Reasons why the National AI Roadmap is designed for the medium term

The National AI Roadmap 2026–2029 and AI ethics regulations are becoming essential instruments for building a responsible AI ecosystem.

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital, Nezar Patria, explained that the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Roadmap is designed for a five-year or medium-term period so that policies can adjust to technological developments and new risks.

According to him, the rapid pace of AI cannot be projected using an overly long policy framework, as the swift development of new technologies, such as generative AI, shows that AI capabilities can evolve beyond expectations in a short period.

“The development of AI is so fast and so surprising that if we set a timeframe for the next 10 years, we might not be able to implement rapid changes regarding regulation,” Nezar stated in a statement received and confirmed on Thursday.

Nezar explained that the Government is designing the National AI Roadmap with a shorter timeframe so that policies can be evaluated and adjusted in accordance with technological progress. The Government is also preparing AI ethics regulations as part of the national governance framework.

The development of generative AI serves as an example of how technology can present consequences that were previously difficult to predict. The ability of AI to generate text, images, audio, and various forms of content is evolving very rapidly, while several AI decision-making processes still present challenges in terms of process explainability.

“It was never imagined that generative AI would be this powerful and bring many unexpected and unimaginable consequences, even by its own developers,” he revealed.

Deputy Minister Nezar emphasised that these conditions demonstrate that AI policy should not merely focus on regulating currently available technology. The Government needs to build a framework that allows regulation to follow technological changes while maintaining the principles of ethics, security, inclusivity, and the public interest.

“We want technology that is inclusive, empowering, and sovereign,” he concluded.

Within this framework, national AI development is aligned with the Indonesia Digital Vision 2045 Roadmap and the Golden Indonesia vision. The National AI Roadmap is directed towards ensuring that Indonesia is not merely a user of technology, but possesses the foundation that enables the development and utilisation of AI within the country.