Jakarta. The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping not only the way people work but also the broader business and creative industries. Against this backdrop, annual creative festival IdeaFest 2026 is placing human qualities such as empathy, intuition and emotional connection at the center of its agenda under the theme “Rehumanize.”

The theme highlights the importance of preserving the human element as automation and AI become increasingly integrated into the workplace.

IdeaFest co-founder Ben Soebiakto said AI-driven efficiency had significantly changed the working landscape, particularly for younger employees in the creative sector.

“The way we work in the office has changed significantly. People in their 20s today are very AI-savvy. In fact, their team is AI,” Ben said at a press conference for IdeaFest 2026 on Friday.

While AI can accelerate a wide range of tasks, Ben warned that excessive reliance on automation could weaken intuitive interaction and collaboration between people — capabilities that remain fundamental to business innovation.

“How do we make sure our core identity as humans remains intact? We have to be smart about managing teams and using technology wisely without losing empathy and human values,” he said.

From a business perspective, AI can significantly shorten production times, from initial research and data processing to preparing early drafts of creative work. But creative leadership, strategic decision-making and product differentiation still require human judgment and critical thinking to prevent output from becoming generic.

The push to preserve the human role alongside technological advances has also received support from telecommunications and digital infrastructure companies.

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, one of IdeaFest 2026’s strategic partners, said it was committed to developing an AI ecosystem that keeps humans in control of how the technology is used.

Ovidia Nomia, senior vice president and head of corporate communications at Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, said AI should be viewed as an accelerator rather than a replacement for the strategic role of humans.

“AI cannot be avoided. This is the direction of our future. However, there must be an obligation to maintain the human touch. AI will become increasingly intelligent when we interact with it and provide feedback, but the goal is to help improve people’s lives,” Ovidia said.

Indosat has continued to strengthen Indonesia’s AI infrastructure by providing high-performance computing and collaborating with global players including Ooredoo Group, Nokia and Nvidia through its Sahabat AI initiative. The company is also developing local digital talent as part of its efforts to support the country’s growing AI ecosystem.

Now in its 15th year, IdeaFest is further positioning itself as a cross-sector platform for collaboration. This year’s festival involves more than 27 communities, features 300 collaborative tenants and offers more than 200 discussion sessions, with 75 percent of the speakers making their IdeaFest debut.

The organizers expect IdeaFest 2026 to serve not only as a forum for exchanging ideas and insights, but also as a platform for forging new business partnerships that can contribute to the sustainable growth of Indonesia’s creative economy.

As AI continues to reshape the workplace, IdeaFest 2026 argues that technological progress does not have to come at the expense of human creativity. Instead, the festival is promoting a model in which technology accelerates innovation while empathy, critical thinking and human connection remain at its core.

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