The Governance Imperative

Indonesia stands at a critical juncture. As Southeast Asia's largest economy and most populous nation, with over 275 million citizens rapidly adopting digital technologies, the country's approach to artificial intelligence governance will shape outcomes far beyond its borders. The opportunities are immense, AI systems promise to enhance public service delivery, accelerate economic development, and improve citizens' quality of life across the archipelago.

Yet without coordinated, rights-aligned governance frameworks, these same systems could deepen digital inequality, weaken democratic institutions, and expose millions to harms related to data exploitation, algorithmic bias, misinformation, and opaque decision-making. The window for building robust governance infrastructure is narrow, and the stakes could not be higher.

In 2025, AI Safety Asia (AISA) delivered a comprehensive, multi-tier AI governance training in Indonesia, targeting both government leaders and civil society organizations who will design and implement the country's AI governance frameworks.

Building Capacity Across Government

AISA developed and delivered three specialized training programs, each designed for distinct stakeholders within Indonesia's AI governance ecosystem. Thirty government leaders from seven ministries participated, including officials from the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, representing the breadth of agencies whose decisions will shape AI's impact on Indonesian society.

The programs were deliberately structured to meet participants where they were while pushing them toward practitioner-level competence. Director-level officials engaged in intensive two-day training focused on strategic governance frameworks and institutional design. Senior managerial officials participated in four-day deep-dive sessions covering risk assessment methodologies, multi-stakeholder coordination, and practical policy implementation. A six-week online program equipped civil society organizations with technical and governance tools to effectively monitor AI systems and advocate for public interest protections.

This tiered approach recognized a fundamental reality: effective AI governance requires aligned understanding across organizational hierarchies and between government and civil society. Senior leaders need strategic frameworks to guide institutional priorities; mid-level managers need practical tools to implement those priorities; and civil society needs capacity to engage meaningfully as accountability partners.

Government Partnership and Investment

The training programs were co-implemented with the key AI Safety institute in Indonesia - KORIKA, and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs of Indonesia (KOMDIGI). This government involvement demonstrated partnerships built on genuine institutional commitment to strengthening AI governance.

That commitment was reinforced when AISA debriefed with Vice Minister Nezar Patria and Ombudsman leadership following the initial programs. Both signaled the training's value and expressed strong interest in expanding it across additional ministries—recognition that building governance capacity at scale is essential for Indonesia's AI-enabled future.

National media outlet Kompas featured the training program, amplifying awareness beyond direct participants and positioning AI governance as a national priority deserving public attention and engagement.

Measuring Impact Beyond Completion Rates

Participants entered with foundational AI literacy and left with practitioner-level competence in governance frameworks. 90% of participants would strongly recommend the training to colleagues, a remarkable endorsement that speaks to both content quality and practical relevance. But the program's true impact lies in the qualitative shifts it catalyzed.

The program focused on honing operational capacity to assess AI systems' risks, design institutional mechanisms for oversight, and coordinate multi-stakeholder governance processes. In a context where AI adoption is outpacing regulation, this transformation from awareness to capability is essential.

Perhaps most significantly, the training facilitated Indonesia's first inter-agency AI governance discussion, bringing together officials from seven ministries to develop shared conceptual frameworks and coordinate policy approaches. In government systems where ministries often operate in silos, creating spaces for cross-institutional dialogue and alignment represents foundational infrastructure for coherent governance.

The programs generated impacts that extended well beyond individual participants' enhanced knowledge. Four systemic changes stand out as particularly consequential for Indonesia's AI governance trajectory.

First, government readiness and alignment improved dramatically. Officials shifted from asking 'What is AI?' to asking 'How do we govern AI responsibly?', a transition from basic literacy to strategic thinking about institutional design, accountability mechanisms, and risk mitigation frameworks rooted in human rights principles.

Second, cross-ministry collaboration emerged organically as officials from different agencies engaged with shared governance challenges. Participants began developing policy ideas that transcend individual ministry mandates, grounded in fundamental rights protections and coordinated implementation strategies. This collaborative approach is essential for governing technologies that don't respect bureaucratic boundaries.

Third, a rights-based policy mindset took root across participant cohorts. Rather than viewing AI governance primarily through efficiency or innovation lenses, officials increasingly embedded considerations of human rights, democratic accountability, and equity into their analytical frameworks. This shift positions Indonesia to pursue AI development that genuinely serves public interests rather than merely optimizing for technical or economic metrics.

Fourth, civil society capacity strengthened substantially. The program catered for CSOs equipped organizations with technical literacy and governance expertise needed to serve as effective accountability partners. Featured projects emerging from CSO training include examining AI integration in Indonesia's judiciary system, leveraging AI's technical architectures to increase transparency in policymaking processes, and developing copyright frameworks to protect publishers in the generative AI era. These projects demonstrate sophisticated engagement with both AI's technical dimensions and its governance implications.

Scaling the Foundation

The success of these initial programs has generated nationwide demand for expanded governance capacity building. Government leaders recognize that the officials who participated represent only a fraction of those who will shape Indonesia's AI governance decisions in coming years. The Vice Minister's and Ombudsman's interest in broader scale-up reflects understanding that effective governance requires aligned capacity across government institutions.

AISA's work in Indonesia demonstrates a crucial principle: building governance capacity in the Global South isn't about transferring frameworks developed elsewhere, it's about equipping local leaders with tools, knowledge, and collaborative infrastructure to design governance approaches suited to their contexts. The training programs didn't prescribe policy solutions; they built capacity for Indonesian officials and civil society to develop those solutions themselves.

As Indonesia continues navigating its AI-enabled future, the officials who participated in these programs will serve as multipliers, bringing governance frameworks to their institutions, mentoring colleagues, and championing rights-aligned approaches to AI development and deployment. The foundation has been built. Now comes the work of scaling it across the institutions that will determine whether AI serves Indonesia's citizens equitably and safely.