Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Vice Minister of Finance Suahasil Nazara believes that digital technology would dominate the workplace in the future. He emphasised that the ministry is having multiple discussions about the future of work in Indonesia. The pandemic, according to Nazara, has hastened people’s adoption of digital-based information and communication technologies. As a result, digital technology has infiltrated practically every aspect of existence.
The Vice Finance Minister drew attention to the existence of a digital economy ecosystem that comprised e-commerce, e-education, financial technology (fintech), e-government, and e-health, such as the ‘PeduliLindungi’ application. “Many tasks are now done with the assistance of technology, and the government has even devised and issued regulations that specify how people do not have to meet one another,” he explained.
This encourages the government to continue to build infrastructure and adopt rules and regulations to assist the growth of the digital economy, particularly the digital banking industry. The Palapa Ring and base transceiver stations (BTS) were built to help internet access reach the farthest reaches of the country, as well as the most distant and impoverished (3T) areas. The government is also working to enhance digital finance and economic literacy, claiming that improving people’s economic lives will result in them holding greater responsibilities and rights.
The Deputy Minister also mentioned the formation of the Regional Digital Acceleration and Expansion Task Force (Satgas P2DD) in several regions to promote digitisation and people’s access to digital finance. The government, through the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, launched the Task Force for the Acceleration and Expansion of Regional Digitalisation (P2DD) to grow the digital economy and finance to expedite the country’s transition and recovery.
Airlangga Hartarto, the coordinating minister for Economic Affairs, said the framework for the National Digital Economy Strategy was developed by considering the intricacy and interrelationship of multiple policies among stakeholder authorities.
According to him, the primary pillars of the National Digital Economy plan include digital talent, research, and innovation, physical and digital infrastructure, as well as legislative and regulatory assistance, all of which are aimed at accomplishing the fundamental objective of sustainable and equitable economic growth.
“The National Digital Economy Strategic Framework includes three cross-sectoral strategies, namely accelerating digitalisation in the business and industrial sectors, creating various opportunities in digital development and connectivity, and encouraging central and regional coordination”, he said virtually at the Indonesian Digital Financial Economy Festival (FEKDI) 2021 held by Bank Indonesia.
OpenGov Asia reported, head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Laksana Tri Handoko remarked that Indonesia already has a National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2020-2045, which is a milestone for AI application in Indonesia. In the future, this is projected to have a positive impact on the Indonesian economy. The National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, according to Laksana, is an endeavour by the Indonesian government to improve the usage of cutting-edge technology, particularly AI. These activities are aimed at increasing efficiency and effectiveness across a variety of industries. BRIN also promotes AI mastery for use in a variety of strategic areas.
The National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence’s principal goal is to transition from a government-driven to a demand-driven axis through partnership. The Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (PIKA), which eventually gave rise to KORIKA, was founded because of the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence. Hammam added that his party sought to establish KORIKA, a flexible and trustworthy institution capable of forming a collaborative ecosystem to speed the use of artificial intelligence toward Indonesia’s 2045 vision.
The Founder of KORIKA, Bambang PS Brodjonegoro went on to say, “soon our lives will move towards Society 5.0 where artificial intelligence is an important part. Mastery of artificial intelligence in various fields is very important for Indonesia. Currently, we are starting to understand the use of AI in various fields and there have been many children of the nation who have given birth to AI-based innovations.