TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – International Business Machines (IBM) uses artificial intelligence (A.I.) Indonesia's manufacturing industry has shown positive development over the past three to five years. However, most companies are still in the early stages of strategic integration.
IBM ASEAN General Manager and Technology Leader Catherine Liang said an IBM survey titled “Unlocking Indonesia's economic potential for future prosperity” found that 77 percent of Indonesian business leaders see AI and digital transformation as key growth opportunities. In recent years, many manufacturing companies have begun running AI pilot projects beyond the initial experimental stage. “However, only a few companies have succeeded in achieving full integration or integrating AI into their core business strategy,” Catherine said. tempo Early December 2025.
Another IBM study shows that many manufacturing companies in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as the energy and utilities sector, are investing in digital devices, especially in design and supply chain. However, a strong AI-based digital foundation is still required to generate optimal value.
“Our region (Southeast Asia) is at the forefront of AI-driven Industry 4.0 transformation,” Catherine said. He added that AI adoption is becoming more strategic in Indonesia with the presence of national initiatives such as the 'Making India 4.0' roadmap, the launch of the AI Center of Excellence and the upcoming national AI roadmap.
The report “APAC AI-Driven Industry 4.0” notes that only 11% of manufacturing organizations in the Asia-Pacific region, including Indonesia, are at a higher level of AI maturity, but 85% claim to be data-driven or AI-first organizations. If investments do not match actual readiness, this gap can hinder transformation.
Catherine identified several key obstacles, including misaligned Industry 4.0 strategies, limited talent development, and segregation of AI execution across departments. Other barriers include core system modernization, which is considered time-consuming and characterized by low adoption of predictive maintenance and real-time supply chain visibility.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is considered a major player in this issue. A.I.-Manufacturing-driven situation in Southeast Asia. The 2024 IBM-KORIKA survey showed that 62% of Indonesian organizations are running AI pilot projects. Companies focus on inventory management, demand forecasting, and data processing in the manufacturing sector. “These initiatives demonstrate that Indonesia is ready to strengthen its recruitment and competitiveness in the global manufacturing sector,” Catherine said.
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