Gibran wants Islamic boarding school students to become AI developers, not just users

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has encouraged Islamic boarding school students to master artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics so that they can become innovators, not merely users, and respond to the challenges of the times.

“We want these students to be able to meet the challenges of the future. We are competing, and must not fall behind other countries,” Gibran said on Friday while observing AI and robotics training at Darullughah Wadda’wah (Dalwa) Islamic Boarding School in Pasuruan Regency, East Java.

Gibran said opportunities to learn about future technologies should be open to all young people, including students at Islamic boarding schools, so they can take part in technological development.

He said AI and robotics lessons were not solely intended to equip participants with technical skills, but also to strengthen critical thinking, computational thinking and problem-solving abilities.

“Learning AI and robotics does not mean you have to become a programmer; it is about training critical and computational thinking, and becoming accustomed to problem-solving,” he said.

Alongside mastering technology, the Vice-President reminded students to continue prioritising good character and values when using digital technologies.

He stressed the importance of being able to assess information, recognise hoaxes, protect personal data and use technology responsibly.

“Use technology wisely. Keep data confidential. Protect yourself from hoaxes, and do not use it to harm others,” he said.

During the visit, Gibran spoke with several students who demonstrated their experiments, including a facial-recognition application for recording attendance.

Reyhan, a Year 12 student, said the training had motivated him to study technology in greater depth and develop innovations that would benefit the public.

“Although I have only had four days of robotics lessons, this has really motivated me to explore technology further and create something that can benefit many people,” Reyhan said.

The AI and robotics training at Dalwa Islamic Boarding School is one of the initiatives introducing technology to students and developing their digital skills without neglecting religious education and character-building.