TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Former Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) revealed several discussion points at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026 in New Delhi, India, on Friday, February 20, 2026. Jokowi attended the forum and met with several world figures.
Jokowi mentioned that the forum discussed issues of data sovereignty and artificial intelligence (AI) sovereignty. He stated that nearly all participating countries emphasized the importance of data and AI sovereignty in accelerating global digital transformation.
“Data sovereignty is an absolute and very important matter, especially for developing countries,” Jokowi said when met by reporters at his residence in Solo, Central Java, on Friday, February 27, 2026.
Jokowi stated that the mastery and protection of national data must be a priority to avoid complete dependence on external parties in managing strategic information. However, he considered AI sovereignty to be a far more complex challenge. Even large countries, he said, would face difficulties in being truly independent in this sector.
He pointed out that even the United States still depends on semiconductor imports and international talent to develop the AI ecosystem. “Even for large countries, I think it’s difficult. Semiconductors are still imported from other countries. There are also many international talents,” he said.
Therefore, Jokowi emphasized that the main focus for developing countries at present is to build a strong digital infrastructure foundation. This infrastructure includes satellites, data centers, fiber optic networks, and Base Transceiver Station (BTS) towers. These elements are all considered crucial to supporting the transition to an AI-based economy.
He predicted that within the next five to fifteen years, there will be a major revolution in AI. According to him, almost all human activities will be integrated with AI technology. Therefore, in addition to infrastructure, the readiness of human resources and regulations should also be a serious concern.
“All countries must prepare. The digital infrastructure, human resources, and regulations are all prepared. There will be a major shift from a normal economy to a digital economy, and then enter the AI or intelligent economy,” he said.
The Bloomberg New Economy Forum is a global dialogue event that brings together government leaders, business practitioners, and technology figures to discuss global economic challenges and digital transformation. One of the main focuses of this year’s discussion is AI sovereignty in the context of increasingly intense global technological and geopolitical competition.
Read: Jokowi Attends Private Breakfast at Bloomberg New Economy Forum
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