Indonesia is entering a new phase in its digital transformation\njourney. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a future\ntechnology discussed in conference rooms. AI is now present in\neducation, health, industry, public services, finance, media, trade and\neveryday life.<\/p>\n
Major investments in data centres, GPUs and AI factories are also\nbeginning to arrive. Technology companies are racing to build computing\ninfrastructure. The government is encouraging the development of AI\ntalent and ecosystems. The public is becoming increasingly familiar with\nvarious generative AI services.<\/p>\n
All of these developments certainly deserve appreciation.<\/p>\n
But there is one question we must begin to ask seriously: Is\nIndonesia building its own AI strength, or is it merely preparing itself\nto become a large market for AI made by other countries?<\/p>\n
This question is important because being an AI user is the first\nstep, not the final goal.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has a population of more than 280 million and a digital\neconomy that continues to grow. For global technology companies,\nIndonesia is certainly a very attractive market. The more people use AI,\nthe greater the economic value created from data, computing, digital\nservices, applications and the various ecosystems behind them.<\/p>\n
But if most AI models, GPUs, cloud platforms, algorithms and\nintellectual property remain abroad, then Indonesia risks becoming\nmerely a consumer in the global AI value chain.<\/p>\n
We buy services.<\/p>\n
We use the applications.<\/p>\n
We pay for the computing.<\/p>\n
We generate data.<\/p>\n
But the greatest value from that technology does not necessarily stay\nin Indonesia.<\/p>\n
This is what must be avoided.<\/p>\n
Indonesia does not need to close itself off from global AI\ntechnology. We actually need collaboration with the world\u2019s technology\ncompanies. It would be unreasonable for Indonesia to build everything\nitself.<\/p>\n
However, openness to global technology must go hand in hand with\ndomestic capability to build our own technology.<\/p>\n
We need more AI researchers, machine learning engineers, data\nscientists, application developers, AI security experts and talent\ncapable of understanding both AI and the real problems in industrial\nsectors. We need universities that not only teach how to use AI, but are\nalso able to conduct research and create AI innovations.<\/p>\n
We also need AI models that understand Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is not just the Indonesian language. We have a diversity of\nregional languages, cultures, social characteristics and development\nneeds that are very different from other countries. AI that truly\nunderstands Indonesia can become a strategic asset, not just a\ntechnology product.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the ambition to build national AI should not be measured\nby the question of whether we can create an \u2018Indonesian version of\nChatGPT\u2019.<\/p>\n
The more important measure is whether we are able to build an\nIndonesian AI ecosystem.<\/p>\n
That ecosystem requires computing, data, energy, networks, talent,\nmodels, applications, capital, research, industry and regulation that\nare interconnected.<\/p>\n
The development of AI factories and large-scale data centres is an\nimportant step. But Indonesia must not merely provide land, electricity\nand GPUs to run global companies\u2019 AI.<\/p>\n
Every AI investment must generate value creation domestically.<\/p>\n
There must be talent that grows.<\/p>\n
There must be local companies that develop.<\/p>\n
There must be research that emerges.<\/p>\n
There must be new startups.<\/p>\n
There must be applications that solve Indonesia\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n
And most importantly, there must be economic value that stays in\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
We must also be careful that AI transformation does not turn into\nmerely a race to buy technology.<\/p>\n
Buying thousands of GPUs does not mean having an AI industry.<\/p>\n
Having an AI factory does not automatically mean becoming an AI\nhub.<\/p>\n
Using ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or various other AI models also does\nnot automatically make our nation master AI.<\/p>\n
Mastery of technology occurs when we are able to understand, develop,\nmodify, create and generate value from that technology.<\/p>\n
This is where the government has a major task.<\/p>\n
Indonesia\u2019s AI policy must be directed not only to accelerate\nadoption, but also to strengthen national capability. Investment\nincentives must be linked to talent creation, research, knowledge\ntransfer, local industry development and domestic added value.<\/p>\n
The government also needs to be an early adopter of AI in public\nservices, but with good governance. Digitalisation and AI must not\ncreate new dependence on vendors.<\/p>\n
We must learn from previous digital transformation experiences.\nIndonesia once experienced a phase when digital devices and technology\ngrew very rapidly, but most core technology remained abroad.<\/p>\n
The AI era must not repeat the same pattern.<\/p>\n
We must not become a nation that uses AI the most, but owns AI the\nleast.<\/p>\n
We must be a market, but at the same time a producer.<\/p>\n
We must be users, but also developers.<\/p>\n
We must attract foreign investment, but at the same time ensure that\ninvestment gives birth to national capability.<\/p>\n
And we must open ourselves to global technology, but still have\ntechnological choice and sovereignty for strategic sectors.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is at a critical point.<\/p>\n
AI can become a new productivity engine that improves economic\ncompetitiveness, accelerates public services, helps education and\nhealth, and opens new employment opportunities.<\/p>\n
But AI can also widen inequality, create technological dependence and\ncause most economic value to flow abroad if we do not have the right\nstrategy.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Indonesia is entering the AI era not merely to become a\nconsumer of artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n
We must become creators, developers, users and at the same time\nowners of the value from that technology.<\/p>\n
Technological independence in the AI era does not mean Indonesia must\nmake everything itself.<\/p>\n
Independence means we have the ability to choose, develop, control\nand utilise technology for the nation\u2019s interests.<\/p>\n
In the end, the biggest question is not:<\/p>\n
\u2018How many Indonesians use AI?\u2019<\/p>\n
But:<\/p>\n
\u2018How much is Indonesia able to create value from AI?\u2019<\/p>\n
If we can answer that question correctly, then AI will not only be a\ntechnology used by Indonesia.<\/p>\n
AI can become one of the new engines for Indonesia to grow, be\nsovereign and determine its own future.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/editorial-indonesia-enters-the-era-of-artificial-intelligence-but-must-not-only-become-a-market-1786895419", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }