Read in Indonesian here
In classrooms, communities, and through grassroots initiatives, a new generation of changemakers is using AI to drive impact—and redefine what’s possible.
What drives real transformation in today’s digital era?
For some, it’s technology. But for Indonesia’s inspiring changemakers, it’s something deeper: curiosity, a sense of purpose, and the belief that with the right tools, anyone—anywhere—can shape the future.
As Indonesia’s digital economy surges toward an estimated US$360 billion by 2030, the country faces a growing need for digital talent. According to the 2025 Work Trend Index by Microsoft, AI literacy is now the most in-demand skill, with 78% of global leaders considering the addition of AI-focused roles to their teams. To meet that demand, initiatives like elevAIte Indonesia—a Microsoft skilling program run in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) as well as 22 partners across industries—are helping learners from all walks of life build foundational AI knowledge, gain certifications, and apply their skills in meaningful ways.
“We’re not just building skills—we’re unlocking potential,” said Arief Suseno, AI National Skills Director Microsoft Indonesia. “When people gain confidence in using AI, they start to imagine new futures—not just for themselves, but for their communities, and their country.”
Here are the stories of three changemakers—each with a different background, but united by one mission: to empower others through digital learning.
Ahmad Zikrillah – Lifelong Learner, Bekasi
As he approaches his 50s, Ahmad Zikrillah has already lived many lives—as a technician, blogger, teacher, and now advocate for AI in education.
A science educator based in North Bekasi, Ahmad’s fascination with technology started early. As a high school student, he earned extra income from fixing electronics, and by 2008, he had launched a blog about electronics that attracted over 1,000 followers. The modest side income he earned over time from both activities helped him fund the home he now lives in.
His passion for learning has never faded. Entirely self-taught, he joined different learning platforms before eventually enrolling in Microsoft’s elevAIte Indonesia program via Dicoding, one of the program partners. There, he learnt new skills—from DevOps and website development to machine learning and using Microsoft Copilot.
What changed everything was seeing how AI could offer thoughtful suggestions instead of merely generating content. This opened up a new realm of possibilities: how lessons could be made more interactive, how ideas could be developed faster, and how technology could support – not replace – the creativity of a teacher.
It was a natural progression for Ahmad, who had long been experimenting with digital tools to make learning more engaging. As early in the 2010s, he introduced robotics and computers at his madrasah, when most schools had yet to adopt basic ICT infrastructure.
Now with Microsoft Copilot, he has taken that creativity further – using it not just to build, but to rethink how learning materials could come to life. While he already had the skills to create basic HTML pages, Microsoft Copilot helped him speed up the process and sparked ideas for more interactive features, from embedded visuals to branching content flows. The result was Kertas Digital, a lightweight HTML file filled with lesson content, images, and videos that students can access anywhere, and anytime, even offline on their mobile phones. He found that the tool works best when the instructions are clear, and that AI often needs a second nudge.
“Back then, it took me a month to create a single-page website. Now, with the help of Copilot, all I need to do is input a prompt. I am still learning to improve my prompting to get better results. In a way, both AI and I are learning together.”
Today, his students engage with Kertas Digital on their phones even outside class and explore interactive games and digital content that he is now confident enough to build. The change, he says, is visible; students are more curious, more involved, and less intimidated by the learning process.
“I hold dear my principle that students should not just memorize materials, they need to truly understand it, and this can only be achieved if they find their studies interesting and relevant.”
Ahmad’s spirit for learning and sharing knowledge does not stop there; he is now learning to use GitHub repositories and continues to mentor younger educators, as for him, AI is about re-igniting the creative spirit of education.
Dede Ulfah – IT Developer, Tasikmalaya
Dede Ulfah is part of Indonesia’s next generation of AI innovators – curious, determined, and ready to solve real problems with technology. As the youngest of four siblings from Tasikmalaya, Dede is just one of two in her family to complete higher education. She earned her Informatics degree through a campus scholarship while juggling freelance work and internships in systems analysis and development.
Her motivation to pursue technology was sparked by her environment and a deep sense of curiosity. Coming from a family that runs a humble warteg (food stall), she saw how digital tools could simplify life and expand opportunity. She didn’t just want to use technology, however, but instead wanted to understand how it worked and how it could help people.
That mindset led her to choose a specialization in AI, even when no one else around her did. She became the only woman in her university cohort to pursue the path, and soon, classmates were coming to her with questions.
While AI was naturally the focal point of her studies, she sought to gain a more hands-on experience, which led her to participate in the elevAIte Indonesia program supported by Dicoding. There, she explored cloud technologies like Microsoft Azure and tools like Copilot, which gave her a new perspective on how AI and cloud could be applied together in real-world scenarios.
“After learning about Microsoft Azure, I realized coding and deployment could be much more efficient and integrated. There are so many opportunities to build solutions using it.”
For her final-year thesis, Dede built a prototype AI app from scratch to classify Indonesian dishes by image and display their nutritional information. She collected the training data herself and experimented with multiple AI models to improve its accuracy.
Completing the elevAIte program then sparked new ideas. Inspired by the modules, Dede began exploring concepts for a document assistant powered by AI where users could auto-generate structured letters or official requests using simple commands. While the idea is still early, it reflects her growing ambition to build tools that solve everyday problems.
Dede is currently seeking her first full-time role in tech, but armed with stronger technical skills, clearer direction, and newfound confidence, she says the program gave her a real push forward. Her journey is proof that with the right tools, mentorship, and access, early-stage talent can step up, stand out, and shape the future.
Izza Auliyai Rabby – Grassroots Community Leader, Kuningan
Izza Auliyai Rabby took the unconventional path. He first completed a degree in Communication Sciences, a non-tech field, before deciding to start again. Now, he’s pursuing a second degree in IT.
His motivation? Building a future where digital learning is accessible to everyone.
While interning at a green tech company, he discovered how AI could monitor crop yield and reduce broiler chicken mortality—especially important in rural agricultural communities. That spark led him to join local hackathons from one of Microsoft’s former programs Talenta AI, and join elevAIte Indonesia as a participant, later becoming a certified instructor. Through elevAIte, he earned the AI-900 certification – a globally recognized credential that demonstrates a strong foundation in AI and how it can be applied using Microsoft Azure – and now continues to pursue more advanced certifications to deepen his technical skills and expand the impact of his work.
Today, he applies his knowledge to his father’s pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Kuningan, West Java, where he is developing what he calls a Pesantren Teknologi—a grassroots learning hub that where students explore coding, AI fundamentals, and cloud tools through hands-on practice. For many of these students, the hub was their first window into how digital skills can shape the future. While they may have heard about technology, few had ever interacted with it in a hands-on, structured way. Izza created that missing space – where students could access real tools and get support from mentors. Many of the 70 students in the pesantren now regularly join hackathons and bootcamps – and have even won many of them – while building portfolios and taking on real-world problem-solving challenges.
“There are plenty of digital talents in Indonesia; they only need to be supported and facilitated with hardware and certifications to become more competitive.”
Izza’s work shows how any setting can become a hub of innovation when given the right tools—and belief.
A New Wave of Changemakers
Ahmad, Dede, and Izza are at different stages of their journeys—but all three show that changemakers don’t wait for permission. They start where they are, with what they have, and build from there.
Through elevAIte Indonesia, hundreds of thousands of learners are discovering new tools, new confidence, and new ways to give back. As more Indonesians are empowered to shape—not just consume—technology, the future looks inclusive and innovative.
Learn more about elevAIte Indonesia and the changemakers building the future at elevaite.id.
###