President Prabowo flags risks of AI-generated content

“AI can make someone say things they never actually said. It happens to me often,” Prabowo said during a briefing at the Government Working Meeting with the Red and White Cabinet, at the Presidential Palace Complex, here on Wednesday.

He shared examples of AI-generated content he discovered online, including videos of himself singing with a polished voice, despite admitting he cannot sing, and delivering speeches in Mandarin and Arabic, languages he does not speak.

The President noted that while some of these AI-generated contents were initially seen as potentially advantageous in some contexts, the broader implications of the technology cannot be ignored.

According to him, the spread of hoaxes and slander through social media has the potential to harm a country, especially with the support of digital technology.

“In the past, you had to send troops or bombs, now it is not necessary. Maybe just with social media games, slander, hoaxes,” he said.

The President explained that advances in technology, AI, and digital information systems also make it possible for a single person to manage a large number of accounts.

With relatively inexpensive equipment, these accounts can be multiplied, creating the impression that they come from many different people.

He noted that this can create an “echo chamber” effect, amplifying an issue to appear massive, even if it initially originates from a small group.

“This is what we call an echo chamber. It exists in intelligence studies, it shows how a country can be undermined (by its impact),” Prabowo said.

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Translator: Fathur, Kenzu