VLIAM

If someone had told me a few years ago that artificial intelligence would become such a significant part of my career, I probably wouldn't have believed them.

My name is William Soon, and for the past seven years, I have been passionate about building businesses, developing people, and driving digital transformation. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of helping to build and grow more than five brands, including five restaurant chains across Malaysia. Along this journey, I managed over 130 employees across management and operations, where my responsibilities ranged from business strategy and marketing to operational excellence, team development, customer experience, and business growth.

Working closely with businesses taught me one important lesson: every growing company eventually reaches a point where people alone cannot solve every challenge. To scale sustainably, businesses need systems, innovation, and technology.

That realization led me to AI.

I first discovered ChatGPT shortly after the release of GPT-3.5 in 2023. Like many people, I started by asking all kinds of "dummy questions" simply out of curiosity. What began as casual experimentation quickly turned into a daily habit. I found myself spending hours exploring prompts, testing ideas, and constantly asking myself, "What else can AI do?"

By 2024, AI had become an integral part of my business operations.

Instead of treating AI as just another productivity tool, I began integrating it into real business scenarios. From creating marketing campaigns, writing SOPs, generating content, brainstorming business strategies, improving workflows, analysing operational issues, to automating repetitive tasks, AI helped me work smarter while creating more value for my team and the businesses I supported.

As I became more experienced with AI, many entrepreneurs and business owners began reaching out to me for guidance.

Besides running businesses, I have also been helping SMEs develop marketing strategies and companion growth programs, working closely alongside business owners to identify opportunities, overcome challenges, and grow together. Rather than simply providing advice, I believe in building long-term partnerships where technology and strategy work hand in hand to create sustainable business success.

Naturally, AI became an important part of these conversations.

I started conducting small AI sharing sessions for entrepreneurs, professionals, and business owners, helping them take their very first steps into AI. One of the most rewarding moments is seeing someone who initially says, "I'm not good with technology," leave the session feeling excited and confident about using AI in their daily work.

This passion for knowledge sharing eventually opened doors for me to conduct more structured training sessions. One of the highlights was being invited to conduct an AI workshop for educators at the University of Wollongong (UOW) Malaysia. Having the opportunity to share practical AI applications with experienced lecturers reinforced my belief that AI is not replacing human expertise—it is enhancing it. Regardless of industry, age, or profession, everyone can benefit from AI when it is introduced in a practical, accessible, and human-centred way.

These experiences are exactly why I decided to join the Digital Builder Program.

Although I have spent the past few years applying AI in business and helping others adopt it, I believe this is only the beginning. I want to deepen my technical knowledge, strengthen my digital building capabilities, collaborate with like-minded innovators, and contribute more meaningfully to Malaysia's growing digital ecosystem.

My aspiration is to bridge the gap between business and technology by building practical AI-powered solutions that solve real business problems. I hope to continue empowering SMEs, entrepreneurs, educators, and communities to embrace digital transformation with confidence, while inspiring more people to see AI not as something complicated, but as a powerful tool for innovation and growth.

To me, the Digital Builder Program is more than a learning opportunity—it is the next chapter of my journey. A journey that began with curiosity, grew through real business experience, and has evolved into a mission to make digital innovation practical, accessible, and impactful for everyone.

I strongly believe that technology is most meaningful when it creates positive impact for people. As AI continues to shape the future, I hope to be one of the Digital Builders who not only embraces innovation but also empowers others to build, grow, and transform alongside it.

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