Deputy Minister: AI regulation cannot be made in a reactionary manner

Jakarta — Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital (Wamenkomdigi) Nezar Patria said that regulations concerning artificial intelligence (AI), especially governance, cannot be drawn up in a reactionary manner given how rapidly the technology is evolving.

‘Because technology develops so quickly, we must not simply follow trends, and we must not regulate the technology reactively. Technology is still finding its form as it is adopted in sectors such as health, education, transport, and financial services,’ said Deputy Minister Nezar in a press briefing received in Jakarta and confirmed on Saturday.

Discussing AI developments, Nezar said that AI was initially known from the emergence of chatbots. It then evolved into agentic AI and then physical AI that is integrated with robotic technology.

With such rapid development, regulations governing it must have a clear policy direction.

Therefore, the government is adopting a horizontal approach in drafting regulations by emphasising principles and norms first before applying them to each sector.

This step is taken so that regulations remain relevant to the very fast pace of technological development.

‘The use of digital technology can have positive impacts, but it can also be harmful. There is digital crime, online fraud, cyberbullying, and hoaxes and disinformation that we must face together,’ he said.

Currently, the Indonesian government is focusing more on creating a national AI development roadmap. In addition to the roadmap, the government is also introducing ethical regulations for AI development to ensure its use remains ethical.

As regulations related to AI development, Nezar said that Indonesia currently has Law Number 27 of 2022 on Personal Data Protection (PDP) as the basis for strengthening digital data governance. The PDP Act is important because AI can develop based on data owned by its users.

‘Machines in AI live off data. Therefore, there must be protection for personal data,’ emphasised Deputy Minister Nezar.