Indonesian Students in the US Develop Free AI Learning Platform
A group of Indonesian students pursuing education in the United States (US) has developed a free artificial intelligence (AI) learning platform called the Nusantara AI Institute. The platform was created to expand AI literacy in Indonesia, which is considered unevenly distributed.
The website-based platform was developed by Indonesian students at various US campuses, including Oliver Tedja from Boston University along with Johannes Simanjuntak and others.
They provide various free AI courses accessible to anyone with an internet connection, without restrictions on location, economic background, or education level.
Oliver stated that the development of the Nusantara AI Institute aims to build an Indonesian digital talent ecosystem that is better prepared to face AI technological advancements.
“Through practical and easily accessible educational programmes, we want Indonesian society to be able to understand, utilise, and develop AI technology responsibly,” said Oliver in his statement on Thursday (7/5/2026).
He added that the platform is also part of the Indonesian diaspora’s efforts to contribute to human resource development in the homeland, particularly in the technology sector.
The Nusantara AI Institute was officially launched on 27 March 2026 through a dialogue forum at the Indonesian Consulate General in New York. The event was attended by the Indonesian Consul General in New York, Winanto Adi, former Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno, USINDO Society President David Merril, and former US Ambassador to Indonesia Robert Blake.
Currently, the Nusantara AI Institute platform offers more than 20 courses related to artificial intelligence. The materials cover basic AI introductions, AI for business, to machine learning techniques and prompt engineering.
The AI for business programme focuses on utilising AI for job automation and improving operational efficiency. Meanwhile, the technical AI materials are aimed at participants who want to understand AI technology systems in greater depth.
To date, the number of users of the platform, accessible via naii.co, is said to have exceeded 1,000, with the majority from Indonesia.
The platform’s development also received support from Aether AI, a venture studio and venture capital-based company focused on developing AI products and startups.
During the platform’s launch, Sandiaga Uno stated that AI literacy will become a basic skill needed in the future.
“In the future, AI literacy will be a fundamental skill as important as reading or writing,” said Sandiaga.
Meanwhile, Robert Blake assessed that mastering AI will be an important factor in the workforce, including in the health and education sectors. According to him, AI technology can be utilised to increase productivity and expand learning access.