Wamenkomdigi Explains The Importance Of Infrastructure And Talents Towards AI Powerhouse Global

Deputy Minister of Communication and Trade Nizar Patria (intermediate)

Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Wamenkomdigi) Nezar Patria emphasized the importance of infrastructure development and the fulfillment of digital talent in Indonesia as the foundation for AI Powerhouse Global.

"How do we put Indonesia on the global list as the most important of AI powerhouse. Two main pillars of digital infrastructure and the development of digital talent," Nezar said, quoting Antara.

Nezar said Indonesia is committed to becoming one of the main powers in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) in the global arena in the next five years.

However, the quality and speed of infrastructure is still one of the main problems, although Indonesia has reached 97 percent in terms of connectivity, with 80 percent internet penetration in 2023.

Based on data, only 27 percent of users access the internet via fixed broadband, and Indonesia's internet capacity is still far below the ASEAN average with speeds that have not reached 100 megabits per second.

This is an obstacle in the development of advanced technologies such as AI, which requires fast and stable connectivity.

According to him, infrastructure improvement is not only a matter of network expansion, but also creates a MEANingful connectivity, namely connectivity that provides sufficient access to encourage innovation and development of digital technology.

Apart from infrastructure, the development of digital talent is also a big challenge. Currently, Indonesia needs around 15 million workers with skills in the AI sector by 2030.

However, with the current ecosystem, the shortage of digital talent is estimated to be around 2 to 4 million people per year.

This shows that all stakeholders need to work hard to score more digital talents who are ready to face the needs of the digital economy.

"This Gap is expected to continue to develop, even though digital economic growth targets Indonesia's contribution of 40 percent of the total digital economy growth in Southeast Asia by 2030," he said.

Furthermore, Nezar said, multi-sectoral cooperation is very important, especially in strengthening digital infrastructure and developing digital talent.

The "AI Merdeka" movement initiated by Lintas Arta, Indosat, and NVIDIA is considered a strategic step to overcome this problem.

"By mapping the availability of talents and working to cover existing shortcomings, Indonesia can accelerate the formation of a stronger digital ecosystem and be better prepared to become an AI powerhouse globally," said Nezar.