The Importance of Understanding AI to Close the Digital Gap

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Special Staff to the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Achmad Adhitya, stated that it is important for Indonesian society to have the willingness and capacity to understand the utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) to catch up with the digital gap with advanced countries. According to him, AI currently plays a significant role in various aspects of life in advanced countries, but in Indonesia, this is still not widespread. “In the future world, if we do not understand AI, we will be crushed by this technology that is developing very rapidly,” Achmad said during the launch of an AI wearable product in Jakarta on Monday. In addition, China’s digital teaching system has been implemented since primary school level, where students are taught coding to the point of being able to build and fly drone robots themselves. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, similar steps to support more interactive learning through digitalisation are only being intensified starting from 2025 with the provision of interactive panel labs in schools through a programme from the Central Government. Besides that, building public awareness to utilise AI in various productive activities needs to be promoted to strengthen the acceleration of digitalisation so that the gap with advanced countries can be increasingly closed. He mentioned that building public imagination regarding AI is still a challenge because many people view AI capabilities as limited to preparing text commands or prompting. Therefore, Achmad appreciated the presence of AI technologies entering Indonesia, including in the form of wearable devices, because they help the government to enhance public imagination regarding AI. He hopes that the presence of AI technology products in the domestic market can help build public imagination and encourage society to be more diligent in learning and utilising AI in daily life.