Heaptalk, Jakarta — Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to discuss the Circular Letter (SE) of the Minister of Communication and Information related to the guide of utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology in Indonesia, which is expected to be issued on December 2023.
“The Ministry held this discussion and involved 43 stakeholders from the private sector and government institutions. I expect today’s forum group discussion to be productive and constructive in considering a policy. We need to consider a legally binding regulation that provides a more imperative impact on the law.” affirmed Vice Minister of Communication and Technology Informatics Nezar Patria.
According to Nezar, the content of this circular letter aims to urge business actors to pay attention to the ethical values of using AI technology from various aspects, such as inclusiveness, humanity, security, democracy, transparency, credibility, and accountability. On the other hand, this circular letter will also serve as ethical guidelines for implementing AI-based consultation, analysis, and programming.
Nezar considers that thorough regulatory design must continue to be carried out to respond to the disruption that AI technology causes, specifically generative AI. In his further statement, he revealed that the archipelago had possessed a national strategy toward AI technology. However, he believes that Indonesia still needs to arrange specific regulations regarding the use of AI. Nevertheless, he also claimed that the impact of AI utilization could still be accommodated through existing policies.
By arranging this circular letter of an AI utilization guidelines, Nezar claimed this guide would show that Indonesia has regulatory tools to anticipate the misuse of AI technology. As is known, Indonesia has contained the Information and Electronic Transactions Law (UU ITE) Personal Data Protection (UU PDP). With the issuance of the AI Guideline Circular Letter, the Vice Minister hopes that this regulatory instrument can regulate the use of AI technology wisely.
In this agenda, several representatives of government entities were also present to discuss ethical guidelines for using AI, including the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, National Cyber and Crypto Agency, and Press Council.
Several partners of the Ministry of Communication and Information, including four representatives of higher education institutions, 12 associations, 13 domestic and global industries, and three international organizations, also attended this discussion forum.
As additional information, the Ministry will follow up on this discussion forum at an open seminar to discuss this circular letter more widely to the public before the document is officially issued. Vice Minister Nezar explained that this circular letter of AI guidelines specifically aims at business actors included in the Standard Classification of Indonesian Business Fields (KBLI) 62015 regarding Artificial Intelligence-Based Programming Activities.
