Jakarta, June 19, 2026 – Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly integrated into various aspects of daily life in Indonesia. However, as its adoption expands, so does the need to ensure data security. Data protection is no longer just about preventing data breaches, but also about ensuring that data cannot be misused by unauthorized parties. As a result, strong authentication has become a critical component in building a secure and trusted digital ecosystem.
This urgency was also highlighted by Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Nezar Patria, during his keynote speech at the Garuda AI Impact Summit 2026. Nezar emphasized that the challenges surrounding AI now extend beyond technology itself, encompassing digital literacy, public trust, and society's readiness to adopt and use AI responsibly.
According to him, the future divide will not only exist between those who are connected and those who are not, but also between those who can leverage AI productively and those who are left behind by the transformation.
During the same event, Founder and Group CEO of VIDA, Niki Luhur, shared his perspective in a panel discussion titled "AI for Digital Public Services." He argued that successful AI adoption depends heavily on public trust in the security of the technology. In his view, trust can only be established when security and convenience coexist within every digital service.
"Digital transformation does not require sacrificing security for convenience, or vice versa. With the right system design and architecture, both can coexist and reinforce one another," said Niki.
Niki illustrated this concept through the example of ransomware attacks, where threat actors use cryptography to encrypt and lock data, preventing legitimate owners from accessing it. He explained that the same principle can be applied to data protection.
"If fraudsters use cryptography to lock our data, then we need to lock the data first so that no one else can use it," Niki added.
Once data is secured, institutions must also control access through strong authentication systems. According to Niki, these systems must be able to determine who is authorized to access data, who holds the keys that grant access, and how every access event can be monitored and audited. This ensures that data is not only technically protected, but can only be used by legitimately authorized individuals.
Authentication is particularly critical because nearly 95% of global data security and cybersecurity breaches originate from weak authentication systems. Authentication can be established through something users know (what you know), biometric identifiers such as facial recognition or fingerprints (who you are), and trusted devices owned by users (what you have).
Once personal data has been compromised, that information alone is no longer sufficient to prove that the person accessing an account is its legitimate owner. Furthermore, AI-powered fraud schemes are no longer limited to targeting faces and voices, but are increasingly exploiting devices, networks, and even user behavior.
In closing, Niki expressed his appreciation for the government's efforts in laying the foundation for a national digital identity ecosystem. He noted that Indonesia has already established identity verification standards aligned with global best practices and continues to strengthen them through adaptive regulations.
"I am optimistic that AI can become a game changer for digital security. The technology already exists, the standards are already in place, and the regulations continue to evolve. What we need now is faster implementation," Niki concluded.
More information about VIDA's digital identity and authentication solutions can be found at vida.id.