Having The Largest Digital Economy In ASEAN, IBM Asia Pacific Boss Sowan Goes To RI

Source ekon.go.id

JAKARTA - The government, through the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, is said to have received an official visit from the new General Manager of IBM Asia Pacific Paul Burton in Jakarta.

In the meeting, Airlangga explained that the value of Indonesia's digital economy in 2021 was recorded as the highest in Southeast Asia, which was US$70 billion, and is estimated to reach US$146 billion in 2025.

"In addition, 40 percent of the market share of Southeast Asia's internet economy is in Indonesia," he said in a press statement on Wednesday, June 22.

According to Airlangga, this situation is supported by the 4th largest population in the world, most of which are productive age population and are dominated by generation Y (millennials) and generation Z.

"As an opportunity and key in accelerating recovery and increasing national economic resilience, digital transformation in Indonesia is important to be further developed," he said.

Airlangga added that the sector that is the main support for the digital economy in Indonesia is e-commerce with a record last year reaching US$53 billion and is predicted to increase to US$104 billion in three years.

"The implementation of digital transformation in Indonesia currently includes the construction of infrastructure facilities, both physical and digital, including the development of 5G networks, the construction of a number of data centers, plans to procure low orbital satellites to provide internet services to remote areas, as well as the implementation of the Indonesia 4.0 program to support industrial development. national," he explained.

On the same occasion, Burton said that his party plans to establish a Hybrid Cloud Academy training institution in Batam.

"This will provide training programs in the field of cloud development and administration that will produce graduates with digital skills that are relevant and needed today," said Burton.

Furthermore, the technology company from the United States is also known to be interested in supporting the development of data centers, especially those related to security operation centers, as well as training of trainers in the field of cyber skills.

"In the near future, we will visit Batam to explore plans for the construction of the training institute," said Burton.

RI itself hopes that various potential collaborations with IBM can be implemented according to the plan, so that it can further increase the potential of Indonesia's digital economy and will achieve Indonesia's sustainable and low-carbon economic growth (green economy).

This is because Indonesia needs around 600,000 digital talents every year.