Indonesia can catch up in AI, robotics advancements: Airlangga

Shanghai (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto expressed confidence that Indonesia can catch up with China’s current advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

"China has made extraordinary progress in the application of AI and robotics, so Indonesia must catch up with what they are doing," Airlangga told ANTARA in Shanghai on Saturday.

He made the remarks while touring exhibition booths at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, which runs from July 17 to 20, 2026.

Established in 2018, WAIC has become one of the premier global gatherings for artificial intelligence, intelligent computing, and embodied intelligence.

According to the minister, China's robotics industry has advanced tremendously and offers incredible flexibility, particularly for the wide range of tasks that can now be automated using robots.

Airlangga stated that he will brief President Prabowo Subianto on his findings from the exhibition, as well as his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

"We will certainly report this so that moving forward, we do not lag in AI development, particularly in robotics and the renewable energy sector," he added.

At the exhibition, which involves 1,100 companies showcasing 3,000 products and technologies, Minister Airlangga visited several booths, including Unitree Robotics, a Hangzhou-based robotics company founded in 2016.

Earlier on Thursday (July 16), Airlangga represented Indonesia in signing an agreement on establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), becoming one of the 29 founding members.

He noted that by leveraging WAICO, Indonesia can expand opportunities for technology transfers, investment, and AI research center development, as well as enhance the productivity and competitiveness of local startups and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

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Translator: Desca Lidya, Raka Adji

Editor: Azis Kurmala

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