Jakarta. Artificial intelligence, video commerce, and social commerce will shape the future of Indonesia's marketing industry, but consumer trust and human capital will remain critical to sustaining long-term growth, speakers said at the MMA Marketing Talk Indonesia 2026 conference on Thursday.

The conference brought together more than 35 business leaders from across industries to discuss how companies can adapt to a rapidly evolving digital landscape driven by advances in AI and changing consumer behavior.

Rohit Dadwal, CEO and board member of MMA APAC, said successful innovation begins with understanding real-world problems rather than pursuing technology for its own sake.

"Innovation starts with identifying real problems. Technology helps us understand people's needs and develop solutions that address those challenges," Rohit said.

He said businesses must pair technological innovation with efforts to build consumer trust by embracing continuous learning and adopting AI responsibly. Company leaders, he added, need to understand both the opportunities and risks of AI before deploying it at scale.

Rohit said Indonesia is well positioned for rapid growth in digital marketing, citing its young population and the rising popularity of video commerce and social commerce.

"Indonesia is in a very strong position. Technology brings scale, speed and connectivity. Over the next three to five years, video commerce and social commerce will become key drivers of growth in the advertising and marketing industry," he said.

Ilham Akbar Habibie, commissioner of PT Ilthabi Rekatama, said Indonesia's global competitiveness ultimately depends on the quality of its human resources.

"We can no longer rely solely on individual excellence. Success requires teamwork, leadership, coordination and supportive regulations," Ilham said.

He also cautioned against relying too heavily on foreign technologies, warning that excessive dependence could expose Indonesia to digital sovereignty risks if geopolitical tensions disrupt access to critical technologies.

Instead, Indonesia should focus on developing its own technological capabilities and shift from competing on low labor costs to boosting productivity through homegrown innovation, he said.

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