1-12-2023 (JAKARTA) Singapore and Indonesia have entered into a new agreement to collaborate on the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool similar to ChatGPT in Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of Indonesia. The collaboration aims to create a large language model (LLM) tool that will be accessible to a wide range of stakeholders, enabling them to leverage AI technology in the Indonesian language.
Four Indonesian entities, including the National Research and Innovation Agency and the Collaboration for Research and Innovation in Artificial Intelligence (Korika), signed a letter of intent with AI Singapore, the national AI program of Singapore, on November 30 in Jakarta. The agreement also involves two AI tool development firms, Glair.ai and Datasaur.ai, which are supported by venture capital firm GDP Venture.
LLMs are powerful tools that process and analyze large amounts of information, allowing them to understand language, generate text, and perform various language-related tasks. The popularity of LLMs has grown significantly since the introduction of ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022, which made this technology accessible to the general public.
According to data from global research firm Statista, Bahasa Indonesia comprises only 0.6% of online content, while English accounts for 58.8%. The collaboration aims to address this disparity by developing an open-source LLM tool specifically designed for Bahasa Indonesia, taking into account the unique linguistic nuances and demands of the language.
Darius Liu, Head of Strategy, Partnerships, and Growth at AI Singapore, highlighted the importance of creating LLM tools that are suited to the Southeast Asian region. While LLMs developed in the United States and China have shown potential in various sectors, they may not fully meet the needs of Southeast Asian countries. Collaborative efforts such as this agreement will help bridge this gap and ensure the representation of Southeast Asian languages in AI technologies.
AI Singapore, established in 2017, brings together research institutions in Singapore to advance knowledge and development in the field of AI. The organization collaborates with international partners to create innovative tech solutions.
Nezar Patria, Deputy Minister of Communication and Informatics of Indonesia, emphasized the role of AI in improving work efficiency and contributing to the country’s economic growth. He projected that by 2030, AI could add US$366 billion (S$488 billion) to Indonesia’s gross domestic product, benefiting not only Indonesia but also the entire Southeast Asian region.
The agreement between Singapore and Indonesia follows the recent recognition of Bahasa Indonesia as the 10th official language of the Unesco General Conference. This designation highlights the significance of the Indonesian language on the global stage, and the collaboration in developing an AI tool for Bahasa Indonesia further reinforces its importance in the digital era.
The signing event, held at the Plaza Senayan mall in central Jakarta, was attended by Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore Suryo Pratomo, underscoring the diplomatic significance of the collaboration.
The collaboration between Singapore and Indonesia aims to develop an AI tool in Bahasa Indonesia, addressing the under-representation of Southeast Asian languages in existing LLMs.
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