied by the cultivation of moral values, character and humanity among students, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

He said AI could provide knowledge and intelligence, but lacked the human values and moral depth needed to develop well-rounded individuals.

“We are moving in that direction (the use of technology), but there is a caveat, we must ‘reach for the skies while remaining rooted to the earth’,” he said in a video shared on his Facebook page.

Anwar was responding to a student’s question about whether all schools in Malaysia could eventually adopt technologies such as tablets, laptops and AI.

Earlier, he met and interacted with students from schools in Pasir Gudang and Pontian, Johor, at Parliament.

The Prime Minister said Malaysia was moving towards greater integration of technology in education, but students and educators must remain aware of its limitations and the importance of preserving human values.

He stressed that intelligence alone was insufficient without strong character and ethical principles, adding that education must continue to focus on developing individuals who could balance knowledge with humanity.

Anwar also highlighted the Malay concept of akal budi, which links intellect with moral character and ethical conduct.

He encouraged students to express affection and appreciation towards their parents through simple gestures, saying such practices could help nurture empathy, love and humanity in an increasingly technology-driven society.

He said technological progress should not come at the expense of the values that make people human.