On April 21, 2025, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair met with Indonesia’s minister of communication and digital (Komdigi), Meutya Hafid, in Jakarta.

They discussed AI governance, e-SIM technology implementation, and strategies to enhance Indonesia’s digital talent pool.

This meeting is part of an ongoing collaboration between Kemkomdigi and the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), which has supported Indonesia’s digital transformation since 2024.

The discussions covered responsible AI use, strengthening digital infrastructure, and improving public services through e-SIM-based digital identification.

TBI reaffirmed its commitment to helping Indonesia accelerate digital strategies and public services. They also addressed technical priorities such as undersea cable governance, data centers, and adaptive AI policies.

🔗 Source: Kementerian Komunikasi dan Digital Indonesia

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Indonesia’s strategic AI positioning reflects global governance challenges

Indonesia’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, released in 2020, targets five key areas: health services, bureaucratic reform, education, food security, and smart cities, positioning the country as a major AI hub in Southeast Asia 1.

Indonesia already boasts the highest AI adoption rate in Southeast Asia at 24.6%, with projections suggesting AI integration could add $366 billion to its GDP by 2030 1.

The Tony Blair Institute’s involvement comes at a critical time when surveys show public sentiment toward AI governance is cautious, with strong support for regulation but skepticism about governments’ and tech companies’ abilities to self-regulate effectively 2.

This partnership reflects a growing global preference for multi-stakeholder approaches to AI governance, involving diverse actors in setting ethical standards rather than relying solely on governmental or corporate oversight 2.

2️⃣ Digital talent gap remains Indonesia’s biggest transformation hurdle

Despite Indonesia’s ambitious digital initiatives, Dimension Data’s technology trends report identified that the country’s human resources remain unprepared for digital transformation, highlighting a critical shortage of innovation and breakthrough thinking 3.

This talent gap presents a significant challenge for Indonesia’s digital aspirations, including AI development, as the country competes within Southeast Asia where the ASEAN Digital Integration Index already indicates low scores in digital skills and talent development 4.

The disparity in digital transformation progress among Indonesian companies highlights the uneven distribution of digital capabilities across the economy 3.