AI Utilisation Must Be Guided by Pancasila Values, Says Catholic Youth Leader
Artificial Intelligence (AI) must be utilised in accordance with the values of Pancasila, serving as an ethical guide for national and state life. This was stated by the General Chairman of the Central Executive Board of Pemuda Katolik, Stefanus Gusma, during a discussion in Central Jakarta on Friday, 5 June 2026.
“AI is a tool that facilitates human life. Pancasila is the ideal navigation to serve as an ethical guide in the utilisation of AI across various sectors of society,” said Gusma.
He noted that technological progress must not diminish the spirit of humanity, which serves as the foundation of communal life. He also reminded that humans are created in the likeness of God, therefore the development of AI must remain directed towards strengthening human values and ‘gotong royong’ (mutual cooperation).
“We must ensure that the advancement of AI does not reduce the spirit of building humanity and the spirit of mutual cooperation,” he added.
In a separate presentation, an expert for the National Defence Council, Sabrang Mowo Damar Panuluh, assessed that AI is a technology with a character different from previous technologies. According to him, the presence of AI challenges humans to re-examine their understanding of intelligence and entity.
“This imitative intellect is a technology whose nature differs from previous technologies. The symbol of AI intelligence requires us to rethink what constitutes an entity,” said Sabrang.
Sabrang warned of the dangers when AI technology develops without adequate control. The primary issue is not merely the sophistication of the technology, but rather who controls it.
“When AI becomes very powerful in making decisions, who controls the AI? The danger arises when AI is controlled by capital. We cannot allow capitalism to become greater than Pancasila,” he stated.
Also present at the event, member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Nurul Arifin, expressed appreciation for Pope Leo XIV, who, through his first encyclical, raised the issue of humanity in the development of AI. Nurul noted that attention to the social impacts of AI has not yet been widely addressed by international organisations.
“I appreciate the Pope because not many international-level organisations are responding to human concerns regarding AI increasingly driving our lives,” said Nurul.
“We must not allow the advancement of AI to reduce the spirit of building humanity and the spirit of mutual cooperation. If not strictly guarded, this could trigger social conflict or even civil war,” she warned.