Not Bombs, Prabowo Says Indonesia Attacked by Foreigners Using Social Media and AI

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - President Prabowo Subianto has once again warned of new methods used by foreign nations to colonise Indonesia. The emergence of new technologies such as AI is being used to incite unrest on social media.

According to Prabowo, foreign nations even exploit Indonesians themselves for foreign interests, causing disturbances in Indonesian society.

“We are being disturbed and colonised by foreign nations. There are always our own brothers and sisters from our own nation who make it easier for those foreign nations to colonise us, to rob our wealth, and to make us slaves—that’s our own brothers and sisters too,” he said.

The attitude of envy and resentment among Indonesians, according to him, is exploited to create divisions on social media. Technology is then used to make criticisms appear en masse.

Certain parties, for example, use equipment to generate issues on social media through thousands of accounts.

“Now the problem is a little bit technology. With current technology, AI—artificial intelligence—with digital informatics technology, one person can have 1,000 accounts. They can buy equipment, not too expensive, from 1,000 this can be multiplied again,” said Prabowo.

This commotion on social media is described by him as an echo chamber. This turmoil is vulnerable to exploitation by parties who wish to damage Indonesia.

“It seems to become a bit troublesome, 100 people, 200 people, 1,000 people, 5,000 people. They can create a commotion. This is called an echo chamber, it’s in intelligence studies. How to damage other countries. In the past, they sent troops, bombs. Now, maybe not necessary. The game is through social media, slander and hoaxes,” said Prabowo.