J&C Pacific Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian artificial intelligence (AI)-driven retail marketing and digital redemption platform, announced Monday a strategic collaboration with YTL AI Labs Sdn Bhd, the developer of ILMU, Malaysia’s first multimodal sovereign AI model, to power GiftsMartTM with the country’s homegrown AI.
The duo said in a statement on Monday that this collaboration marks a significant milestone in integrating locally developed AI technologies into Malaysia’s retail and FMCG engagement ecosystem through GiftsMartTM, an AI-powered redemption platform developed by J&C Pacific.
At the heart of this partnership, ILMU will serve as the official AI engine powering the GiftsMart platform, equipping it with advanced language, vision, and multimodal
capabilities to enhance automation, scalability, and intelligence across nationwide FMCG campaigns and retail initiatives.
“As Malaysia continues its digital transformation journey, our vision is to ensure that local innovation leads the way,
“GiftsMart itself is a 100% homegrown platform proudly developed in Malaysia, and now with ILMU AI, Malaysia’s first sovereign AI, we are taking that vision even further. Together, we aim to redefine Malaysia’s digital retail landscape through the power of local AI innovation,” said CK Lee, Chief Executive Officer of J&C Pacific.
Through this collaboration, J&C Pacific and YTL AI Labs will jointly strengthen GiftsMart’s AI Marketing infrastructure to deliver smarter automation, deeper insights, and a more seamless experience for brands and consumers.
The integration is designed to future-proof Malaysia’s retail ecosystem with locally developed, responsible AI technologies.
Building on this partnership, J&C Pacific and YTL AI Labs are expanding their collaboration into broader AI Marketing applications — including intelligent customer engagement, predictive analytics, and real-time event interaction systems.
This expansion reinforces GiftsMart’s position as Malaysia’s leading homegrown AI- powered marketing platform, uniting brands and consumers through data-driven engagement and intelligent automation.
“ILMU represents Malaysia’s belief that AI should understand our language, culture, and people,
“Through this collaboration with J&C Pacific, we’re showing that sovereign AI isn’t just about technology — it’s about empowering local businesses to compete globally while staying rooted in local innovation,” said Foong Chee Mun, Chief Executive Officer of YTL AI Labs.
Under the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), YTL AI Labs and J&C Pacific have moved beyond the pilot phase and are now deploying ILMU AI across the GiftsMart platform to power large-scale AI marketing automation and analytics.
This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to advance AI Made in Malaysia, for Malaysians, driving innovation and real economic value through local technology, said the statement.