Lestari Moerdijat Promotes Inclusive AI Literacy for People with Disabilities

Preamble of the 1945 Constitution clearly mandates the enlightenment of national life for all citizens, including persons with disabilities,” Lestari stated on Monday (25 May 2026). She made the remarks during her speech at the EQUAL (Empower Equality AI Initiative) AI training programme organised by Alunjiva Indonesia and Microsoft at the National Disability Committee office in Cawang Kencana, East Jakarta.

Lestari noted that discrimination previously manifested in buildings without ramps, but now it can emerge in inaccessible applications. She added that non-inclusive AI is not merely incomplete but could threaten citizens’ fundamental rights. According to her, digital transformation must align with social transformation to prevent new inequalities.

In this context, Lestari emphasised the importance of understanding and applying Pancasila values to remind that technology must uphold human dignity. As a member of NasDem Party’s High Council, she argued that disability issues have long been framed within a charity paradigm. “This mindset must be abandoned. Persons with disabilities are not objects of charity but rights-holders,” she stressed.

In the context of AI, Lestari said persons with disabilities should not merely be training participants but also technology designers and accessibility testers. Therefore, AI must be designed with accessibility from the outset, with accessibility as a foundational design principle.

“Let no one define the future without your presence. Let technology not be built without your voice. For Indonesia’s future must be built together with all citizens,” she concluded.