I-Berhad executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong showing the location of i-City in Selangor
sharen@nst.com.my
I-Berhad is shaping up its i-City project in the heart of Selangor's golden triangle with a new wave of development and investment in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.
Executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong told NST Property that in spite of a challenging market environment, I-Berhad will continue to invest in i-City because of strong investor confidence in the development.
The developer is also investing in AI technology, among others to launch a do-it-all super app, adding to the regional "super app" phenomenon.
Lim said the AI strategy for i-City is to boost the development which has the remaining 60 per cent of gross floor area (GFA) that has yet to be developed.
"This is a forward-thinking smart city. Apart from launching the super app, we are accelerating and enhancing the development with the Internet of Things features and a robust digital network. When we say we are going to do something in i-City, we will do it despite a slow economy. We have to invest and create exciting things and developments for the project to remain vibrant," said Lim.
I-Berhad chief technology officer, Ricky Lim said the super app would create an ecosystem where users would not need to use multiple apps. It saves phone space and frees users from having to look for different apps.
He said the app will be rolled out in stages to improve community smart living in i-City, an MSC status development.
The app is applicable for property owners, tenants, visitors, investors and the working population in i-City.
"There are currently a lot of apps in Malaysia for food delivery, transport, hotels, movie tickets, checking property launches, car parking, payments, and banking. This is where i-City is going and the project has started. We will integrate all those services into one app.
"Currently in i-City we have Central Mall i-City, Hotel Best Western i-City, over 4,000 residences, retail, offices, Sumurwang corporate tower and coming up next is DoubleTree by Hilton. The super app will unlock all services into one to make it easy for those who stay, work, shop and play in i-City. We will monetise these services so that the super app will be self-sustaining and allow us to re-invest," he said.
He said the pilot project for the super app has started with the company's internal staff, who use the app for parking and for check-in using facial recognition, among others.
"From a technology standpoint it is not a big deal but from a developer's standpoint, it is a milestone. For the app, you need a lot of infrastructure and technology and this year alone, we have invested RM5 million. This is a testament to the fact that when we say we want to launch a super app, we have already spent the money and the investments will continue," he said.
He said, in line with the Golden Triangle vision, i-City's technology would be widely available.
"With this investment in technology, we can play a new game. You can't call yourself a Golden Triangle if you do not have the connectivity. Today, the Internet bandwidth in i-City is 400 gigabit, which is four times more than the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. We have dedicated internet access and telecommunication companies coming in."
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