Indosat’s pursuit of a sovereign AI future in Indonesia

Indonesia’s AI industry holds great potential for economic growth, according to a study from telecom company Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and research and advisory firm Twimbit’s. Called Empowering Indonesia 2023, the report found that AI development in the country is projected to contribute up to US$ 7.7 trillion (around 120,000 trillion rupiah) to the economy by 2044. This amount will reportedly account for approximately 6.9% of the country’s gross domestic product.

Indosat, which serves over 100 million consumer and business customers across Indonesia, is at the forefront of efforts to build the country’s sovereign AI capabilities.

Sovereign AI refers to a nation having full control over the regulation, development, and implementation of AI techs within its borders.

In February, Indosat marked a historic milestone in Indonesia’s journey toward sovereign AI when Nvidia selected the telecom company as its first cloud provider partner in the country. Through this collaboration, Indosat and its subsidiary, Lintasarta, are bringing Nvidia’s full-stack AI cloud platform to businesses across Indonesia and Southeast Asia, leveraging their high-density data center portfolio.

Vikram Sinha, president director and CEO of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, at the NVIDIA headquarters in March 2024. / Photo Credit: Indosat

“Our goal is to make AI-cloud services accessible to all Indonesian businesses, helping position Indonesia at the forefront of the global AI revolution,” says Vikram Sinha, president director and CEO at Indosat.

With this partnership, Nvidia’s cutting-edge GPU technology will be delivered through Indosat’s high-density data centers, which are connected to the public internet at speeds reaching 400 Gbps.

In August, Indosat launched GPU Merdeka, an AI cloud service that offers GPU as a service (GPUaaS) for AI infrastructure hosted, managed, and operated by local professionals within Indonesia.

An AI-native approach

Indosat’s partnership with Nvidia is just one component of a broader AI strategy built on three pillars.

1. Indosat is integrating AI into its core operations to boost productivity, deliver personalized customer experiences, optimize network performance, and enhance the quality and efficiency of customer support.
2. Indosat aims to transform into an AI techco by creating a new business line centered on AI. This includes the GPU Merdeka initiative, along with tailored AI applications for key industries like Indonesia’s large oil and gas and banking sectors, as well as for smart city management and the creative industries.
3. As an AI nation builder, Indosat is driving initiatives such as the AI Experience Center at Solo Technopark in Surakarta, Central Java; its IDCamp program for AI talent development; and Sahabat AI, an LLM designed specifically for the Indonesian language.

“Our new AI Experience Center, powered by advanced 5G connectivity, is designed to showcase cutting-edge AI, spark new innovations, and develop AI-ready talent. And this is only the beginning,” Sinha explains.

Indosat is planning a larger AI Center of Excellence at the same location. The goal is to turn the center into a key hub for AI infrastructure in Indonesia and a vital resource for developing the talent needed to drive the country’s AI revolution.

“We want our AI Center of Excellence to focus on developing human capital, as we know our success depends on investing in people just as much as in new technologies,” Sinha adds.

Indosat has also made significant progress in other areas of its AI strategy this year. In September, it launched a new AI cloud platform in partnership with Accenture. The platform focuses on delivering AI solutions for Indonesia’s financial services sector.

Earlier, in July, Indosat introduced a suite of AI-powered solutions tailored for the country’s oil and gas industry. It collaborated with AionOS, a joint venture between InterGlobe and Assago Group, as well to develop enterprise solutions with integrated AI capabilities.

Indosat’s commitment to advancing sovereign AI extends to educating the broader public and businesses across various sectors. Also in September, Indosat hosted Banking AI Day, a forum aimed at shaping the future of banking and financial services in Indonesia through the transformative power of AI.

Building on its commitment to showcase AI’s potential and foster a vibrant AI ecosystem in the country, Indosat is organizing Indonesia AI Day 2024. Taking place in Jakarta on November 14, this event will highlight Indosat’s vision of AI as a driving force for the country’s economic growth and technological progress. This aligns with the Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision.

Indonesia AI Day 2024 will showcase the latest developments in the industry, offer insightful panel discussions, and provide opportunities to network with key decision-makers from the government, business leaders, and entrepreneurs in the tech and AI sectors.

The event will also include a pitch competition where startups can showcase the latest AI innovations affecting the economy and connect with industry experts, investors, and mentors who can help their businesses grow. It’s also a great avenue to raise awareness of adopting AI in tackling challenges in agriculture, education, and among MSMEs.

Interested in joining Indonesia AI Day 2024? Register your startup today!

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