AI Potentially Becomes Indonesia's Economic Growth Engine in 2030

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Chair of the Digital Transformation Acceleration Committee, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, said that AI-based digitalization will be a tremendous engine of economic growth for Indonesia. He made this statement at the launch of the 2025-2045 National Digital Government Master Plan, which aired live on YouTube Bappenas RI on Thursday, 26 February 2026.

He also affirmed that Indonesia needs to move beyond basic digital changes. He believes that using AI (Artificial Intelligence) is the key to boosting the national economy.

"So we shouldn't just talk about digitalization, but AI-based digitalization, because AI is truly exponential. Earlier, the team also discussed with me that if we do this correctly, and as I see it today, we must achieve 8-9 percent growth by 2029-2030," Luhut said.

This economic growth will be driven by an increase in the tax ratio from 10 percent to around 14 percent. This can be achieved because the use of AI makes the nation's financial system much more transparent.

In line with this vision, Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid considers the 2025-2045 National Digital Government Master Plan to be an appropriate long-term guide. She believes that this document will keep the direction of digital transformation in line with the national development agenda.

“This document will clearly provide consistent long-term direction so that the government's digital transformation can be integrated and aligned with the national development agenda,” Meutya stated.

To materialize it, Meutya explained that the government now focuses on strengthening national data sovereignty. This step is being taken by continuing to build independent and collaborative data infrastructure.

The minister stated, “To that end, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs is carrying out its mandate to build the foundations of a digital government technology that is interoperable, sovereign, and open to ecosystem collaboration.”

However, she reminded that there is a major challenge in the form of digital inequality between regions, where the current national index score is still at 49.2. As a solution, the government provides ‘digital government clinics’ to assist regions in becoming smart cities.

The event continued with a touching ceremony in which the Chair of the Digital Transformation Acceleration Committee, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, Rachmat Pambudy, Minister of PANRB, Rini Widyantini, and Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, touched a digital screen together. This symbolic action marked the beginning of Indonesia's new digital future through the handover of the Master Plan book to the ministers.