Over the past two years, Indonesia has seen a significant rise in AI adoption across multiple sectors. In the digital native space, GoTo Group engineers use GitHub Copilot to save an average of seven hours per week in coding. Telkomsel's virtual assistant, Veronika, powered by Azure OpenAI Service, has improved self-service rates from 19% to 45%.

State-owned PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia is developing a work instruction search engine using Azure Cognitive Search and a content factory to enhance marketing efforts. In higher education, BINUS University uses Azure Machine Learning to achieve up to 90% accuracy in admission predictions and leverages Azure OpenAI Service to generate thousands of Diploma Supplement Documents.

The nonprofit Mitra Netra Foundation uses Azure OpenAI Service to convert Arabic text with harakat in images into accessible Arabic Unicode. In the creative sector, toy photographer Mate Tampan uses Microsoft Copilot to turn imagined scenes into photo backdrops.

Indonesia Leads Global Generative AI Adoption at Work

Generative AI usage among knowledge workers in Indonesia has reached 92%, outpacing the global average of 75% and Asia Pacific’s 83%. Business leaders show similar enthusiasm, with 92% viewing AI as essential for competitiveness—significantly higher than the global (79%) and regional (84%) benchmarks.

Indonesian organizations are not only adopting AI tools but are actively building solutions with AI as a foundational platform.

Microsoft Invests $1.7 Billion to Strengthen Cloud and AI in Indonesia

Microsoft has committed US$1.7 billion to advance Indonesia’s cloud and AI capabilities, reinforcing its 2021 Berdayakan Indonesia initiative. The Indonesia Central Region, Microsoft’s first cloud region in the country, is scheduled to launch in Q2 2025, joining a global network of over 60 Azure regions.

According to IDC, the Indonesia Central Region is projected to generate US$2.5 billion in new economic value, approximately 16.5% of the total US$15.2 billion expected from Microsoft and its ecosystem in Indonesia between 2025 and 2028. The investment is also expected to create 106,295 new jobs across key sectors such as manufacturing, finance, services, communications, and government.

Microsoft ElevAIte Program Expands AI Skills Nationwide

Microsoft and its partners have equipped 704,342 Indonesians with digital skills over the past two years. In December 2024, Microsoft launched elevAIte Indonesia in partnership with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), aiming to skill one million people in AI by 2025.

Since its launch, elevAIte has welcomed 18 partners from government, industry, academia, and communities, enabling broad access to AI training across the nation.

Indonesia’s AI Future Driven by Local Changemakers

The impact of AI in Indonesia is being shaped by individuals using technology to solve meaningful challenges. Through elevAIte Indonesia, changemakers include a teacher integrating AI into classrooms, a civil servant using data-driven insights, and a homemaker applying AI for parenting and entrepreneurship.

These stories reflect how technology, when placed in the hands of innovators, can accelerate progress and transformation throughout the country.

PHOTO: GRID ID

This article was created with AI assistance.