Gibran reviews AI Ready ASEAN, urges students to master AI technology
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President Gibran Rakabuming encouraged students to master technology and the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI), as he reviewed the AI Ready ASEAN programme titled “Empowering Students for the Future: AI Literacy for a Digital ASEAN” in Bandung, West Java, on Wednesday.
According to information provided to ANTARA in Jakarta on Wednesday, the workshop was attended by around 500 students and aimed to broaden AI literacy while equipping learners with a basic understanding of how to utilise the technology in daily life.
This visit aligns with the implementation of Astacita under President Prabowo Subianto, particularly in strengthening superior human resources, accelerating digital transformation, and improving the quality of education based on technology to prepare the younger generation to face global competition in the digital economy era.
In his remarks, the Vice President emphasised the importance of introducing technology from an early age so that Indonesia’s younger generation does not fall behind in global technological developments.
Gibran explained that the visits to several schools in West Java aimed to introduce AI literacy, robotics, and the development of students’ interest in digital technology fields.
“We are focusing on visiting schools to introduce AI, robotics lessons. Earlier in one school an extracurricular focusing on e-sports was introduced. There is even a game that could be contested in international competitions,” the Vice President said.
“The essence of using AI is extremely important for everyday life, especially to support teaching and learning activities. But on the other hand we also need to know that AI has rules and ethics, so that is what needs to be observed,” he added.
The Vice President also expressed appreciation to the ASEAN Foundation and Google.org for supporting the AI literacy programme for students in Indonesia.
According to Gibran, the introduction of digital technology to pupils needs to be expanded further so that the younger generation can meet the challenges of the era.
“Many thanks to the ASEAN Foundation and Google.org for their support for our children. We do not want our children to fall behind in the development of technology, particularly AI,” he said.
During the event, the Vice President also engaged in dialogue with the students. One pupil, Mirza Ali Musyafa, asked for the Vice President’s views on the environmental impact of AI development, particularly regarding the use of water resources in data centre operations.
“Progress always has pluses and minuses for the environment. The challenge is to find a balance. We want technology to develop, we want AI to be widely used, but environmental sustainability must also be considered,” he explained.
The AI Ready ASEAN workshop is a programme organised by the ASEAN Foundation with the support of Google.org to broaden AI literacy across Southeast Asia.
Through this programme, students are introduced to the basic concepts of AI, the ethics of using technology, and its applications across various aspects of life.
Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation Piti Srisangnam said the programme aims to provide equal opportunities for students to understand and use AI responsibly.
“We believe every pupil, wherever they are, has the right to the same opportunity to understand and utilise artificial intelligence. Digital transformation is not just about technology, but about opening opportunities for the younger generation to innovate and make a positive impact in their communities,” he said.