Jakarta, INTI - The world is entering a phase in which a country’s strength can no longer be measured solely by the size of its military, territory, or weapons. Technological advances and the flow of information have created a new arena for competition among nations.

National power is increasingly shaped by the ability to control data, manage information, develop technology, and advance artificial intelligence (AI).

AI has become one of the strategic technologies at the center of this transformation. Behind computer screens, data centers, satellites, sensors, and digital networks, AI is increasingly being used to assess situations, predict threats, manage resources, and support decision-making.

Its ability to process millions of data points in seconds, identify complex patterns, assess potential threats, and accelerate decision-making has significantly changed how information can be managed.

Tasks that once required hours, days, or even weeks of analysis by specialized teams can now be supported by AI within seconds.

Across different areas of governance, AI can improve administrative efficiency and data management. In the economic sector, it can support productivity and innovation, while in security, it can assist with territorial monitoring, intelligence analysis, cybersecurity, and strategic decision-making.

Through these capabilities, AI is becoming more than a tool for efficiency. It is increasingly an instrument that can influence national resilience.

AI: A Strategic Advantage and a New Vulnerability

Countries capable of developing and deploying AI have opportunities to strengthen information management, economic productivity, security, and their ability to respond to threats.

However, this growing capability creates a paradox. The greater the power AI provides, the greater the potential risks that can emerge from the same technology.

Technology that enables a country to detect threats can also be used to create new threats. Systems that accelerate the spread of information can also accelerate disinformation, while decision-making systems can potentially be manipulated through data or carefully crafted instructions.

AI can generate false information, propaganda, and digital identities that are increasingly difficult to distinguish from reality. One example is prompt injection, a technique that can manipulate AI systems through specific inputs and potentially cause them to produce harmful or misleading content.

The risks become more significant when such capabilities are used at scale. AI can produce false information in multiple languages and formats, including images, audio, and videos that closely resemble reality.

This means threats to national resilience no longer need to take the form of physical attacks. They can also emerge through information consumed by society every day.

Competition among nations is therefore expanding beyond land, sea, air, and space into the digital domain, where data and algorithms can become strategic assets while digital manipulation can be used to exploit vulnerabilities.

Indonesia and the Challenge of AI Sovereignty

Several countries have recognized this shift and begun incorporating AI into national protection and security strategies. The United States, China, Russia, and Ukraine, for example, have developed and utilized AI in areas involving information security, data analysis, protection, and decision-making.

A 2023 study by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence highlighted the importance of digitalization in strengthening information security and supporting national protection policies. Meanwhile, a 2024 study indicated that Indonesia views China’s AI development as a factor that requires attention within the context of strategic and military competition in the region.

For Indonesia, the challenge is not simply whether AI should be adopted, but how far the country can develop and control the AI ecosystem supporting national interests.

This ecosystem extends beyond applications to include data, data centers, computing infrastructure, algorithms, human resources, cybersecurity, and the technology industry. Excessive dependence on external technologies in any of these areas could create new concerns over technological independence and national resilience.

As an archipelagic nation, Indonesia has significant opportunities to apply AI to border surveillance, maritime monitoring, illegal activity detection, natural resource management, disaster mitigation, cybersecurity, and government information management.

AI could combine satellite data, radar, sensors, Automatic Identification System (AIS) information, and other sources to identify patterns across vast areas and provide earlier warnings of potential threats.

Yet, greater dependence on digital systems also means greater consequences if those systems are compromised, manipulated, or disrupted.

Building national resilience in the AI era therefore requires more than increasing technology adoption. Indonesia needs the capacity to understand, develop, control, and regulate AI.

At least four elements are critical: data, infrastructure, human resources, and governance. Secure and high-quality data, strong digital infrastructure, skilled AI talent, and effective governance will be essential to ensure that AI serves national interests while protecting security and public interests.

AI is neither a threat nor a standalone solution. Its impact depends on who controls it, how it is used, and how prepared a country is to manage its consequences.

For Indonesia, the question is no longer simply how quickly the country adopts AI, but how effectively it can harness and govern AI to strengthen national resilience.

In a world increasingly dependent on algorithms, national resilience is not only about protecting territory and physical resources. It is also about protecting data, securing information, mastering critical technologies, and ensuring that AI remains a source of strength rather than becoming a source of vulnerability.

Conclusion

AI is rapidly becoming a strategic component of national resilience, offering opportunities while creating new forms of vulnerability. For Indonesia, strengthening AI sovereignty requires secure data, robust infrastructure, skilled talent, and effective governance to ensure the technology supports national interests without creating new dependencies.

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