Investment in AI Technology Predicted to Reach Rp107 Trillion in 2027

Dream - The growth trend of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in Indonesia is predicted to reach 27 percent in 2027. Furthermore, investment in AI is estimated to continue increasing to a value of US$7 billion or around Rp107.106 trillion (with an exchange rate of Rp15,300 per US dollar).

According to VP IT Strategic, Architecture & Innovation Head of BNI, Sankata Lee, the banking sector in the future will utilize AI technology for various collaborations.

“The role of AI technology is not only important for banking but will develop into an ecosystem and community,” he said during a panel discussion on the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the banking/financial sector, at the Indonesia Digital Conference (IDC) and AMSI Awards 2023 held by the Indonesian Siber Media Association (AMSI) at Hotel El Royale, Bandung, West Java on August 22, 2023.

Sankata added that with the business model already transformed into digital, customer services have also changed.

“In the past, it was about how to simplify account opening and transactions, but now it is about providing data-based services by processing and analyzing customer data and detecting fraud through the use of AI,” he explained.

However, the use of AI technology requires strong cyber security to protect data. Output and accuracy also need to be considered when adopting AI.

“The more inaccurate the data, the more expensive and incorrect the output from using AI,” he emphasized.

Nevertheless, Sankata suggested that the adoption of AI technology needs to be well-regulated because improper use of AI will harm the company itself.

“If we adopt AI technology, the foundation of data quality must be correct, including data accountability and transparency. Data can still be accessed but it must be secure. Transparency does not mean uncontrolled,” he conveyed.

AI Technology Can Transform the Financial Sector

The President Director of Super Bank, Tigor Siahaan, also believes that the use of AI technology can transform the financial sector, such as in terms of automation, customer engagement and services, fraud detection, monitoring, and collection. It can also help in making better credit decisions.

He added that the use of ChatGPT technology in banking can assist in financial analysis and reporting, risk assessment, and credit analysis. It can also be used for compliance monitoring, investment insights, market research, and language translation.

For Tigor, the use of AI technology is one way to progress because traditional methods cannot be as fast as using AI. AI and digital transformation are the only ways to enter financial literacy. However, the challenges in its implementation are related to regulations and the ability of human resources to adopt it.

“We need to bring the best global talents to Indonesia to transfer knowledge and skills related to AI,” he suggested.

Tigor regrets that the total number of expatriates working in Indonesia is only 100,000. Meanwhile, in other countries such as Singapore, it reaches 2 million people, Japan has 3-4 million people, and Thailand has around 4 million people.

“Indonesia should have a target to attract, for example, 2 million qualified expatriates who can teach AI technology so that we can learn from each other,” he said.

NPL Can Decrease

Meanwhile, Dyah NK Makhijani from the Indonesia Fintech Society believes that the use of AI is a necessity. However, the spectrum of AI is very broad, so better governance is needed.

She provides an example in one fintech lending platform that provides loans to motorcycle taxis, where there are 28 factors that determine whether a loan should be granted or not.

“All processes must use AI. Without AI, for example, fraud detection cannot be done,” she said.

Dyah mentioned that the use of AI can increase efficiency and effectiveness in the financial sector. With AI, KYC processes are faster, NPL decreases, and it can assist consumers with virtual assistants.

IDC and AMSI Awards Program

Meanwhile, Director of Public Affairs at VIDA Digital Identity, Chaerany Putri, suggests that digital literacy should be socialized together by the government, industry players, and other stakeholders.

“Policy changes need to be continuously socialized, such as data protection, because without trust, electronic transactions will become more challenging in the future,” she emphasized.

She hopes that with AI technology, business transformation can be accelerated. However, its implementation must still be in line with Indonesian regulations so that it does not exceed limits.

The IDC and AMSI Awards program is part of the AMSI's collaboration program with Internews and USAID MEDIA to build media business sustainability in Indonesia.

In this year's event, IDC and AMSI Awards also received support from PT Astra International Tbk, PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (Persero), Mining Industry Indonesia (MIND ID), PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, PT Pertamina (Persero), PT Adaro Energy Tbk, PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk, Bank BJB, Harita Nickel, PT XL Axiata Tbk, and Minderoo Foundation.

Source: amsi.or.id