Supporting Strengthening Clouds And AI, Microsoft Starts Investment Of IDR 27 Trillion In Indonesia

Minister of Trade Meutya Hafid and President Director of Microsoft Indonesia Dharma Simorangkir (photo: dock. Komdigi)

JAKARTA - An investment of US$1.7 billion (Rp27.6 trillion) from Microsoft for cloud strengthening and the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in Indonesia has officially begun.

This commitment was emphasized in a meeting between the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid, Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Wamenkomdigi) Nezar Patria, and President Director of Microsoft Indonesia, Dharma Simorangkir, some time ago at the Kemkomdigi office, Jakarta.

"Digital transformation is a direct directive from the President, and we support it with policies that make Indonesia more competitive," said Meutya Hafid in her official broadcast quoted Monday, April 21.

Meutya emphasized the importance of expanding people's understanding of artificial intelligence (AI), not only in terms of popularity, but also in terms of concrete benefits.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Communication and Trade, Nezar Patria, added that regulatory readiness is an important factor in supporting the growth of the national digital ecosystem.

"We are building a strong data management system through Government Cloud, which, although not fully owned by the government, is developed within the framework of national data categorization and governance," he explained.

Dharma Simorangkir also said that this investment was part of Microsoft's commitment which was conveyed directly to President Joko Widodo, and will be used for the launch of the Indonesian cloud region.

This infrastructure will not only serve domestic needs, but will also support global companies operating in Indonesia.

The launch of the cloud region will be part of the AI Tour, Microsoft's global event, which will be held in Jakarta on May 27. This is not only about technology, but about Indonesia's readiness to become a major player in the global AI ecosystem," said Dharma.

More than just the construction of a data center, Microsoft also opens opportunities for research collaboration and development of digital products made in Indonesia that can penetrate the global market.