Indonesia plans to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) innovation with a new national strategy to foster an AI ecosystem. GovInsider speaks more with Prof. Hammam Riza, Chairman of Indonesia Artificial Intelligence Industry Research and Innovation Coalition (KORIKA).
From social media recommendation algorithms to generative AI that can drive the next wave of digital innovation, AI has emerged as the cornerstone of modern digital technology, and its benefits to people continue to grow.
“AI capabilities will continue to improve exponentially as they are underpinned by the wealth of data on the internet, advanced computing power, and levels of creativity that rival those of the human brain,” said Hammam, President of Indonesia. Professor Lisa says Artificial Intelligence Industry Research and Innovation Collaboration (KORIKA), to GovInsider.
Indonesia’s public sector is responding to the rapid development of artificial intelligence with a new national strategy aimed at not being left behind by other countries that make extensive use of AI technology. This strategy is called his 2045 Artificial Intelligence National Strategy (Stratnas AI).
Fostering an AI Innovation Ecosystem in Indonesia’s Public Sector
Hammam told GovInsider that the Stratnas AI plan is expected to lead government, industry, academia and communities to create leaps in technological innovation and achieve Indonesia’s goal of becoming a developed country by 2045. said.
As one of the drafters of AI Stratnas, Professor Hammam said the government’s National AI Strategy identified five key areas that would benefit from AI innovation: health, bureaucratic reform, education and research, food security, and smart city development. I shared that it is a priority.
In the healthcare sector, Stratnas AI aims to improve the healthcare service system more optimally and efficiently, such as by enhancing telemedicine. Hammam explained that AI will speed up the process of diagnosing a patient’s disease and recommending appropriate actions, allowing healthcare facilities to treat more patients at once.
For hospital management, AI can predict patient admission and discharge schedules, analyze the number of inpatient rooms and available medical workers in each area, and help medical workers improve the efficiency and seamlessness of their operations. can also do.
“Using AI in healthcare will work if there is already a certified digital infrastructure and the right medical data is available,” Hammam said of the requirements.
In the area of bureaucratic reform, AI is driving greater efficiency in the delivery of public services. For example, chatbots can be used in public service mall applications to facilitate business form submissions and transactions.
“Previously, a person applying for a business license would have to meet with three or four officials. With AI, administrative processes are shortened, bureaucracy becomes more efficient, and the quality of public services improves. I will,” Hammam said.
Another example of the role AI can play in bureaucratic reform is to assist in the process of assessing the use of national budgets. AI can prevent the creation of budgets that contradict the standards and models set by policymakers.
Sustainability and collaboration are key
Hammam points out that the most important thing to ensure the success of the Stratnas AI target is maintaining focus and persistence. Efforts to build an innovation ecosystem must be supported by all stakeholders across ministries, industry, communities and governments.
“If we don’t want to be left behind, policymakers should also keep a close eye on investment prospects such as blockchain, cloud and data mining that will support strengthening Indonesia’s AI ecosystem,” he said. continued.
Hammam said the team drafted a presidential regulation on the 2021 Artificial Intelligence National Strategy. The draft will soon become a legal umbrella for regulations related to research programs, uses and AI business models conducted in Indonesia. The executive order on Stratnas AI is still awaiting the president’s signature.
Stratnas AI also mandated the establishment of KORIKA, an organization that represents collective thinking and collaborative collaboration from four actors: government, industry, academia and the public community. KORIKA will be a bridge for all stakeholders in expanding innovation, participation and utilization of AI technology nationwide.
“KORIKA ensures that AI-based research and innovation initiative programs work well to have a positive impact on society and the economy,” Hammam said.
KORIKA also plays a role in producing AI human resources who will focus on developing new products and creating new industries in a sustainable manner. The membership system is open, and anyone can participate regardless of individual, public or private sector.
Potential of AI in Indonesia
Hammam said those who control AI have an opportunity to lead the world. Countries are now competing to strengthen the AI ecosystem. The US and Europe started first, and now Asia is following suit. China is famous for China AI Dream, Singapore for AI Singapore, and Vietnam for VinAI.
“Why doesn’t Indonesia join, even though it has great potential to become a world-class AI player?” he says.
Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s largest digital economy market, expected to grow to US$140 billion by 2025. Secondly, Indonesia has a demographic bonus that allows it to develop a work-ready workforce in various areas of AI utilization and growth.
Thirdly, more and more new generation Indonesians are pursuing their studies in the fields of information technology, science and computational research, which are key requirements to harness AI. Finally, Indonesia has universities across the archipelago, some of which serve as world-class centers of excellence in his AI development.
According to Hammam, Indonesia’s AI ecosystem has been around for some time. However, development is hampered by sectoral silos and lack of focus. AI research and implementation is also being adopted more rapidly in the private sector than in the public sector.
“If we don’t want to be left behind, Indonesia must focus on policy strategy and work with all stakeholders to ensure that the benefits of AI technology are utilized as widely as possible for the public good,” he said. .
This article was originally published in Indonesian. You can access the original version of the article here.
