Jakarta, INTI - Indonesia’s General Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) is equipping election supervisors with knowledge and skills in artificial intelligence (AI) to anticipate potential misuse of the technology ahead of the 2029 General Election.
Bawaslu RI member Lolly Suhenty said the capacity-building initiative aims to help election supervisors understand how AI works while exploring how the technology can be utilized to strengthen election monitoring.
“Bawaslu is first equipping our supervisors at the regional level with an understanding of what AI is, how it works, and how Bawaslu can utilize it. This is part of the capacity-building process currently underway,” Lolly said in Pangandaran, West Java, on Thursday, September 3, 2026.
The initiative comes as AI adoption continues to grow across society, accompanied by emerging cybersecurity risks, including the use of deepfakes to spread disinformation.
Bawaslu Calls for Stronger Authority to Monitor AI
Lolly also called for regulations that would give Bawaslu greater authority to oversee the use of AI ahead of the 2029 election.
“I believe lawmakers are also recognizing this issue. Going forward, there should be efforts to provide Bawaslu with the authority to address and monitor the use of AI, for example,” she said.
Such authority is considered increasingly important as technological developments create new risks of misuse within democratic and electoral processes.
Deepfakes Emerging as a 2029 Election Risk
Achmad Satryo Yudhantoko, Chairman of the Coalition of Election and Democracy Journalists (KPP DEM), said the spread of disinformation through deepfakes could become one of the potential risks facing the 2029 General Election.
“Our analysis identifies deepfake-based disinformation as a growing risk ahead of the 2029 election. Other concerns include polarization and the formation of echo chambers,” he said.
He made the remarks during a media discussion titled “Reflections on Bawaslu’s Leadership Ahead of Five Years,” organized by Bawaslu RI.
Conclusion
The growing use of AI in the electoral landscape presents both opportunities and challenges for Indonesia. While AI can support more effective election monitoring, technologies such as deepfakes can also be exploited to manipulate public opinion and spread disinformation. Strengthening AI literacy among election supervisors, supported by clear regulatory frameworks and stronger oversight authority, will therefore be essential to anticipate emerging digital threats and protect the integrity of the 2029 General Election.
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