Governments across the globe are taking an increasingly proactive approach toward regulating AI, and Indonesia is following suit. Nezar Patria, the deputy minister of communication and information, told Tech in Asia Indonesia that his ministry is preparing more comprehensive AI regulations, which it looks to launch by the end of 2024.
However, it’s currently unclear whether Indonesia is also setting up a national investment fund akin to neighboring Singapore’s. According to the ministry of communication and information, the regulations will primarily set out sanctions targeting AI misuse.
Those sanctions relate to existing laws, including those on personal data protection, copyright, as well as electronic information and transactions. Patria added that the ministry plans to work with UNESCO to ensure adherence with global standards.
The announcement comes a month after ASEAN launched its own AI governance framework, which seeks to establish “common principles” and “best practices” for trustworthy AI solutions among its 10-member bloc.
Budi Arie Setiadi, Indonesia’s minister of communication and information, previously issued a circular letter in December 2023 containing guidelines around AI ethics. The country’s national innovation research agency had also released a national AI strategy in August 2020.
Meanwhile, OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman received Indonesia’s first golden visa last year, ostensibly to help advance the country’s AI ambitions.
That said, it is Singapore – armed with a US$742 million investment – that is fast becoming Southeast Asia’s AI leader. According to nonprofit organization AI Singapore, its large language model (LLM) Sea-Lion is the first open-source LLM specifically focused on Southeast Asian languages and contexts.
