As artificial intelligence (AI) moves rapidly from the digital realm into everyday life, Malaysian property developers are beginning to rethink how homes should be designed for a future where AI and robotics become integral to daily living.
Leading that shift is AI Living @ i-City, which is positioning itself at the forefront of a new generation of AI-ready residential developments designed to accommodate evolving intelligent technologies, as demand grows for smarter, more connected living environments.
The project was showcased as a case study at the DATUM: TECH session during the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival (KLAF) 2026, where I-Berhad director Datuk Eu Hong Chew and SA Architects director Tony Mak said residential developments must evolve beyond conventional smart homes by incorporating the digital infrastructure needed to support future generations of AI technologies and robotics.
Their presentation showed a larger change in the property industry, with developers going beyond just smart home features and connected devices to create AI-focused communities that have the digital systems needed for smart technologies, robots, and future advancements.
Earlier, Eu briefed Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming on i-City's plans to develop AI Living as what it describes as the world's first AI residential development.
Nga welcomed the initiative, saying Malaysia should embrace innovation and that i-City's pursuit of the AI Living concept was a positive step.
Eu said AI Living was conceived around the needs of residents rather than the technology itself.
"Our starting point was never the robot. We began by asking what kind of living experience people want," he said.
Eu said AI Living was designed around four key principles – comfort, convenience, care and community – with AI and robotics serving as enablers that enhance residents' quality of life rather than becoming the centrepiece of the development.
Meanwhile, Mak said as AI adoption accelerates across industries, future residential projects would require built-in digital infrastructure capable of supporting technologies that continue evolving long after construction is completed.
He said developers must future-proof buildings because technology advances much faster than physical structures.
"Architecture therefore has to be flexible enough to accommodate technologies that have yet to be invented. The focus remains on creating better living experiences rather than designing for any specific generation of robots," he said.
The presentation also introduced the concept of an Urban Operating System (Urban OS), a digital backbone designed to coordinate multiple AI-driven platforms within AI Living.
Instead of seeing robotics as a separate technology, the speakers explained that it is just one part of a larger system that includes wellness platforms, smart home systems, AI companions, and intelligent building management, all connected through a single platform to create a smooth living experience.
According to Eu and Mak, AI-ready developments would require a fundamentally different infrastructure approach.
In addition to regular electrical and phone networks, future housing projects will need digital centres, carefully located sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) systems, and edge computing features included from the beginning to support future AI technologies.
"Twenty years from now, people will not remember whether their home had AI. They will remember how it made them feel. That, ultimately, is the true measure of innovation," Mak said.
AI Living @ i-City forms part of I-Berhad's broader vision of developing an AI-native urban ecosystem where architecture, digital infrastructure and intelligent services work together to create homes that continuously adapt to residents' changing needs.
---
Autor(en)/Author(s): Sharen Kaur
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: New Straits Times, 30.07.2026
Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:
