Coordinating Minister Airlangga Calls The Young Generation A Game Changer In Building The Economy In The Digital Era

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto. (Photo: Doc. Coordinating Ministry for the Economy)

JAKARTA - Changes in people's behavior towards a Less Contact Economy are expected to continue and have a major contribution to economic growth in the future. The composition of society will also be dominated by young people, digital-natives who are adaptive to technological changes, and will support global consumption in the future.

Various studies such as Google Temasek and Bain and Company (2021) show that in 2020, around 350 million people in ASEAN have utilized digital economy services, of which 60 million are new customers since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This condition marks a shift in the global economic landscape towards a new economic order, where the role of the digital economy will be increasingly dominant.

This is an opportunity, especially for IPNU Cadres, as the younger generation, to jointly accelerate the acceleration of digital transformation in various sectors, so that they can contribute positively to the acceleration of economic recovery.

"I appreciate what has been done by the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board and the Nahdlatul Ulama Student Association (IPNU) who together with the entire community structure support the government's efforts to create superior Indonesian human resources and a competitive society. Hopefully this event can provide benefits for all of us," said Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto in delivering a keynote speech at the IPNU National Leadership Exercise (LAKNAS) entitled Leadership and Efforts to Build the State Economy in the Digital Era and Society 5.0, which was held virtually, Monday 6 December.

The potential of Indonesia's digital economy is certainly supported by a number of factors, including the 4th largest total population in the world with a population of productive age reaching 191.08 million or 70.7 percent. In terms of digital users, the number of mobile connections in the country currently reaches 345.3 million (125.6 percent of the total population) with an average time spent surfing the internet for 8 hours and 52 minutes. Throughout 2020, internet traffic has increased by 15-20 percent.

In addition, a wave of new technologies has also emerged, including artificial intelligence, IoT, blockchain, cloud computing, and 5G networks. AI technology has even been empowered and is increasingly being adopted in a wide range of applications, from simple everyday tasks, smart assistants, and finance, to very specific commands such as control operations, and data security. The use of AI is believed to be able to increase business efficiency, productivity and encourage innovation in various sectors.

The demographic bonus, which is projected to be owned in 2030, will later make the majority of Indonesia's population are Generation Z and Millennials aged 8 to 39 years. This means that IPNU Cadres as the current generation will be involved in it. The capabilities and advantages of this generation of digital-natives must continue to be honed.

In addition, this generation must also be independent, creative, adaptive, collaborative, and innovative in order to be competitive in entering the era of society 5.0. HR expertise in utilizing technology is an important capital to face the era of society 5.0.

Various initiatives to encourage the use of the digital economy for the benefit of society have been carried out by the government, such as the establishment of the Indonesia E-Commerce Roadmap 2017-2019, White Paper on Digital for Future Economy, Indonesia Digital Roadmap 2021-2024, Making Indonesia 4.0, Blueprint for the Indonesian Payment System 2025/BSPI 2025 and Action Plan for Digital Finance Innovation 2020-2024.

"I hope that through this activity, a young generation of leaders with character and high competitiveness will be born, so that they can become game changers who are able to respond to all challenges and problems, especially in efforts to build the national economy in the current digital era," concluded Coordinating Minister Airlangga.