Indonesians Still Worry About AI, Study Reveals Why

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A study led by the Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy (CIIP) revealed that a majority of Indonesian society is still worried about the existence of artificial intelligence (AI). Similar concerns were also found in Malaysia and Cambodia. These findings contrast with Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore, where people are more optimistic about the benefits of AI.

In the latest survey, only 33 percent of Southeast Asian society believed that AI brings benefits to the public, as opposed to the global average of 39 percent.

"We also looked at the aspects of AI from the digital trade, industrial policies, labor policies, and other topics," said Carlos Lpez-Gmez, a researcher from the Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy, IfM Engage, University of Cambridge, during an interview with Tempo at the United Nations (UN) office in Jakarta on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.

A total of 121 countries, including those in Southeast Asia, were surveyed. The survey raised several key questions, including "what makes you feel secure or insecure?"; "what is your opinion about AI?"; "do you consider AI to be safe or not?"; and "what concerns do you face in your daily life?"

This CIIP report is also based on research published by the Lloyd's Register Foundation in 2021, the foundation that subsequently funded the latest survey. There is also support from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Other data sources include the World Risk Poll, also published by Lloyd's Register, containing risk perceptions from around 120,000 respondents in various countries.

Quoting a summary entitled "Policy Making for a Stronger World: Utilizing the World Risk Poll for More Effective Digital, Labor, and Industry Policies" from CIIP and UNIDO, women in Southeast Asia tend to be less optimistic about AI compared to men, especially in areas with low digital inclusion.

According to global-scale data, 42 percent of men and 35 percent of women believe that AI will benefit society more in the next 20 years. In Southeast Asia, this level of optimism is lower. "With only 36 percent of men and 30 percent of women believing in the benefits of AI," is the content of the executive summary.

This finding indicates that countries with low digital inclusion levels such as Cambodia show the largest gender gap in optimism about AI. It is concluded that AI governance should not only consider technical risks but also structural barriers to participation and representation.

The latest CIIP report also revealed that more than 80 percent of respondents in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam are concerned about the theft of personal data. Respondents from three Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, are equally worried about the misuse of personal data by the government.

"These concerns are exacerbated by the increasing cyber threats, such as data leaks and fraud, which erode trust in digital transactions and hinder the growth of digital trade," as stated in the summary of the study.

Marco Kamiya, UNIDO Representative Sub-Regional Office Indonesia, The Philippines and Timor Leste, said that personal data and privacy are important issues that must be protected by law. This aspect must also be guarded by adequate information technology infrastructure, such as cloud computing, e-commerce, banking data, and medical records, which were previously vulnerable to hacking.

He emphasized the vital balance between innovation and regulations. Very stringent controls will hinder innovation, but if they are too lax, they will hinder progress. For Indonesia, one of the frameworks that needs to be considered is the Risk-Based Regulatory Framework. "Which classifies AI systems based on the level of risk and allows lighter regulations for productive sectors to drive innovation," said Marco during an interview with Tempo at the UN office in Jakarta.

He stated that the system in Indonesia must be in line with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards. However, this system must also be aligned with the national framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), especially regarding integration and alignment between countries.

"Regulatory development must be based on a national strategy that integrates ethics with its implementation," Marco added.

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