AI Regulation Proposed as Law, Says Deputy Minister

Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Wamenkomdigi) Nezar Patria stated that regulations concerning the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in Indonesia have been proposed to be drafted in the form of a law. Nezar said the proposal for an AI law was conveyed by the Legislation Body (Baleg) of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) during a meeting with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs last week. “They (Baleg DPR) informally proposed that preparations for an Artificial Intelligence Law should be studied so that the position of AI regulation can be stronger and provide legal certainty in the future,” Nezar said when met after the Indonesia AI Ethics Summit in Jakarta on Wednesday. A regulation in the form of a law is considered to be a more robust foundation for governing the increasingly rapid development of AI, while ensuring legal certainty for investors and providing clear boundaries regarding the risks of its use and development. Nevertheless, Nezar emphasised that the government is currently still prioritising the completion of a Presidential Regulation on the National Artificial Intelligence Roadmap, the draft of which has been submitted to the State Secretariat for the president’s signature. The issuance of a Presidential Regulation is seen as a more realistic step to take at present in responding to the very fast-paced development of AI, considering that the law-making process requires a lengthy study phase. “Making a law takes a long time, especially in the review process. Therefore, for now, we see that a presidential regulation is strong enough according to the stage of national AI development,” he said. Although there has been no formal follow-up regarding the proposal for an AI Law, Nezar said the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs shares the same view on the importance of more comprehensive regulation in governing the development and adoption of AI in the future. “We see the presidential regulation as strong enough under current conditions according to our national AI development stage. Later, in future targets, we need a law that is more solid and better able to accommodate long-term developments,” he said.