WAICO Formed, Indonesia Targets AI Investment from Huawei and ByteDance
The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) has begun opening new opportunities for Indonesia to expand technology cooperation with global digital companies. The Government of the Republic of Indonesia is leveraging its participation as a founding member of the organisation to encourage investment in artificial intelligence (AI), digital infrastructure, talent development, and data centres. This move is also aimed at accelerating digital transformation and strengthening national economic competitiveness.
According to the website of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Minister Airlangga Hartarto held meetings with Huawei and ByteDance. The meetings took place on the sidelines of the WAICO establishment signing ceremony in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, on Friday (17/7/2026).
Airlangga Hartarto assessed that both companies possess the experience and capacity to support Indonesia’s digital transformation through AI development, cloud computing, telecommunications infrastructure, and digital economy platforms. The meetings were part of efforts to strengthen technology collaboration following Indonesia’s participation as a founder of WAICO.
The government prioritised four areas of cooperation with Huawei: investment in AI and cloud infrastructure, strengthening the digital talent ecosystem and cyber security, accelerating the digitalisation of government and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and implementing green energy solutions for data centres. The Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs stated that this focus is crucial for accelerating the development of the national digital economy foundation.
“After Indonesia officially became one of the founding countries of WAICO, we want to ensure a real leap in technology cooperation. Huawei, with its capabilities in AI, telecommunications infrastructure, and cloud computing, is a highly potential strategic partner, especially in supporting the national digital transformation,” said Minister Airlangga Hartarto.
Meanwhile, during the meeting with ByteDance, Airlangga Hartarto expressed appreciation for the company’s investment in Indonesia through Tokopedia and TikTok Shop. He stated that the presence of both platforms has strengthened the digital trade ecosystem in the country. The government is also encouraging the expansion of cooperation so that Indonesian MSME products can more easily penetrate international markets through digital platforms.
Furthermore, the government invited ByteDance to explore cooperation in developing Large Language Models (LLM), machine learning, generative AI, establishing an AI research centre, and enhancing the capacity of Indonesia’s digital talent. The hope is that this collaboration will accelerate technology adoption while strengthening national innovation in the digital sector.
“Indonesia has a large digital market, continuously developing digital talent, and a strong commitment to building an inclusive AI ecosystem. We invite ByteDance to explore opportunities for establishing an AI research centre, developing digital talent, and collaborating on innovation, which can provide benefits for both countries,” concluded Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto.
The meetings with Huawei and ByteDance demonstrate that Indonesia’s membership in WAICO is being translated into more concrete investment and cooperation agendas. If the collaboration is realised, the opportunities for technology transfer, human resource capacity building, and acceleration of the national digital economy transformation will be even greater. Consequently, Indonesia’s position in the global AI industry competition will become stronger.