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How I’m Using AI for My Daily Tasks

Alright, let’s talk about AI. Not the sci-fi, world-domination kind, but the practical, everyday assistant that’s quietly weaving its way into our routines. You might think, “Oh, AI, that’s for data scientists or super-techy folks,” but honestly, I’ve found it to be surprisingly helpful in my daily grind, often in ways I didn’t initially expect. It’s less about building complex models and more about smart integration to boost efficiency.

Starting with the Basics: My Elementary School AI Assistant

Let’s be frank, even the most seasoned professionals can have those moments where a stray typo slips into an important email, or a misplaced comma makes a presentation slide look less than polished. For me, AI has become that ever-vigilant proofreader, much like an elementary student meticulously checking their homework for grammatical and spelling errors.

Whether I’m drafting a crucial client email, compiling a detailed report, or finessing a presentation deck, I lean on AI to polish my language. It’s not just about catching the obvious mistakes; it’s about refining phrasing, suggesting clearer sentence structures, and ensuring my message comes across precisely as intended. It’s a pragmatic use of AI that saves time and, let’s be honest, a good deal of potential embarrassment. It ensures that the information I convey is not only accurate but also presented impeccably.

Beyond Text: Crafting Visuals with a Local Touch

Once I got comfortable with AI as my personal language editor, I started exploring its creative side. This led me to image generation, a feature that has proven incredibly useful, especially when trying to create visuals that truly resonate with our local context here in Malaysia.

You see, a common challenge with free stock image libraries is their predominant focus on Caucasian-centric visuals. While diverse options are emerging, finding authentic, contextually relevant images—be it a vibrant Malaysian street scene, local faces, or specific cultural elements—can be a real hunt. This is where AI image generators step in. I can prompt the AI to create visuals that reflect our native landscape and people, ensuring that my presentations, blogs, or marketing materials have an authentic local flavour. It’s a practical solution to a common visual communication gap, allowing me to be more precise and effective in my storytelling.

Accelerated Learning: Brushing Up Knowledge in Minutes

In our fast-paced industry, staying updated is non-negotiable, especially before important client meetings. This is where AI-powered note-taking tools, particularly those with a podcast feature, have become my secret weapon for accelerated learning.

Imagine having a comprehensive technical document, a lengthy research paper, or even a webinar, distilled into a concise, 10-15 minute audio summary. These AI-generated “podcasts” allow me to brush up on intricate details or complex topics quickly. The beauty of it? I can adjust the playback speed to match my fast listening skills, absorbing crucial information on the go, whether I’m commuting or just grabbing a quick coffee. It’s an efficient way to reinforce knowledge, ensuring I’m sharp and well-prepared without dedicating hours to re-reading dense material. It’s truly a game-changer for continuous professional development.

And Yes, Even Crafting This Blog Post

Finally, and perhaps ironically, I’m leveraging AI to help me articulate these very thoughts for this blog post. Just as you, the reader, are seeing my persona shine through these words, AI has been instrumental in helping me craft content that aligns with my established writing style and a touch of wit.

It’s a fascinating process: providing the AI with my core ideas, explaining my desired tone and structure, and then working with its output to refine and personalize it. It’s like having a highly intelligent co-author who understands your voice and can help you shape your narrative efficiently. This allows me to focus on the core message and strategic thinking, while the AI assists in ensuring the delivery is consistent with what my readers expect from Artigence – informative, balanced, and engaging.

So, from mundane language checks to bespoke image creation, accelerated learning, and even shaping my online voice, AI isn’t just a futuristic concept for me; it’s a pragmatic, everyday tool that enhances productivity and precision in a very real way. It’s an exciting time to see these technologies mature and find their practical niches in our professional lives.

End Note: I spent approximately 17 minutes drafting this blog post with the help of AI.

Starlink Direct to Cell (D2C) services – A full fledge mobile solution?

I guess you have heard it and saw the pictures flying online with Starlink demonstrating a Direct To Cell (D2C) services in the States. Let’s break it down on the concept.


Firstly, your mobile phone does not require any modification as Starlink claims they will be using the same frequency used by the mobile operators which explains their joint-venture with T-Mobile. The way this is done is by putting the mobile base station (not literally) at Starlink satellites to beam the mobile signal back to earth.


Yes, you guessed it, how does the same low band (compared the frequency Starlink uses) propagate through space and provide the same mobile services that we enjoy. Well, it doesn’t!


The D2C product that was tested is in the speeds few tenths or hundreds of kbps which is ideal for emergency services and basic texting. Yes, the services certainly give you the ability to connect from anywhere in the world via Starlink satellites but it’s capacity limited. Starlink being Starlink would definitely improve the capacity portion by adding more satellites and improving the efficiency of their satellite antenna. However, the improvement to D2C capacity is something we must wait for.


