The Malaysian Government, through the Ministry of Science Technology & Innovation (MOSTI), has taken active measures to enhance the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) via the development and implementation of the Malaysia National Artificial Intelligence Roadmap (2021-2025). AI technologies have the potential to increase general productivity, solve manufacturing and operational issues, increase standards of living as well as boost national economic growth. For the purpose of this study, AI is defined as “a suite of technologies which enable machines to demonstrate intelligence and is endowed with an ability to adapt to new circumstances in order to amplify human ingenuity and intellectual capabilities through collective intelligence across a broad range of challenges''. This definition comports with the terminology used by Malaysia’s AI roadmap. While new AI technologies have the potential to create immense socio-economic benefits, they may also be prone to unanticipated negative ramifications. With AI gaining rapid adoption across many sectors, there is a critical need for an ethical framework to guide its development, particularly since current social systems are internally fragile and sensitive to external influences and risks. Based on UNESCO’s AI ethics recommendations and a desiderata of relevant data, AI’s adoption also raises a number of questions over its ethical impacts over broad areas ranging from technology to social behavior. Additionally, the dynamic and imbalanced nature of the global trade and business structures has given rise to a variety of complex and systemic problems.