IWA 2026: Exabytes Indonesia Celebrates the Nation's Best Website Creators
Exabytes Indonesia once again held the prestigious Indonesia Website Awards (IWA) 2026 on Thursday (11/6) in Kemang, South Jakarta. Carrying the theme “Securing Digital Trust in the AI Threat Era”, the event emphasised that digital trust is now the fundamental basis for business existence amidst the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI).
VP & Country Manager of Exabytes Indonesia, Indra Hartawan, stated that the biggest challenge for web developers today is no longer just aesthetics or creation tools, but building user trust. According to him, AI has simplified the creation process but simultaneously widened the gap for cyberattacks such as deepfakes and automated phishing. “Trust is born from regulatory compliance, consistent security audits, and a genuine user experience. We must be vigilant that AI currently benefits attackers more than defenders,” Indra said in a statement in Jakarta.
IWA 2026 presented awards in four main categories: Web Excellence Commercial & E-commerce, Web Excellence Personal, Site of The Year, and People’s Choice Digital Brand. In this edition, a developer named Ibnu swept both the Web Excellence and Site of The Year titles. Ibnu, who taught himself coding from junior high school with limited internet access, proved that dedication can bring local creations to the top of the industry. “Now AI greatly helps developers secure systems, but the core remains the same: security, design, and speed cannot be compromised,” Ibnu revealed.
In addition to the award ceremony, the event also featured a strategic discussion involving the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN). BSSN’s Deputy for Economic Cyber and Crypto Security, Slamet Aji Pamungkas, presented the increasingly complex national cyber threat landscape due to AI technology. Founder & Co-CEO of Avonetiq, Alexandro Wibowo, added that brand accountability is key for Indonesian websites to compete globally. Going forward, IWA’s judging criteria will increasingly focus on aspects of digital authority and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) so that websites are not only human-friendly but also optimal in the eyes of generative AI machines.