“We will be able to use technology and artificial intelligence to enhance urban living – improving how we live, work and thrive in cities.”

This remark from Datuk Ahmad Zaki Zahid, chief corporate officer for Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) in Malaysia, sums up the goal of Smart City Expo Kuala Lumpur 2025 (SCEKL 2025).

The event, which has the theme of “AI Cities: Shaping Our Digital Future”, will take place from September 17 to 19 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. It is being spearheaded by DNB, a Malaysian state-owned company focused on expanding the country’s 5G network infrastructure, and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), a government agency tasked with leading the digital transformation of the country’s economy that operates under the Ministry of Digital and its minister, Gobind Singh Deo.

SCEKL 2025 is the first Southeast Asian edition of the Smart City Expo World Congress, an annual event originally established in Barcelona in 2011 to provide solutions to modern challenges faced by urban hubs. The event has since grown to include spin-off events around the world addressing the issues and opportunities in different regions.

The Kuala Lumpur edition of the expo seeks to drive conversations about how Southeast Asian countries can use AI and 5G to improve infrastructure, disaster management, urban development and more. It goes beyond Malaysia’s goal of emerging as a smart nation by 2040 to also align with its 2025 Asean chairmanship under the theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability”. In its current role as chair, Malaysia is strengthening the regional focus on digitalisation, sustainability and inclusive development.

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