National Library Committed to Fostering Ethical Information Culture in the AI Era

The National Library (Perpusnas) is committed to continuously fostering a critical and ethical information culture in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) in order to improve the digital literacy of society. Perpusnas Principal Secretary Joko Santoso stated that the rapid development of AI has changed the way people obtain, manage, produce, and utilise information. Amid these changes, strengthening information culture is considered an important foundation so that society can use technology more responsibly. “Libraries are no longer sufficient merely as providers of access to information. Libraries must be able to become learning spaces that build public awareness, shape healthy iteration behaviours, strengthen knowledge-based interactions, and simultaneously foster a critical, ethical, and responsible information culture,” he said during a press conference for the 17th Indonesian Digital Library Conference (KPDI) at the Perpusnas Building, Jakarta, on Thursday. He explained that the 17th KPDI is motivated by the increasing use of digital technology in Indonesia. The number of internet users has reached more than 229 million people, or approximately 80.66 percent of the total population. However, this increased access has not been fully accompanied by the quality of information utilisation. According to Joko, the 17th KPDI is not merely an annual conference agenda, but part of the strategic direction for developing Indonesian libraries that are adaptive to technological changes, responsive to societal dynamics, and oriented towards strengthening information culture as a foundation for national development. Carrying the theme “Information Culture in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” the 17th KPDI highlights the importance of using technology, which will only provide benefits if supported by a society that has the ability to access, evaluate, verify, and utilise lifelong learning. “This theme reflects the belief that the success of digital transformation is determined not only by technological progress but also by human readiness to manage information intelligently, wisely, and ethically,” he said. Joko invited all stakeholders to strengthen collaboration in building an information culture that is adaptive to technological developments. “We believe that strengthening information culture cannot be done by a single institution alone, but requires the collaboration of all stakeholders so that libraries are increasingly able to answer the challenges of the times,” he stated. Through the 17th KPDI, Perpusnas, together with the Indonesian Digital Library Forum and Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta as the host, hopes this conference will become a momentum to strengthen national collaboration, expand knowledge networks, produce policy recommendations, and encourage the birth of library service innovations that are adaptive to technological developments and the needs of Indonesian society.