This article was first published in Kumparan.com’s “Content from Users” section.
Resilience is the word that best describes Indonesia. In the last 78 years, Indonesia has experienced a period of renaissance of its own, both economically and socially. Our people are as empowered as ever and have gone far and wide, attaining achievements everywhere – starting from the realms of science, sports, art, music, and many more.
Similar achievements can also be seen in the digital domain. In 2022, the value of Indonesia’s digital economy will reach IDR 1,408 trillion, the highest in Southeast Asia. This figure is projected to increase to almost 2.5 times in 2027. Various factors are critical to these achievements and projections, such as the large population accompanied by the growth of the middle class, increased access to the internet, and the digital acceleration of MSMEs.
As we enter the new era of artificial intelligence (AI), the opportunity to realize this potential is getting increasingly wide open. The new era of AI, known as generative AI, allows every individual and organization in Indonesia to innovate using natural language.
In the last few months alone, various organizations across different scales, industries, and regions in Indonesia have used Microsoft’s generative AI to innovate, grow, and bring about progress in Indonesia. For example, a property developer continues to pioneer the concept of a smart city in Indonesia by offering new experiences for residents in their area in finding hidden gem locations. Or a telecommunications company that has successfully brought its customer service to the next level through personalized responses using everyday language. There is also an electric motorbike manufacturer from Semarang that continues to boost public interest in electric motorbikes to take part in improving air quality in Indonesia, a startup from Yogyakarta which offers AI assistant with text and voice interaction capabilities to increase business productivity, and a Bandung-based startup which presents a series of comprehensive tools to empower users to create AI-based applications using a no-code approach. These examples are clear evidence of how AI can democratize technology and accelerate Indonesia’s digital economy.
This immense potential for inclusivity is what sets AI apart from other technologies. The Government of Indonesia has acknowledged this, as seen from the drafting of the 2020 – 2045 National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Document, and the enthusiasm shown by various government agencies and SOEs in adopting AI technologies and solutions in their daily operations. Of course, this is a good step considering the potential economic value generated from the implementation of AI and its derivative solutions in Indonesia reaches IDR 5,299 trillion, or around 3.7 times the value of Indonesia’s digital economy in 2022.
The question now is, how can we optimize the democratization opportunities that AI brings?
The answer lies in human creativity and skills. AI capabilities make them our copilot, while humans will always be in the driver’s seat. Therefore, upskilling is so important.
According to the 2023 Work Trend Index report, every employee–not just an AI expert–needs new key competencies related to AI. They include analytical judgment, emotional intelligence, creative evaluation, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to give prompts. For this reason, Microsoft, as a platform company that leads in the AI era, has prepared various AI learning modules. These modules can be accessed for free on Microsoft Learn’s AI Learning and Community Hub.
Optimizing the potential of AI is a multi-stakeholder endeavor. The government, state-owned enterprises, the private sector, NGOs, and other related institutions must work together to ensure that Indonesia can truly maximize this potential responsibly—developing and using AI for the good of society. The road may be steep, but as we all know, Indonesia has always been resilient. By embracing each other and marching forward together, our nation will achieve more.
Our future is exceptionally bright, and while we strive to make it happen, we can’t turn a blind eye to all the incredible things that we have accomplished up to this point. For the myriad achievements that the nation has achieved together – the government, the private sector, NGOs, and the community – we should say #ThankYouIndonesia, because everything we do goes beyond fulfilling our responsibilities but is a long-term vision that can encourage this nation to Keep Moving Forward for Indonesia.
In order to celebrate the 78th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia, let’s say #ThankYouIndonesia. By embracing marching forward hand in hand, let us amplify the spirit of innovation and collaborate wholeheartedly towards our shared national mission, for the betterment of Indonesia.
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