As Indonesia accelerates its digital transformation, young voices are becoming essential to ensuring that technology serves society. The roundtable revealed the complex realities behind digital-adoption statistics: rural communities sometimes question the relevance of technology, while urban youth raise concerns about data security.  The promise and challenges of Indonesia’s digital journey highlight the need for inclusive approaches that address regional disparities and position young people as co-creators and active participants in development – not merely beneficiaries.

At the roundtable event, the conversation centred on the human dimension of digital transformation, exploring how young Indonesians interact with technology across various socio-economic and geographic contexts. Participants shared insights from many regions, noting sharp contrasts between Java’s concentrated tech ecosystem and underserved areas in eastern Indonesia. The discussion revealed that behind each policy initiative lie fundamental questions of equity, access, and meaningful participation in the digital economy.

Key Takeaways:

1. Digital literacy must evolve to enable productive potential

The roundtable revealed a striking paradox: while connectivity improves, the ability of young Indonesians to translate access into meaningful outcomes varies widely

Participants agreed that the core task is no longer simply teaching young people to use technology, but enabling them to think with it. In this context, AI prompting emerged as a crucial competence, shifting success from memorising commands to nurturing the intellectual agility to frame problems, consider context, and thoughtfully assess results.

In addition, financial-literacy discussions further revealed that access without understanding can create vulnerability. One participant pointed out that increased access to digital financial services such as online loans has not been matched by financial or digital literacy. Misuse and mismanagement are common, especially when background checks are limited and user understanding remains low. In remote regions, this mismatch could slow innovation and further widen opportunity gaps.

Broader data reinforced this concern on digital literacy: only 50% of Indonesia’s digital talent possess basic and intermediate digital skills, while only 1% possess advanced-level expertise in AI and other emerging technologies. Achieving inclusive digital literacy therefore requires not only technical know-how but also critical reflection on power, ethics, and agency.

2. Strengthening Indonesia’s digital talent pool

Participants noted significant contradictions in Indonesia’s digital-transformation narratives. While training initiatives are proliferating nationwide,the lack of strategic coordination risks producing graduates whose skills do not align with industry requirements. Talented youth complete programmes disconnected from real-world needs; companies seek capabilities that training providers overlook; and regional disparities persist.

As such, participants called attention to the need for targeted bootcamps and training in rural areas, particularly those that align with Indonesia’s development priorities such as agriculture and food security, where digital adaptation is essential.

Against this backdrop, participants advanced a vision of “pentahelix collaboration”. This framework views talent development not as a series of isolated training sessions,  but as an interconnected ecosystem where government policy, academic research, private-sector innovation, civil-society advocacy, and balanced media narratives reinforce one another. Promising examples already exist, such as the Pijar Future Talent Hub, which demonstrates how industry can engage youth directly when supportive structures are in place. With forecasts indicating a need for an additional 9 million digital talents by 2030, Indonesia has an opportunity to move beyond conventional skills training and build an intellectual infrastructure that anticipates and helps shape future technological demands.

3. Measurable progress matters

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was that progress must be measurable. Scaling any digital or AI-related initiative requires defining clear metrics and indicators. This concern aligned with the observation of a significant gap between high expectations and limited visibility into actual impact.

While enthusiasm for technological advances remains strong, many programmes launch without robust measurement frameworks, making it difficult to determine whether they are delivering real benefits or just meeting numerical targets.  Participants asked crucial questions: Where has success been demonstrated? Which metrics genuinely matter? How can we ensure transparent tracking of progress?

This challenge aligns with broader concerns about monitoring the progress of digital transformation, where traditional metrics often fail to capture the deeper, more meaningful changes that occur. In what participants called a “policy paradox,” the more vigorously stakeholders push for digital progress, the harder it becomes to gauge tangible outcomes.

In conclusion, the roundtable reinforced a vital message: building a confident digital society is not only about keeping pace with innovation, but also empowering the next generation to shape its direction. By addressing disparities, fostering critical literacy, and ensuring measurable progress, Indonesia can unlock the full potential of its youth and create a more inclusive digital future.