Jakarta, 27 May - UNESCO and the Ministry of Communications and Informatics (KOMINFO) have initiated a joint diagnostic exercise to evaluate Indonesia’s national AI readiness. This assessment employs the AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM), a holistic, multi-dimensional tool aligned with the global standard set by the 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. 

Indonesia along with 193 other Member States has committed to these standards. The RAM supports countries gauge their readiness to implement AI ethically and responsibly for the benefits of all their citizens. 

Following the adoption of UNESCO Recommendation on AI Ethics and the successful launch of KOMINFO’s Circular Letter on AI Ethics Number 9, 2023, both has jointly worked on the preparation of RAM since early 2024. This tool assesses Indonesia’s preparedness to deploy AI responsibly and ethically, touching upon various aspects such as 1) legal/regulatory; 2) socio-cultural; 3) economy; 4) scientific and educational; and 5) technical/infrastructural. The initiative aims to ensure that AI development in Indonesia is aligned with UNESCO ethical standards and complement local strategy and policy.

The launch was also a platform to inform stakeholders from multiple sectors about the utility of the RAM tool in evaluating Indonesia’s AI policy and development landscape. Key experts from UNESCO Headquarters (AI Ethics Team), national experts from academia, civil society organization, and private sectors are also present to contribute to the discussion. All sessions are designed to promote active conversation among over 100 multidisciplinary AI experts encouraging them to share their inputs, expertise, priorities, and concerns to ensure robust and successful RAM implementation.

UNESCO dan KOMINFO invite all stakeholders to continuously support and participate for the development of AI Indonesia, that are transparent and inclusive.

About UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence:

With its unique mandate, UNESCO has led the international effort to ensure that science and technology develop with strong ethical guardrails for decades. UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence was launched and adopted by 194 member states in November 2021. The Recommendation is the first global standard setting instrument with applicable Policy Action Areas, which allow policymakers to translate the core values and principles into action with respect to data governance, environment and ecosystems, gender, education and research, and health and social wellbeing, among many other spheres.

About Readiness Assessment Methodology:

The Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) includes a range of quantitative and qualitative questions designed to gather information about different dimensions related to a country’s AI ecosystem, including the legal and regulatory, social and cultural, economic, scientific and educational, and technological and infrastructural dimensions.  Implementation of RAM in Indonesia is supported by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.