TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government has affirmed its readiness to contribute to an open global artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem that benefits society.
"Indonesia affirms its readiness to collaborate in building a global artificial intelligence ecosystem that is open, inclusive, and beneficial for the welfare of the world's people," said Indonesian Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Friday, as quoted by ANTARA.
Airlangga stated that Indonesia appreciates the Chinese government's initiative in establishing the "World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization" (WAICO) and the trust placed in Indonesia to join as one of the organization's founding member states.
According to him, the decision to join WAICO follows President Prabowo Subianto's directive to encourage the development and utilization of AI in Indonesia.
"We convey greetings from the President of Indonesia, Mr. Prabowo Subianto, and our gratitude to the Chinese government for initiating the establishment of WAICO and inviting Indonesia as a founding member state. Indonesia is ready to collaborate with WAICO to develop the global AI ecosystem," Airlangga added.
At the opening ceremony of WAIC 2026, President Xi Jinping emphasized that AI development must be an instrument for improving human well-being and promoting progress together with all countries.
"AI development should not be a solo performance by a single country, but a symphony of international cooperation," President Xi said.
To realize this vision, China will develop an open-source AI platform that can be utilized and developed collaboratively by various countries. Furthermore, over the next five years, China will also organize capacity-building programs for various countries to expand access to technology and narrow the digital capacity gap.
At the same event, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his appreciation for the initiative to establish WAICO and expressed his hope that the organization would become a platform for international cooperation capable of encouraging the development of AI technology to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the use of AI that is inclusive, responsible, and provides benefits to all global communities.
This commitment aligns with President Prabowo's directive to prioritize digital transformation and technological mastery to improve public welfare, strengthen national competitiveness, and achieve national progress.
"Artificial intelligence technology can be optimized in modern agriculture, renewable energy management, and digital healthcare innovation. AI development and adoption will not be optimal without the support of robust digital infrastructure, particularly data centers," Airlangga added.
Airlangga said that Indonesia's digital economy is currently valued at around $130 billion and is expected to grow to $300 billion. He added that AI is expected to accelerate this growth.
On Thursday, July 16, 29 countries signed a declaration establishing the WAICO. The 29 countries are China, Algeria, Belarus, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Congo, Cuba, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Zambia.
"As a country that has been a member since its inception, Indonesia has a very strategic opportunity to make a real contribution to formulating WAICO's policy direction and institutional structure," Airlangga said on Thursday (July 16).
In a series of WAIC activities, Coordinating Minister Airlangga was accompanied by Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Angga Raka Prabowo, Secretary to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Susiwijono Moegiarso, Deputy for Commerce and Digital Economy of the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy Ali Murtopo, Indonesian Ambassador to China and Mongolia Djauhari Oratmangun, and Indonesian Consul General in Shanghai Berlianto Situngkir.
Read: China's XI Jinping Calls for AI Development Cooperation
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