Jakarta. Former President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo made a closely watched international appearance at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore, saying that artificial intelligence, or AI, won’t kill but create jobs as long as countries train their people.

In a speech delivered entirely in English, Jokowi looked back on why he focused on infrastructure development as president. According to Jokowi, the roads and digital networks he had built -- on top of innovation-friendly regulations -- had laid the groundwork for innovations and the “intelligent economy”. The 64-year-old reminded the room how data and information hold power to determine a country’s strength. Jokowi also addressed the global anxiety of AI displacing workers -- something that he said would not happen if leaders can equip both the current and future workforce with great digital skills.

“The intelligent economy is not only about technology. It is about preparing people. The other big question may arise in our mind: ‘will job opportunities disappear in the era of intelligent economy?’. The answer is no,” Jokowi told the broadcasted conference.

“I really disagree that job opportunities will disappear. In fact, I believe that there will be more jobs and more opportunities to come if we make sure our people are ready for them. We must ensure they know and study AI, coding, algorithm, and machine learning,” he remarked.

Indonesia’s supportive ecosystem had allowed tech giants like ride-hailing app Gojek, online marketplace Tokopedia, and healthcare platform Halodoc to grow, Jokowi said. He also underlined how Southeast Asia was on track to becoming a breeding ground for “unicorns” or startups with a valuation of at least $1 billion.

“Across the region, millions of young people are building startups. Millions of small businesses are moving online. New unicorns are emerging. Southeast Asia is no longer just a market. It is becoming a global force,” Jokowi stated.

“The next unicorn may not come from Silicon Valley or Shenzhen. It may come from Jakarta, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila or Hanoi."

His son Gibran Rakabuming Raka has been heavily promoting AI since assuming the vice presidential role last October. Earlier this year, Gibran reminded the country’s young entrepreneurs how “AI is not a threat, but a tool to boost productivity”. President Prabowo Subianto, too, had told fellow world leaders at the recent APEC forum that Indonesia had been using AI “for precise and modern agricultural techniques”, which had enabled the country to become self-sufficient in rice production.

Jokowi led Southeast Asia’s biggest economy between 2014 and 2024.