Indonesia eyes greater influence in global AI governance

Indonesia has joined 28 other countries as a founding member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), positioning itself to help shape the future ANTARA News mataram 34 ...

July 20, 2026

Jakarta (ANTARA) -

Indonesia has joined 28 other countries as a founding member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), positioning itself to help shape the future of global AI governance as competition over artificial intelligence increasingly defines economic and geopolitical influence.

The move, formalized through the signing of WAICO's founding declaration in Shanghai, China, on July 16, 2026, reflects Indonesia's ambition to become an active contributor to international AI governance rather than merely a consumer of technologies developed elsewhere.

Artificial intelligence is emerging as a major arena of strategic competition. Beyond technological breakthroughs, countries are increasingly competing to shape the rules, ethical standards, and governance frameworks that will determine how AI is developed, deployed, and regulated worldwide.

Countries participating from the outset in establishing international norms are better positioned to ensure their interests are reflected in the evolving global AI ecosystem.

Against that backdrop, Indonesia's role as a founding member of WAICO carries strategic significance.

The independent, nonprofit intergovernmental organization established under the United Nations framework aims to strengthen international cooperation, expand access to AI technologies, build national capacities, and promote AI that is safe, inclusive, equitable, and human-centered.

WAICO's founding members include Indonesia, China, Brazil, Russia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, South Africa, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Venezuela, Algeria, Belarus, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Ethiopia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Oman, Senegal, Serbia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Zambia.

The diverse membership spans Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe, reflecting an effort to build broader international cooperation on AI development and governance.

Chinese President Xi Jinping underscored that vision while opening the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026 in Shanghai on July 17.

Xi said AI development should not be "a solo performance by a single country," but "a symphony of international cooperation." He called for greater international collaboration, wider access to AI technologies, and stronger global governance to ensure the technology benefits all countries.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed the message, expressing hope that WAICO would become a platform for advancing inclusive and responsible AI while supporting the Sustainable Development Goals.

Shaping the rules
For Indonesia, the greatest opportunity extends beyond gaining access to AI technologies.

As a founding member, Indonesia can help shape international AI governance from the outset.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the move follows President Prabowo Subianto's directive to accelerate AI development and adoption as part of Indonesia's broader economic transformation.

Indonesia also has an opportunity to help bridge technological gaps between developed and developing countries, promoting broader and more equitable access to AI.

AI is rapidly evolving from a decision-support tool into autonomous AI agents capable of completing complex tasks, while embodied AI is becoming increasingly common in manufacturing and logistics.

The shift underscores that competitiveness now depends not only on algorithms but also on command of the broader AI value chain.

That ecosystem includes semiconductors, computing infrastructure, data centers, digital talent, and governance frameworks trusted by the international community.

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Indonesia also sees growing economic opportunities in that transformation.

Airlangga estimates the country's digital economy, currently valued at around US$130 billion, could expand to US$300 billion, with AI expected to become one of its main growth drivers.

AI applications are projected to expand across agriculture, renewable energy, healthcare, manufacturing, and public services.

Indonesia's role in WAICO therefore extends beyond diplomacy.

Its founding membership provides an opportunity to strengthen the country's influence over the future direction of global AI governance.

That strategic advantage, however, will depend on Indonesia's ability to strengthen domestic capabilities so it can move beyond technology adoption toward innovation and value creation.

AI diplomacy
International relations expert Teuku Rezasyah, a lecturer at Padjadjaran University, said future geopolitical competition would increasingly be shaped by leadership in artificial intelligence.

He said the contest extends beyond software development to encompass semiconductors, computing infrastructure, data centers, as well as the standards and governance frameworks that will shape the future of AI.

Against that backdrop, Rezasyah said WAICO represents part of China's effort to shape the emerging architecture of global AI governance amid its strategic competition with the United States.

For Indonesia, he said, joining WAICO as a founding member reflects the country's long-standing independent and active foreign policy.

The move allows Jakarta to engage with multiple major powers while continuing to advocate for the interests of developing countries in shaping international AI governance.

Indonesia's founding membership could also strengthen its diplomatic credibility within ASEAN, the G20, and the Global South by giving it an opportunity to help shape the organization's direction from its earliest stage.

Sejumlah robot unjuk kemampuan dalam Konferensi Kecerdasan Buatan Dunia (WAIC) di Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai, China, Jumat (17/7/2026). Konferensi yang berlangsung pada 17-20 Juli 2026 tersebut menggelar lebih dari 140 forum dengan sekitar 1.400 peserta dari dalam dan luar negeri serta memamerkan 4.400 produk kecerdasan buatan (AI), komputasi cerdas (intelligent computing) dan kecerdasan berwujud (embodied intelligence) di tiga lokasi berbeda. ANTARA FOTO/Desca Lidya Natalia/nym.

Building capacity
International influence, however, must be matched by domestic preparedness.

The government is drafting a presidential regulation on AI to establish a national governance framework while finalizing the National AI Road Map.

The roadmap will guide AI development across 10 priority sectors: food security, healthcare, education, finance, bureaucratic reform, law enforcement, energy, housing, transportation and infrastructure, and the creative economy.

The framework is becoming increasingly important as Indonesia has around 230 million internet users.

Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid has stressed that AI deployment must be accompanied by safeguards against data misuse, deepfakes, algorithmic bias, and cybersecurity threats.

The government's decision to suspend World Apps in 2025 over concerns about the collection of users' retinal data illustrated the need for regulations capable of keeping pace with rapidly evolving technologies.

Regulation alone, however, will not be enough.

Edwin Hidayat Abdullah, director general for the digital ecosystem at the Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry, said digital sovereignty requires control across the entire AI value chain.

That includes semiconductors, data centers, computing infrastructure, AI models, and downstream applications.

Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Nezar Patria has likewise emphasized the need to develop digital talent, strengthen the semiconductor industry, and expand international collaboration so Indonesia can capture greater value from AI rather than remain solely a technology user.

Indonesia is also promoting AI development in ASEAN based on three principles: sovereign, interoperable, and trusted.

Regulatory alignment is expected to support ASEAN's digital economy, projected to reach US$2 trillion by 2030, while ensuring AI benefits are shared more broadly, including among micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

Indonesia's membership in WAICO marks the beginning, rather than the culmination, of its effort to strengthen its position in global AI governance.

Whether the country can translate that diplomatic opening into long-term strategic influence will depend on sustained investment in talent, research, semiconductors, data centers, and adaptive regulation.

Only by combining active diplomacy with stronger domestic capacity can Indonesia emerge not merely as a user of AI technologies, but as a credible contributor to the rules that will shape the future of artificial intelligence.