Indonesia, Japan Expand AI Talent Development Partnership

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs is strengthening cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency. It is to develop artificial intelligence (AI) talent in support of child protection in digital spaces, combating disinformation, and advancing national development priorities.

The collaboration was formalized through the signing of the Record of Discussions for the Next Generation AI Talent Factory Technical Cooperation Project at the Ministry’s headquarters in Jakarta on Monday, June 22, 2026.

Vice Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Nezar Patria, said the partnership represents a strategic step toward strengthening Indonesia’s AI talent pool while deepening digital transformation cooperation between Indonesia and Japan.

“The cooperation we are undertaking today reflects the strong friendship and strategic partnership between Indonesia and Japan, particularly in preparing our societies to thrive in the digital era,” Nezar said in an official statement.

According to him, Indonesia and Japan share a common vision regarding the importance of developing sovereign AI that delivers tangible benefits to society.

Amid the rapid advancement of AI technologies and evolving global geopolitical dynamics, both countries view collaboration as a critical foundation for strengthening national capabilities and accelerating innovation.

“We want a more equal partnership. I believe this is a very important collaboration that we are working to strengthen between Japan and Indonesia in exploring and developing AI technology, which is highly strategic today,” he said.

Nezar emphasized that AI has become a key factor in determining a nation’s economic competitiveness and future prosperity. Therefore, investment in human capital must remain a top priority so that Indonesia can become not only a user of technology but also a developer of AI solutions tailored to national needs.

“To seize these opportunities, we must invest in what matters most—our people,” he said.

Through the Next Generation AI Talent Factory initiative, the Ministry and JICA will strengthen Indonesia’s AI ecosystem through capacity-building programs, knowledge exchange, institutional collaboration, and innovation development aligned with national priorities.

Head of the Ministry’s Human Resources Development Agency, Bonifasius Wahyu Pudjianto, explained that the AI Talent Factory was designed as a collaborative ecosystem connecting government institutions, universities, industry, technology experts, and AI talent in a unified environment for learning and innovation.

He also said developing AI talent requires more than classroom-based learning and must include practical experience that enables participants to transform knowledge into solutions with real social impact.

“AI talent development requires more than classroom learning. It must go beyond that,” he said. Since its launch in 2025, the AI Talent Factory program has delivered tangible results through the development of AI-based solutions supporting national development priorities.

In 2026, the program expanded through partnerships with Universitas Brawijaya, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, and Universitas Gadjah Mada, involving 98 participants.

The participants developed AI solutions addressing child protection in digital spaces, disinformation, hate speech and defamation, strengthening the People’s School (Sekolah Rakyat) initiative, poverty mapping and social assistance distribution, as well as monitoring and analysis of public and social media issues.