SHAH ALAM - Artificial intelligence and automation may be transforming the customer experience industry, but human empathy and connection must remain at its core, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) chief executive officer Anuar Fariz Fadzil said.
Speaking at the National Contact Centre Conference (NCCC) 2026 here, Anuar said that while technology helps businesses improve efficiency and simplify processes, it cannot replace the human ability to solve problems, understand customers and build trust.
"You can have all the tech. You can have all the ChatGPTs and all the tools in the world, but nothing replaces humans. Nothing replaces human empathy and nothing replaces the desire to be able to make a connection," he said.
He added that Malaysia's contact centre and shared services industry has evolved significantly over the past two decades, moving beyond traditional outsourcing operations into sophisticated global business services and customer experience hubs serving international markets.
Malaysia is currently ranked number one in Southeast Asia and among the top 25 globally for contact centre operations by the Milken Institute, supported by its multilingual talent pool, digital capabilities and industry collaboration.
Anuar stressed that as automation and AI become increasingly embedded in customer engagement operations, technology should remain an enabler rather than the driving purpose of the industry.
"At the centre of it, it is about how we keep it all human. Tech is just a tool," he said.
He added that MDEC remains committed to supporting the industry through collaboration with ecosystem partners, industry associations and businesses to raise standards and strengthen Malaysia's position as a trusted digital services destination.
The industry's growth also supports Malaysia's broader ambitions under the Malaysia Digital national strategic initiative and the country's goal of becoming an AI Nation by 2030.
Meanwhile, Contact Centre Association of Malaysia (CCAM) president Vigneswaran Sivalingam said the industry is not shrinking but evolving beyond traditional call handling into a broader customer engagement and experience ecosystem.
"We used tools like Zoom to stay connected and collaborate, but today we use it for contact centre solutions and to elevate customer experience," he said, adding that Malaysia remains well-positioned to strengthen its role as a trusted regional hub for customer experience excellence.
The conference, organised by CCAM, marked its 15th edition, bringing together industry leaders, customer experience professionals and ecosystem players to discuss the future of customer engagement and digital services.