Indonesia’s Struggle with AI Talent Shortage and Singapore’s Call for Regional Collaboration

Indonesia is facing a significant shortage of AI talent, hindering its digitalization progress, while Singapore advocates for unified AI efforts in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia’s Battle with AI Talent Shortage

Despite being a frontrunner in AI adoption, Indonesia is grappling with a lack of skilled professionals, posing a threat to its technological advancement. Nezar Patria, Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, highlighted these challenges during the launch of the Indonesian AI Center of Excellence. The country currently has only three million digitally skilled adults, far below the 12 million required to meet its digitalization goals. Patria emphasized the urgent need to address the AI talent gap to drive growth and economic transformation.

While Indonesia has made strides in blockchain education, its AI training initiatives lag behind. Aaron Chatterji, Chief Economist at OpenAI, noted the disparity between Indonesian developers’ high use of AI APIs and their low application development rates. Venture capital firms are also being scrutinized for their reluctance to invest in local AI startups, exacerbating the funding gap compared to the United States. Limited access to technical resources and government support further hinders the development of the AI ecosystem in Indonesia.

Singapore Advocates for Regional AI Cooperation

At the 2025 PECC Conference in Singapore, industry experts emphasized the importance of regional collaboration in AI advancement. Denise Wong, Assistant Chief Executive at IMDA, called for collective action among Southeast Asian nations to leverage AI for societal benefits. While recognizing the economic advantages of AI, Wong cautioned against overlooking potential risks in the absence of proper regulatory frameworks.

Wong stressed the need for region-specific AI models tailored to Southeast Asia’s legal and cultural contexts. She highlighted Singapore’s SEA-LION language model as a successful local adaptation, urging other countries to follow suit. Wong also underscored the significance of enhanced collaboration and regulatory harmonization to foster AI innovation in the region.

AI Progress in Southeast Asia

Despite challenges like limited data sharing mechanisms, ASEAN countries are making strides in AI integration. With Vietnam focusing on AI, the Philippines and Malaysia embracing the technology for diverse applications, and Singapore heavily investing in AI innovation, the region is advancing in AI adoption.

For sustainable AI growth, the integration of enterprise blockchain solutions is crucial to ensure data quality, ownership, and security. The convergence of blockchain and AI technology holds promise for enhancing data integrity and security in the digital landscape.

For more insights on the intersection of blockchain and AI, visit CoinGeek’s coverage of this transformative technology.

Watch the video below to witness the potential synergy between blockchain and AI: Video: Demonstrating the potential of blockchain’s integration with AI