The development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in Indonesia reached a significant milestone with the establishment of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (Stranas AI) in 2020.
Its positive impact has been felt across various sectors, including information and communication, financial and insurance services, corporate services, and the agricultural industry.
Both the public and private sectors have started adopting AI. However, Indonesia faces several challenges, such as data dissemination and security threats, which must be addressed firmly.
Delving into the potential and implementation of AI across various sectors, the UGM Center for Digital Society (CfDS) organized the 19th Digital Expert Talks in collaboration with KORIKA.
Digital Expert Talks #19 featured speakers including Hario Bismo Kuntarto, Head of Digital Economy and Game Governance Team, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology; Brigitta Ratih E. Aryanti, Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google Cloud; and Dr. Afiahayati, lecturer in the Department of Computer Science & Electronics, the UGM Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.
Amelinda Pandu Kusumaningtyas, a research coordinator of CfDS UGM, serves as the moderator of the talk.
During the discussion, Hario Kuntarto mentioned that the government actively promotes AI in various sectors to enhance Indonesia’s competitiveness and innovation.
This is supported by the fact that the Ministry of Communication is committed to supporting the development of digital talents and AI skills for all.
This commitment extends to educational initiatives and skill enhancements. Since 2021, the ministry has advocated for AI, blockchain, and IoT, according to the Minister of Communication Regulation No. 3/2021.
“The ministry is committed to continuing its focus on service activation through monitoring and evaluation studies of Sandboxing regulations by setting inclusive, transparent, credible, and accountable principles,” explained Kuntarto.
From an educational perspective, Dr. Afiahayati explained that academia is the foundation for nurturing AI skills to facilitate knowledge transfer and innovation from various AI projects and research through collaboration from different parties, such as universities.
“This is evident in the commitment of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) to providing a master’s program in artificial intelligence to meet the demand for AI specialists, which is continuously enhanced through various supporting courses, smart systems laboratories, and an AI research center,” she said.
The lecturer mentioned the quadruple helix collaboration involving the government, academics, industry, and society, allowing the advancement of AI development to be much more sporadic, thus enabling a greater collaborative exchange of resources and information, as already done by UGM in the health and research sectors.
Brigitta Ratih added that Google’s contribution ensures easier accessibility to AI for users at various skill levels. This is demonstrated through applications like Gmail, equipped with smart compose features.
In Indonesia, Google has collaborated with the government in urban governance, disaster response, productivity, and health. This is evident in the Green Light project, in partnership with the Transportation Agency of the Jakarta Provincial Government, aimed at reducing congestion through efficient traffic light management.
However, challenges regarding data privacy and security remain a top priority, so AI development policies must adhere to three principles: a firm resolution to solve socio-economic problems, responsibility, and partnerships among various parties.
“To realize AI implementation, we must enhance economic potential through infrastructure and human resources by ensuring security in line with regulations,” Ratih emphasized.
Authors: Agung Nugroho and Tasya