Indonesia's deputy minister of communication and digital affairs says workers must build AI skills to handle how generative AI is changing jobs, and he warns the government cannot wait to act.
Nezar Patria said the rapid advancement of generative AI "has changed the way we work, make decisions, and serve the public," according to a statement received Saturday, August 29, 2026. Citing an International Labour Organization report, he noted that nearly one in four workers in the ASEAN region hold jobs exposed to generative AI.
AI's impact reaches beyond employment
Patria said the effects of AI adoption now extend to state revenue and fiscal structure, which makes the issue a matter of national policy rather than an academic exercise. "For the Indonesian government, this finding is not just an academic topic," he said.
The government's approach, he explained, must strengthen its capacity to understand, manage, and use AI from the beginning - so the transformation can be managed before it causes broader damage to the workforce and economy.
Civil servants need retraining now
Patria said upskilling and reskilling civil servants is an urgent need, particularly for those involved in labor, taxation, digital economy, and digital governance policy. They need to understand how AI works, its impacts, and its risks.
"Skills upgrading and retraining are no longer optional," he stressed. He said capacity building should focus on AI literacy, policy analysis skills, and data-based decision-making, and that civil servants should become drivers of digital government transformation. For those working in government roles, this is where practical training fits: AI for Government courses and an AI Learning Path for Policy Makers directly address the skills Patria described.
The deputy minister also said government readiness needs strong governance and cross-sector coordination. "The government must act as a knowledgeable regulator, not a reactive one," he said.
Why this matters for government professionals
If you work in public employment, the pattern is clear: the agencies that will cope with AI adoption are those whose staffs understand how the technology works and what it changes in their specific policy areas. You don't need to become an AI engineer. But knowing how AI affects labor, fiscal planning, and digital services - and being able to spot its risks - is the kind of skill that separates a reactive agency from a prepared one. The deputy minister's message puts that training on the shoulder of every civil servant, not just IT departments.
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