Minister of Communication and Digital Inaugurates Artificial Intelligence Center at Brawijaya University

Minister of Communication and Digital Inaugurates Artificial Intelligence Center at Brawijaya University

The Minister of Communication and Digital (Menkomdigi), Meutya Hafid, inaugurated the Artificial Intelligence Center (AI Center) at Brawijaya University, Malang, East Java, on Sunday.

In her speech, Meutya praised the facilities available at the AI Center, describing them as highly advanced.

"We will continue to encourage this center to deliver significant impacts, particularly in artificial intelligence applications that can provide widespread benefits, such as in the food security sector," she stated.

The AI Center is designed to support research and innovation in developing and utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology across various sectors. Meutya expressed her hope that this facility would become a driving force in the use of AI in fields such as food security, healthcare, agribusiness, logistics, and manufacturing.

"For example, this technology can help farmers optimize crop yields or assist livestock breeders in increasing productivity. This aligns with our goal of achieving food self-sufficiency," she added.

Facilities and Programs at Brawijaya University's AI Center

Brawijaya University's AI Center offers various training and certification programs, covering machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and AI implementation. These programs are tailored for students, lecturers, and professionals, in collaboration with global partners like AWS, Microsoft, and Google.

Additionally, the AI Center provides consulting services for companies and institutions seeking to utilize AI technology to support their operations. The center's team of experts assists with planning, implementation, and evaluation of AI-based systems tailored to specific needs. For example, agribusiness companies can use AI solutions to predict weather patterns or optimize the distribution of harvested crops.

The Importance of Collaboration for Digital Talent

Meutya also highlighted the shortage of digital skills in Indonesia. She emphasized that increasing digital talent requires collaboration between universities and the government.

"In the initial phase, we have started by training 500 students and providing 100 certifications. Moving forward, this number will continue to increase," she said.

According to her, Indonesia's need for digital talent is projected to reach nine million people by 2030. She hopes Brawijaya University's initiative will inspire other universities to take similar steps.

The Rector of Brawijaya University, Prof. Widodo, S.Si., M.Si., Ph.D.Med.Sc., expressed his hope that the AI Center could enhance collaborative research with various partners to advance AI technology.

"We also look forward to guidance from the Minister, as well as other forms of support, to further develop digital talent in Indonesia," he concluded.