Minister Meutya Urges ASEAN to Develop AI Governance to Prevent Digital Divide

Minister of Communication and Digital Meutya Hafid has called on the ASEAN region to jointly develop artificial intelligence (AI) governance to prevent a digital divide. Speaking at the Asia Economic Summit 2026 in Jakarta on Wednesday, she said AI can accelerate growth, boost productivity, and strengthen competitiveness, but if not managed properly, it also risks bringing real harm. “And this risk is not for Indonesia alone, but for the entire region. If access is unequal, AI will deepen the gap between those who have it and those who do not, both within our countries and between them,” Meutya said. As AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, she noted, data becomes more valuable and a more attractive target. Currently, the cost of committing fraud is approaching zero, and deepfake technology knows no national borders. According to her, if data is controlled by other parties, the direction of the future could also be shaped by forces outside our control. Meutya said these concerns are not a reason to slow down, but rather a reason to act in a planned manner. She therefore urged that the development of AI not be left to chance, but built as a strategy step by step, layer by layer, and formulated together. When a strategy is built together, she said, risk can be turned into strength. In this regard, Meutya continued, Indonesia encourages AI development in ASEAN based on three principles: sovereign, interoperable, and trusted. The sovereign principle emphasises the importance of state control over data, computing capacity, and AI models. The interoperable principle involves sharing open standards and cross-border mutual recognition. The trusted principle focuses on implementing shared safeguards aligned with ASEAN AI governance principles. She said this is also being advanced through the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) as a collective effort, particularly in driving the digital economy. “Let us not only move fast, but also wisely. Let us not only be connected, but also empowered. Indonesia is ready to work together with Singapore and all ASEAN partners to build a digital future that truly belongs to us all,” Meutya stated. Meutya also highlighted that the ASEAN digital economy is currently valued at around 300 billion US dollars and is projected to potentially reach up to 2 trillion US dollars by 2030 if DEFA is implemented. She said the development of the digital economy must be felt by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which account for approximately 97 percent of total businesses in ASEAN. “When the value of the digital economy reaches them, the impact is not only economic growth, but also improved welfare for the entire region,” she said.