Indonesia to Embed AI in Key Government Programs
Indonesia intends to incorporate artificial intelligence into several major government initiatives, including its $15 billion free meals program, as per a presidential regulation draft reviewed by Reuters. This initiative is part of a strategy the government believes could enhance its gross domestic product by 12 percent by 2030.
Indonesia's advancement in AI has been gradual in comparison to Singapore and Malaysia. They are striving to position themselves as development centers, obtaining billions in funding from international technology companies aiming to create essential infrastructure to fulfill the increasing need for cloud and AI services.
The presidential regulation outlines a plan for ministries and regional governments to implement AI from 2026 to 2029, aiming for "economic growth via the development, facilitation, and application of AI, particularly in the president's priority initiatives."
The draft has not been reported on before. It is now pending the signature of President Prabowo Subianto.
The government states in its draft that an additional objective is to enhance Indonesia's competitiveness in AI at both regional and global levels.
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Wahyudi Djafar, a tech analyst who authored sections of the regulation and is part of the AI government task force, stated that firms such as Meta Platforms, IBM, and Microsoft assisted in creating the draft. The firms did not quickly reply to inquiries for statements. In 2024, Microsoft announced plans to invest $1.7 billion over several years to grow cloud services and AI in Indonesia.
Experts believe Indonesia is unprepared to become an AI developer due to insufficient infrastructure such as chips and a shortage of AI skills among its workforce.
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Derwin Suhartono, an AI professor at Bina Nusantara University in Jakarta, stated that Indonesia is not yet competitive in the AI arena and "might remain a consumer of products offered by foreign firms."
In Prabowo's initiative for complimentary meals, the proposal states that AI will be utilized to create menus tailored for regions, oversee kitchen cleanliness, forecast food needs and identify discrepancies, while also merging health information for timely alerts on emergencies.
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The free meals initiative has faced criticism for its opacity, and earlier this month, the program's leader was dismissed and taken into custody. Irregularities were found in establishing kitchens, and safety protocols along with emergency responses have faced criticism after tens of thousands of children experienced food poisoning last year.