As for the idea of Starlink doing the same in other regions remains a question mark simply due to the regulatory method adapted by different regions. For example, in Malaysia, the spectrum are auctioned to Mobile Network Operators for Class Assignment or they can choose to lease the spectrum via a process named Apparatus Assignment. As it sounds the spectrum is not fully in control of a single entity which makes the whole proposition complicated.


In summary, I believe D2C is definitely a game changer for emergency and texting services. Imagine you texting in middle of nowhere just to let your loved one knows you made it and combining it with wearables will lead to new use cases such as tracking for rescue missions and more. Indeed, an exciting time ahead!

5G – A consumer or enterprise play?

Lately 5G has been a hot topic or at least in my country. The often topic of discussion is the suitability of 5G for different use cases. Particularly whether 5G is better suited for consumer or enterprise use cases. As a start, I will explore the key differences between consumer and enterprise use cases for 5G and discuss the suitability of 5G for each.

Consumer Use Cases for 5G

Consumer use cases for 5G are primarily focused on delivering high-speed mobile data services to individuals. Some of the key consumer use cases for 5G include:

  1. Streaming: With 5G, consumers can stream high-quality video content without buffering or lag. This is because 5G offers higher data transfer speeds and lower latency than 4G.
  2. Gaming: 5G can provide a better gaming experience to consumers by reducing latency and improving responsiveness. This is particularly important for real-time games like first-person shooters.
  3. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): 5G can enhance AR and VR experiences by providing higher bandwidth and lower latency, which can reduce motion sickness and improve the overall experience.
  4. Internet of Things (IoT) Devices: 5G can support a large number of IoT devices, which can communicate with each other in real-time, enabling smart homes and cities.
  5. Video Calls: 5G can provide a better video call experience by reducing lag and improving video quality.

Overall, 5G is well-suited for consumer use cases that require high-speed data transfer, low latency, and support for a large number of connected devices.

Enterprise Use Cases for 5G

Enterprise use cases for 5G are primarily focused on delivering mission-critical services to businesses. Some of the key enterprise use cases for 5G include:

  1. Industrial Automation: 5G can enable industrial automation by providing high-speed, low-latency connectivity to machines and devices in factories and warehouses.
  2. Remote Work: 5G can provide fast and reliable connectivity to remote workers, enabling them to work from anywhere without compromising on productivity and utlizing technology such as AR and VR.
  3. Autonomous Vehicles: 5G can enable the deployment of autonomous vehicles by providing real-time connectivity and low-latency communication between vehicles and their surroundings.
  4. Telemedicine: 5G can enable telemedicine by providing high-speed, low-latency connectivity to medical devices and enabling real-time communication between patients and doctors.
  5. Smart Infrastructure: 5G can enable smart infrastructure by providing high-speed, low-latency connectivity to sensors and devices that monitor and manage infrastructure such as bridges, roads, and buildings.

Overall, 5G is well-suited for enterprise use cases that require high-speed, low-latency connectivity and support for mission-critical services.

With this we can say 5G is well-suited for both consumer and enterprise use cases, but the suitability depends on the specific requirements of the use case. Where some use cases are identified at before the technology is implemented but some unknown use cases will be only discovered once users starts use it. Anyway, generally we can say consumer use cases require high-speed data transfer, low latency, and support for a large number of connected devices. On the other hand, Enterprise use cases require high-speed, low-latency connectivity and support for mission-critical services.

As 5G continues to evolve, we can expect to see more innovative use cases emerge in both the consumer and enterprise spaces. On my next write up I will share more on the Enterprise use cases which I “personally” think might take the front seat in this 5G journey.

Small satellite – A different approach?

Nanosatellites or small satellites (SmallSat) is getting traction in the space industry lately. As the name suggests, these are small version of a satellite which has shorter life span, smaller payload, lower cost and usually targeted for a specific purpose. Do note, the orbit of the satellite still follows the conventional satellite as we know GEO, MEO and LEO. Recently there are some companies find these breeds of satellites an appealing proposition for their use cases.

Let us take an overview of a conventional GEO satellite. Typically, satellite has a 15-year lifespan which is dictated by the amount of fuel the satellite has once it is in the orbital slot and ready for service. The electronics usually last longer than the fuel life unless there are unfortunate event of failure. This fuel life also depends on the efficiency of satellite control professionals who performs satellite operations known as TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking & Commanding) from the earth station. Highly efficient satellite operations can lead to longer satellite life beyond 15 years.

The business concept behind a GEO satellite is also determined by the satellite life. Satellite operators/owners are in the business of leasing their transponder capacity to customers such as broadcasters, telecommunication providers, military and etcetera. As the Return of investment (ROI) of a satellite is typically 6-7 years, the contract period to end customers are usually a long term (e.g.,15 years contract). This has been the conventional business model of a satellite business.

