Young Malaysian innovators showcased their creativity and technical skills at the AI Muda@NADI Hackathon 2026, developing artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to address real-world challenges in Malaysia’s plantations and commodities sector.

Held under the theme “AI Innovation for the Future of Plantations and Commodities,” the hackathon featured 26 finalist teams from schools across Malaysia. Students from Form 1 to Form 6 presented AI-powered solutions focused on sustainability, plantation productivity, smart farming, environmental conservation and commodity innovation, demonstrating AI’s potential to address industry challenges.

Over the two-day hackathon, the winning team, “INNOVIQ” from Kolej Vokasional Perdagangan Johor Bahru built “TerraScan”, an AI-powered smart agriculture application, integrating intelligent soil analysis, crop recommendations, weather forecasting, farm simulation, and financial management to support smarter farming decisions. The solution aims to improve crop yields, reduce operational costs, enhance food security, and promote sustainable agricultural practices. The team received RM5,000, while the second and third-place winners received RM2,000 and RM1,000 respectively.

From AI learning to innovation

The hackathon marked the culmination of AI Muda@NADI, an initiative under the AI@NADI Training Programme 2026, implemented in August by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in collaboration with CelcomDigi through the National Information Dissemination Centres (NADI).

More than 9,000 secondary school students participated in the programme’s six online learning modules, covering prompt engineering, responsible AI use, creative content development and AI applications in learning and productivity. Upon completing the modules, students submitted their work for evaluation through a dedicated online assessment system developed for AI Muda@NADI.

The 26 finalist teams were selected based on four components: AI Apps developed using vibe coding, AI Videos, AI Prompt Trails and AI Project Cards. Submissions were assessed on the problem addressed, the proposed AI solution, relevance to Malaysian challenges and alignment with the SDGs. Each team comprised four students and one supervising teacher from the same school, with finalists representing schools across every state in Malaysia.

AI Muda@NADI is conducted in partnership with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Faculty of Education and Google for Education, with support from the Ministry of Education and Maktab Rendah Sains MARA (MRSM).

T. Kugan, CelcomDigi’s Chief Enterprise Business Officer and Acting Chief Innovation Officer said, “Through AI@NADI, CelcomDigi brings together public-sector leadership, academic expertise, technology capabilities and communities to translate AI ambitions into practical learning opportunities. By connecting these strengths, we can help more young Malaysians develop relevant skills and explore how AI can address real-world challenges, preparing them for opportunities ahead in a digital nation.”

Extending AI learning to more Malaysians

Building on the initiative, MCMC and CelcomDigi plan to expand the AI@NADI Training Programme to tertiary education students and working professionals soon, providing more Malaysians with opportunities to develop practical AI skills for learning, employment and professional development.