Twenty-eight startups and software vendors are already using Nvidia-based infrastructure provided by Indosat to build solutions for various sectors
In sum, what to know:
National AI effort – Indosat, Cisco, and Nvidia are backing Indonesia’s AI Center of Excellence, focused on local innovation, infrastructure and skills development.
Focus on talent and access – The goal is to train 1 million Indonesians in AI and expand AI tools to reach millions by 2027.
Use cases emerging – Bahasa-language models are already enabling healthcare outreach and chatbot-based public services, while policy work on safe AI is underway.
Indonesian telecom operator Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH) is joining forces with Cisco and Nvidia to support the creation of Indonesia’s AI Center of Excellence (CoE).
In a blog post, Nvidia noted that the initiative is led by the country’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) and aims to develop secure AI technologies, grow local talent and promote innovation with help from startups.
The announcement was made during Indonesia AI Day, where the telco’s CEO Vikram Sinha, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins and Nvidia SVP Ronnie Vasishta discussed how AI can drive digital independence and economic development in the Asian nation.
As part of the new AI center, a new Nvidia AI technology center will offer research partnerships, training programs and startup support through the Nvidia Inception program. It will also include Nvidia’s full-stack AI infrastructure and Cisco’s intelligent security systems.
The AI facility will focus on four main areas:
-Sovereign Infrastructure – Building secure and scalable AI infrastructure for Indonesia.
-Secure AI Workloads – Protecting digital assets and data with Cisco-powered tools.
-AI for All – Expanding AI access to hundreds of millions of Indonesians by 2027.
-Talent Development – Training 1 million people in networking, cybersecurity and AI over the next two years.
“With the support of global partners, we’re accelerating Indonesia’s path to economic growth by ensuring Indonesians are not just users of AI, but creators and innovators,” Sinha said.
“The AI era demands fundamental architectural shifts and a workforce with digital skills to thrive,” Robbins said. “Together with Indosat, Nvidia and Komdigi, Cisco will securely power the AI Center of Excellence — enabling innovation and skills development, and accelerating Indonesia’s growth.”
Vasishta added that through the new Nvidia AI Technology Center, Indonesia will be in a better position to build a sustainable AI ecosystem that can serve as a model for nations looking to harness AI for innovation and economic growth.
Currently, 28 startups and software vendors are already using IOH’s Nvidia-based infrastructure to build solutions for sectors like education, healthcare, mobility and food security.
One ongoing project uses IOH’s Sahabat-AI, a suite of Bahasa Indonesian language models, to support government services. For example, an AI health assistant developed with Hippocratic AI helps women over 50 schedule mammograms. Another use case allows residents to ask questions about ID cards, taxes and government services via a chatbot in their own language.
Indonesia is also developing its own AI policy frameworks to ensure that the growth of AI technologies aligns with national values and safety standards.
Looking ahead, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and Nvidia plan to roll out AI-RAN technologies, which combine AI and wireless networks.
The Indonesian telco had opened an AI experience center last year. The facility, located in Central Java, is backed by advanced 5G connectivity, the telco had said.
Earlier this week, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison’s enterprise unit announced the launch of an AI-powered surveillance system aimed at helping Indonesian businesses enhance operational efficiency and support data-driven security decisions.
The new solution, dubbed Vision AI, is a modular platform developed by Indosat Business. It uses real-time video analysis to identify specific patterns and generate early alerts for potential risks or business opportunities.
Potential applications include automated monitoring in hazardous zones, traffic flow analysis for public infrastructure planning, proactive security in public spaces and customer behavior insights for retail and service environments, Indosat said.