South Tangerang Mayor: AI Helps Government Make Faster Decisions
South Tangerang Mayor Benyamin Davnie stated that artificial intelligence (AI) is not merely a technological trend but an instrument for the government to improve the quality of public services, accelerate decision-making, and strengthen regional competitiveness.
Speaking in South Tangerang on Monday, Mayor Benyamin stressed that the use of AI must be carried out wisely while observing various applicable regulations, ranging from public information disclosure and data protection to rules concerning electronic transactions.
“Colleagues must know what can be used and what cannot. Do not let the use of AI create legal problems or regulatory violations. AI can be beneficial, but it can also have a negative impact if used beyond its limits,” he said.
At the AI Empowerment for Government workshop at the municipal centre, the Mayor also noted that current technological developments require the government to adapt more quickly in order to provide increasingly effective and responsive public services.
“The world has now changed, and technology is developing very rapidly. So, we must also change and adapt. Therefore, I ask all civil servants from every agency to understand and utilise this artificial intelligence appropriately,” said Benyamin.
Head of the South Tangerang Communication and Informatics Agency, Tb. Asep Nurdin, said the workshop featured Indonesian information technology expert Prof. Onno W. Purbo and was designed with a 100 percent outcome-based concept. Participants not only received theoretical material but also directly practised using AI to produce real working documents. Participants were asked to bring laptops, data, documents, and regulations relating to their respective agencies to be processed using AI technology.
One of the targets of the activity is to produce sectoral policy recommendations based on AI that can be submitted directly to the Mayor of South Tangerang.
“The Mayor wants digital technology to be used not only for public services but also to assist internal government work so it becomes faster, more effective, and productive,” said Asep.
According to Asep, the ability to use AI has now become a new necessity for everyone, including civil servants. The technology can help save time in administrative work so that civil servants can focus more on decision-making and solving community problems. Nevertheless, he reminded that AI must still be used critically and responsibly. Civil servants must not simply accept the results provided by the technology without verifying the data and information produced.
“This technology is a tool. The better the data you have, the better the results it provides. Most importantly, the thinking and analytical skills of civil servants remain paramount,” he said.
Meanwhile, Prof. Onno W. Purbo invited civil servants to understand AI as a technology that can help increase work productivity, but still requires critical thinking skills and good data mastery so that the results obtained are accurate and accountable.
“AI is not a replacement for humans, but a tool that can accelerate work processes, from document preparation and data analysis to the formulation of policy recommendations, if used appropriately,” he said.