James Riady Says Batam and Jakarta-Karawang are Targeted by AI Investors

JAKARTA - Lippo Group owner James Riady said Indonesia has the opportunity to enter deeper into the AI and robotics industries. He said a number of technology companies are very interested in entering Indonesia, especially Batam and the Jakarta-Karawang line.

James conveyed this at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Friday, July 31.

According to James, the AI and robotics sector is an example of a future industry that sees Indonesia positively. He said technology companies are interested because Indonesia has sufficient energy and fiber connections to the world.

"Technology companies are very positive about Indonesia. On average, they want to enter Indonesia, especially in Batam and also on the Jakarta-Karawang line," said James.

AI or artificial intelligence is a technology that makes machines able to read data, recognize patterns, and help make decisions. Robotics is related to the development of machines or robots to carry out certain tasks.

James said Indonesia's foreign policy of freedom of activity also provided space for the development of the technology industry. He said Indonesia could access GPU chips that many other countries could not get.

GPU chips are computing chips that are widely used to process large data, including in the development of AI.

According to James, this condition opens up opportunities for Indonesia not only to become an AI market, but also a production base for technology.

"Indonesia is not only an AI consumer, but a producer, a technology base for at least ASEAN, but also for the entire Global South," he said.

However, James also touched on the major challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He said technological developments, especially AI and robotics, have made labor-intensive industries increasingly reduced.

Therefore, according to James, workers must be prepared to enter new types of industries.

He said President Prabowo Subianto was aware of the challenge. James said there were about 60 million workers who had to be retrained and educated to face industrial changes.

"The President is very aware that there are 60 million of our workers who must be retrained, must be educated to enter new industries," said James.

James also touched on the development of industrial areas in Central Java. According to James, the government is encouraging the development of industry on a large scale in the region.

He said the direction of the industry in the future would be different. Central Java could become a base for labor-intensive industries, while Jakarta moves to more technology-intensive and investment sectors.