Free AI subscriptions in Malaysia are about to double, and the first batch tells you more than the headline does. Budget 2027 promised another 100,000 slots, but the original 100,000 have barely been touched.
Here is what the scheme actually asks of you, what the numbers show, and what nobody has confirmed yet.
What the free AI subscriptions programme is
The programme is called AI Untuk Rakyat (AI for the People). Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim named it in the 2026 National Day address on 30/08/2026, and it runs through the Rakyat Digital portal at rakyatdigital.gov.my, per Malay Mail.
The target is 100,000 Malaysians aged 18 to 30. The reward is three months of free access to an AI tool.
It is not a free-for-all, though. You have to earn it.
The catch: six modules before you get anything
You must complete and pass six modules before you can redeem a tool. The topics are:
- AI Nation 2030 and the national approach
- CYBERSAFE for the People (cybersecurity and personal data)
- Generative AI
- AI Security
- Agentic AI for All
- Cloud for the People
The modules are self-paced, and participants must finish each subsection before moving on. There is no time limit.
So this is closer to a short course with a prize at the end than a coupon you grab.
How to claim, step by step
Based on the published steps for the ILMUchat Pro option, the flow is:
- Log in to Rakyat Digital using your MyDigital ID (the national digital identity app).
- Complete the six modules from the dashboard.
- Pick your tool from the dashboard.
- On the tool's own site, log in with MyDigital ID again to verify eligibility and activate the subscription.
That is why your MyDigital ID needs to be sorted first. We covered what changed now that it is mandatory if yours is not set up yet.
What tools are on offer, and what they are worth
Four tools are listed as rewards: Google Gemini, YTL's ILMUchat, Alibaba Cloud's MuleRun and WonderClip, according to The Star. The Star adds that course exercises use Copilot and ChatGPT, but those are not rewards.
For scale, Malay Mail reports that ILMUchat Pro normally costs RM50 a month. Three months is therefore worth RM150, with unlimited usage during the free period. No end date for the offer was given.
If you are still deciding which assistants are worth your time, our list of AI apps Malaysians are quietly using is a decent starting point.
The number the Budget headline skipped
Here is the angle most coverage glossed over. Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said that as of 17/09/2026, only 9,182 youths had completed the course, and 7,372 had redeemed free access to AI tools, Bernama reported.
That is a few weeks into a 100,000-person programme. The government called the response "encouraging" and wants more participation from every state.
The strongest uptake so far came from Selangor, Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Perak.
Other outlets have quoted slightly different later tallies, so treat any single figure as a snapshot, not a final count. The direction is still clear: as of that date, the first batch was far from full.
Which raises a fair question. If 100,000 slots are not yet used up, why announce 100,000 more?
What Budget 2027 changed, and what it did not
When Budget 2027 was tabled on 09/10/2026, the Prime Minister said another 100,000 free subscriptions would follow in 2027. The programme will also cover more applications, with ChatGPT named as an example, Lowyat.NET reported. He cited the "encouraging response" to the current programme.
What has not been published, as far as we could find:
- The eligibility rules for the new batch
- The start date or application window
- Which apps beyond ChatGPT will be added
- Whether the six-module requirement stays the same
Until those appear, assume nothing. The sensible move is to check Rakyat Digital directly rather than trust a social media screenshot, because "free AI" offers are exactly the bait scammers like.
If you want a broader view of what else the Budget pencilled in, see our pre-Budget 2027 rundown.
Is it worth doing?
Describing, not prescribing: the trade is a few hours of coursework for RM150-ish of tool access on the ILMUchat option, plus a grounding in AI basics and scam awareness.
The module on personal data and cybersecurity is the quiet bonus. For anyone who has already been pinged by a too-good-to-be-true message this year, that is not filler.
FAQ
Who can join the free AI subscriptions programme?
Malaysians aged 18 to 30 who complete the required modules on Rakyat Digital. The 2027 batch has no published eligibility rules yet.
Do I need MyDigital ID?
Yes. The published steps use MyDigital ID to log in to Rakyat Digital and again to activate the tool.
How long does the free access last?
Three months per tool, with no published end date for the offer itself.
Will ChatGPT be included?
The Prime Minister said ChatGPT is an example of the apps to be added under Budget 2027. The full list and timing have not been announced.
