Indonesia Commits to Open Global AI Ecosystem, Joins WAICO as Founding Member

Indonesia has affirmed its readiness to collaborate in building a global artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem that is open, inclusive, and beneficial for societal welfare. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto conveyed this commitment during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026 in Shanghai on Friday. Airlangga expressed appreciation for China’s initiative in establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) and the trust given to Indonesia to join as a founding member. He stated that the decision to join WAICO follows a direct directive from President Prabowo Subianto to advance the development and utilisation of AI in Indonesia. “I convey greetings from President Prabowo Subianto and thank the Chinese government for initiating WAICO and inviting Indonesia as a founding member. Indonesia is ready to cooperate with WAICO for the development of the global AI ecosystem,” Airlangga said. During the WAIC 2026 opening, President Xi Jinping emphasised that AI development should serve as an instrument to enhance human welfare and promote shared progress among all nations. “AI development should not be a ‘solo performance’ by one country, but rather a ‘symphony of global collaboration’,” President Xi stated. To realise this vision, China will develop an open-source AI platform for collaborative use and development by various countries. Over the next five years, China will also organise capacity-building programmes to broaden access to technology and narrow the digital capacity gap. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also welcomed the establishment of WAICO, expressing hope that the organisation would become a platform for international cooperation to advance AI technology in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through inclusive, responsible, and beneficial utilisation. Airlangga noted that this commitment aligns with President Prabowo’s directive to use digital transformation and technological mastery as tools to improve public welfare, strengthen national competitiveness, and achieve national progress. He highlighted that AI can be optimised in modern agriculture, renewable energy management, and digital health service innovation, but stressed that its development requires robust digital infrastructure, particularly data centres. Airlangga also stated that Indonesia’s digital economy is currently valued at approximately 130 billion US dollars and is projected to reach 300 billion US dollars, with AI expected to accelerate this growth. The declaration establishing WAICO was signed by 29 countries on Thursday (16/7), including China, Algeria, Belarus, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Congo, Cuba, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, and Zambia. Airlangga remarked that as a founding member, Indonesia has a strategic opportunity to contribute meaningfully to shaping WAICO’s policy direction and institutional structure.