Former Indonesian President Joko Widodo has issued a stark warning that a major artificial intelligence revolution will transform human society within 5-15 years, urging Indonesia to urgently strengthen its digital infrastructure and data sovereignty to avoid being left behind.
Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in India, Jokowi—who left office but continues to shape Indonesia's technology policy debates—predicted that "all human activities will not be separated from AI. AI will be everywhere."
The intervention reflects Indonesia's growing anxiety about its position in the AI race compared to regional competitors. While Singapore has established comprehensive AI governance frameworks and South Korea has invested billions in AI research, Indonesia lags in critical infrastructure, technical talent, and regulatory preparedness.
Jokowi made a crucial distinction between data sovereignty—which he called "absolute and very necessary"—and AI sovereignty, which he acknowledged is "very difficult" even for major powers like the United States, which still relies on imported semiconductors and international talent.
The emphasis on data control over full AI independence suggests a pragmatic approach for developing nations. Rather than attempting to compete with Silicon Valley or Beijing in cutting-edge AI development, Jokowi argued that Indonesia should focus on controlling the data that feeds AI systems—a more achievable goal for the archipelagic democracy.
In Indonesia, as across archipelagic democracies, unity in diversity requires constant negotiation across islands, ethnicities, and beliefs. The AI challenge adds a new dimension: how to build technical capacity across a geographically fragmented nation where digital infrastructure varies dramatically between Java and the outer islands.
Indonesia's AI readiness faces significant hurdles. The country ranks poorly in digital infrastructure compared to neighbors like Singapore and Malaysia. Technical education remains concentrated in major cities, and regulatory frameworks for data protection and AI governance are still being developed.
Yet Jokowi's continued influence on technology policy—despite leaving the presidency—demonstrates Indonesia's recognition that AI preparedness is a strategic priority. His call for strengthening human resources, digital infrastructure, and appropriate regulations echoes Singapore's comprehensive approach, though implementation will face familiar challenges of capacity and coordination across Indonesia's vast geography.
The warning also reflects Indonesia's broader ambition to maintain its ASEAN leadership role as the region confronts technological transformation. As the world's third-largest democracy and most populous Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia's AI trajectory will influence development models for other emerging economies navigating between Western and Chinese technological ecosystems.
