RRI.CO.ID, Shanghai – Indonesia has officially strengthened its role in global artificial intelligence governance by signing a declaration as a Founding Member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO). This participation follows up on President Prabowo Subianto’s directive during a closed-door meeting on July 13, 2026.

The signing ceremony took place as part of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026 in Shanghai, China, on Friday, July 17, 2026. This step was taken because artificial intelligence (AI) technology is projected to be a key driver of future economic growth and global competitiveness.

“Indonesia’s participation reflects our commitment to establishing governance frameworks and guidelines for the development of artificial intelligence. In particular, we are committed to ensuring that AI development is inclusive and responsible, and that it delivers shared benefits,” Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, said during an online press conference, as quoted from the ministry’s press release.

The signing of this declaration marked a historic milestone, preceded by a high-level meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Minister Airlangga explained that Indonesia is one of the 29 founding members of WAICO, representing various regions of the world.

Currently, the Indonesian government is also drafting a national AI development roadmap to guide the domestic technology ecosystem. Through WAICO, Indonesia is committed to actively bridging the global technology capability gap to prevent the digital divide from widening.

As a founding member, Indonesia has a significant opportunity to contribute to the formulation of global policies. Moreover, Indonesia’s digital economy is projected to be enormous, potentially reaching approximately USD 366 billion by 2030.

AI development itself is not a new concept, as it has been a key component of “Making Indonesia 4.0” since 2018. Additionally, Indonesia continues to push for the finalization of the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) to strengthen the digital economy in the ASEAN region.