Industrial Design Bill to Clarify AI Works

RRI.CO.ID, Medan – Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR) is pushing for regulations governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the creation of industrial designs. AI development needs to be addressed through regulation, while maintaining a clear distinction between human-created work and AI-assisted work.

Deputy Chair of the DPR's Special Committee on the Industrial Design Bill, Lola Nelria Oktavia, said the growing use of AI among the public and industry players needs to be taken into account when drafting the legislation. She said the regulations should keep pace with technological developments without blurring the distinction between human creativity and results produced with the assistance of AI.

"AI is already developing and is widely used. But there must be clear limits in how AI is incorporated into the formulation of the regulations. When using AI, we need to establish a boundary between human creation and AI," Lola said while leading the House's visit to the North Sumatra Regional Office of the Ministry of Law in Medan on Friday, September 25, 2026.

Lola, of the NasDem Party, said input from workers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in North Sumatra is important in formulating the provisions. She said industries and MSMEs in the region increasingly need technology to support creative processes and improve their competitiveness.

She said the Industrial Design Bill is expected to provide room for the use of new technologies, including AI, while ensuring clarity over the human contribution to a design. This would help prevent technological developments from creating uncertainty over who holds the rights to a particular design.

Another member of the DPR, Tonny Tesar, expressed a similar view. He said AI can essentially be used in the design creation process, but its role remains that of a tool rather than a legal subject.

"AI is a tool, not a legal subject. So it is not prohibited. However, it must be stated when AI is used in creating a design," Tonny said, as quoted from dpr.go.id on Saturday, September 26, 2026.

Tonny, also of the Nasdem Party, explained that AI could also help businesses, including MSMEs, develop economically valuable products and designs. The technology can support creative processes, including packaging and product innovations.

However, he said AI use should be accompanied by transparency about its role in the design creation process. This is important to clarify the extent of human contribution and prevent designs generated entirely by AI from being treated in the same way as works involving a human creative process.

Regulating the use of AI needs to be considered in drafting the Industrial Design Bill so that the legislation does not fall behind technological developments. At the same time, the regulations are expected to provide legal certainty for industries and MSMEs that use AI as part of their design development processes.

The Special Committee is also continuing to gather input from academics, practitioners, industry players, and local governments during working visits to various regions. The input will be used in deliberations to ensure that industrial design regulations can address technological developments as well as the needs of businesses.