Jakarta. United Tractors, the heavy equipment subsidiary of Astra, held a workshop for journalists on artificial intelligence (AI) on Thursday.

The new technology has disrupted many industries, including newsrooms. In response to the current trends, United Tractors sought to give journalists insights to the latest AI developments, trends, and the dynamics within the media industry. The workshop also became an opportunity for United Tractors to forge stronger ties with various news outlets.

Ari Sutrisno, United Tractor’s director for human capital, sustainability, and corporate communications, said that digital transformation had become an integral part of the company’s operations. The company had implemented the so-called big data project since 2017. This initiative had driven up the use of technology within its operations, thereby providing a major boost to efficiency.

“This digital transformation is an extraordinary movement. It [technology] allows us to monitor the fuel that our heavy equipment consumes from [our office] in Jakarta, even down to the vehicle’s plate number. We can monitor what’s happening on the ground from the control room or even from our own laptops, without having to go on site,” Ari said.

Deputy Communications Minister Nezar Patria said that he found the conference to come at the right time as today’s media industry had to deal with the emergence of AI.

“This workshop discussed many interesting and challenging aspects, including on how to use AI in the newsroom and the things that [journalists] have to pay attention to. It also dealt with how media companies can survive amidst massive technological advancements,” the ex-journalist said.

The Press Council has issued specific guidelines for technology use in news production to make sure that any produced work adheres to the principles of journalism, according to Nezar. He added that any technology use must not sacrifice the quality of journalism, while also warning that AI had fueled the spread of misinformation. 

The government is also currently drafting a presidential regulation and a white paper on AI. These documents are expected to serve as a foundation for AI development in Indonesia, including its security aspects. Nezar told reporters that the presidential regulation would likely enter the next phase of harmonization by the end of the month. This is the process that aims to make sure that the document aligns with existing regulations.

Nezar also has high hopes for AI development in the country as he wished the country could one day develop its own AI technology.

“We want to see Indonesians developing the country’s very own AI. Digital sovereignty is crucial amidst the current geopolitical dynamics,” Nezar said.