However, given the rapid advancement of communication technology today, this is changing. Customers are no longer inclined to sign up a long-term contract as they may find other alternative technology to replace satellite and these come in many forms such as fiber, terrestrial technology, high altitude platform (HAPS) and others. This has directly impacted the way satellite business is done and Nanosatellites / SmallSat which offers shorter life cycle and lower cost may be preferred. Customers can select a smaller specific coverage satellites to target specific use cases. For example, a satellite which could light up an island or small country for broadband connectivity, customer then can build a 5-year broadband business case instead of a conventional 15 years.

That brings us to the question, why were the conventional satellite business case or satellite life constructed with 15 years span initially. The answer is due to an important component in satellite business which is the expensive satellite launch cost. With the emergence of new launchers such as SpaceX, Blue Origin where reusable boosters are used, satellite launch providers have begun to offer a competitive pricing for a satellite launch. The technology has matured to the extend Nanosatellite or SmallSat can “piggyback” with a conventional satellite to reduce the launch cost.

In a nutshell, satellite industry is going through a phase of evolution and Nanosatellite / SmallSat are just a glimpse of it. For example, at the time of this post there is an experiment whereby a nanosatellite made with wood, “Woodsat” is planned to be launched to space to understand the durability of different material in space. This could open a new discussion on cost reduction and different class of satellite. (https://www.space.com/first-wooden-satellite-will-launch-in-2021).

Starlink – Is it really Coming?

For the less informed Starlink is a satellite broadband provider using Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. It’s part of Elon Musk’s brain child who is pretty much becoming the King Midas of our time. Compared to the regular satellite broadband which has existed for more than a decade now, Starlink offers low latency broadband simply due to the fact its nearer to the earth compared to Geostationary (GEO) satellites. Note that both type of satellite based broadband is still upload speed limited and usually provided with asymmetrical speeds.

Now the real question is it coming soon to Malaysia as advertised in their website (www.starlink.com). At the time of this post, Starlink has already started a Beta program in U.S with an upfront device cost of USD 499 and monthly fee of USD 99. The broadband speed is up to 150 Mbps (download) with latency as low as 20ms and about 10-15 Mbps upload speed.

Recently the company started to collect USD 99 refundable deposit for potential customers in Malaysia. citing service availability end 2022 / beginning 2023 subject to regulatory approval. That’s the catch, regulatory approval. Lets see what they mean by regulatory approval and other challenges Starlink needs to solve before providing a service in Malaysia.

To make this easier to explain I’m going to split the challenges into two components.

Space regulation – Ignore the term space here, its simple means the rules that Starlink needs to follow at the sky level before they can provide a service in Malaysia. The company needs to comply with the local regulators (MCMC) to ensure that they obtain a space station apparatus assignment license. This is done by submitting a Space Service Form to MCMC and at the moment its only categorized for (i) Amateur Satellite Station, (ii) Broadcasting Satellite Station, (iii) Fixed Satellite Station and (iv) Space Station. There will be a lot technology brief that needs to be done before Starlink actually submits this form and once submitted there will be a long process of coordination with other satellite players in the region be it from LEO,GEO or even MEO satellite service providers.

Earth regulation – On the ground portion, Starlink needs to obtain approval to actually beam their frequencies (signal) towards Malaysia which is known as landing rights. This will be long-winded coordination process again with the other satellite operators and possibly terrestrial services (5G) providers in Malaysia. Next one would be the license for the small terminals (antenna dish) that Starlink built in house. Currently, the broadcaster Astro has a Class Assignment license to install a 0.75 diameter dish without an apparatus license. Any other satellite broadband providers would need to apply an Apparatus Assignment for their earth station and it comes with an annual fee starting from RM460 and increases according to the upload speed provided. The next hurdle would be to get all the terminal components type approved by SIRIM. Starlink terminal consists the dish and the modem which needs to undergo a type approval application whereby the units will be certified by SIRIM provided it complies to all our transmission, standard and safety requirements.

The above just a main regulatory hurdles for Starlink to jump over, there are other regulatory requirements that Starlink as a company may need to comply to provide broadband service such as obtaining the communication service license (NFP, NSP and ASP), complying to Malaysia’s broadband Quality of Service (MSQoS), adhering to Consumer Form Malaysia (CFMs) consumers codes and others.

With that being said, the target date of 2023 or even 2024 looks far-off to Starlink to operate in Malaysia. Thus to answer the question “Is Starlink coming?”, the answers is Yes. It will be here eventually, but when and at what price is the real question that should be asked. For argument sake, lets say Starlink shows up on 4 years from now skipping through all the ropes above, will it be able to sell at USD 99 to the underserved population in Malaysia? I shall leave this question to be answered by you.

Alternatively do check some of the current satellite broadband providers in the country with CONNECTme (www.CONNECTme.my) being the leader in serving the rural population and others satellite broadband providers that may come up in the next 1- 2 years. The broadband arena in our country is certainly an interesting space to watch out for the next few years.