BRIN Chief: The Wisdom of Researchers Is Irreplaceable by AI

Jakarta — Arif Satria, head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), emphasised that the strength of the heart and the wisdom of a researcher can never be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI), no matter how advanced the technology. During the installation ceremony for research professors in Jakarta on Thursday, the BRIN head warned that rapid advances in science and technology should not trigger new problems such as dehumanisation across various sectors of life. “At present AI has become dominant, AI is now something of inevitability, and it can replace many things, including our technical ability to think, to research, and so on. But the strength of wisdom—this is the strength of the heart—this cannot be replaced by AI,” said Arif Satria. He noted that senior researchers and research professors who have achieved a holistic understanding of values, heart, reason and logic should serve as role models inspiring young researchers across the homeland. “Our mandate as humans … we are endowed by God with a brain, with intellect and with a heart. So, within human beings there is a conscience, and that must be awakened to balance the power of our intellect, our rationality, and our cognitive abilities,” he added. The BRIN chief also highlighted a trend in the social sciences where the reality of Indonesia’s wealth has often been portrayed and studied by foreigners using their own lenses and theories. He said that by continually strengthening self-confidence and maintaining the spirit of being a learner, Indonesia can break Western dominance and transform into a producer of knowledge respected on the global stage. “What is needed today, in my view, is how we maintain confidence—confidence in our perspectives, in our wealth, in our cultural values, and in the realities on the ground in Indonesia. That can become a model for enriching global scientific endeavour,” said Arif Satria.