Digital Talent Contributes Rp6.5 Trillion, Becoming a New Economic Engine
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The role of digital talent is increasingly evident in driving the national economy. Its contribution has even reached trillions of rupiah, in line with the growing industry needs for technology skills across various sectors.
The technology education platform Dicoding records that the economic impact generated from its learning ecosystem has surpassed Rp6.5 trillion. This figure reflects the added value from skill improvements, work productivity, to new economic opportunities created in society.
CEO of Dicoding, Narenda Wicaksono, stated that technological developments, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), accelerate the performance of digital talent. However, according to him, human factors remain the primary determinant in creating economic value.
“Most developers experience increased productivity thanks to AI. But ultimately, it is human creativity and problem-solving abilities that generate value,” he said at the Dicoding Developer Conference 2026, quoted on Sunday (26/4/2026).
The Indonesia Developer Outlook (IDO) 2026 report shows that 9 out of 10 professional developers experienced a productivity increase of more than 20 percent after using generative AI. This improvement is considered to contribute directly to work efficiency and economic output.
On the other hand, job opportunities for digital talent are becoming even wider, no longer limited to technology companies. Dicoding’s Chief Learning Officer, Oon Arfiandwi, noted that non-IT sectors are now the largest absorbers of digital workforce.
“Amid issues of layoffs in the technology sector, the need for digital talent remains high. Many non-IT companies actually require these skills for their business transformations,” said Oon.
This change is also accompanied by a shift in learning methods. Around 63 percent of developers rely on online courses as the primary source for skill enhancement. This learning model is considered faster in adapting to industry needs compared to formal education pathways.
The government views this trend as an opportunity to strengthen the national digital economy. The Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency assesses that mastery of technology, including AI, will be key in enhancing the competitiveness and productivity of the creative sector.
Deputy for Digital Creativity and Technology, Muhammad Neil El Himam, stated that collaboration between industry and educational institutions needs to be expanded so that digital talent can be optimally absorbed in the job market.
“Strengthening capacity and networks is important so that digital talent can contribute to various sectors, with AI as a productivity accelerator,” he said.
With the continuously increasing needs and the visible economic impact, digital talent is no longer just a profession, but has become one of the new engines driving Indonesia’s economy.