AI Helps Revive Indonesia’s Endangered Languages

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Amid the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, researchers have found that speakers of regional languages in Indonesia have different priorities. Based on a survey done by Assoc. Prof. Derry Wijaya and her team, the most needed language technology is not chatbots, but search engines in local languages to help people access everyday information.

In a hosted by Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) titled “Language, Data, and AI: NLP Innovations to Address Indonesia's Challenges”, held virtually on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, Derry Wijaya talked about multilingual and multicultural AI development in Indonesia. According to her, demand for local-language search engines remains higher than for conversational AI services.

“In terms of language technology, what is most needed is still a search engine in local languages, because search is very important,” she said.

Even so, chatbots and digital assistants are still considered important tools for revitalizing endangered regional languages. The need is especially evident in eastern Indonesia, where many local languages are seeing a decline in the number of speakers.

Derry believes AI technology could help keep these languages alive, even as the number of native speakers continues to shrink. “We can imagine that even though there are no longer any native speakers, there are still people who can speak that local language,” she said.

He added that local-language chatbots could eventually serve as learning tools for younger generations who want to reconnect with their regional languages. Language technology is also seen as a bridge to preserving cultural identity amid the rapid growth of global AI systems.