Jakarta, 12 May 2026: The Tech for Good Institute (TFGI), in collaboration with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), convened government officials, industry representatives, and policy researchers for a closed-door roundtable discussion titled ‘The Evolution of Tech Governance in Southeast Asia: Governing Emerging Technologies in Indonesia.’

The roundtable provided a platform for regional stakeholders to reflect on the evolving technology governance landscape across Southeast Asia and to examine Indonesia’s strategic priorities in governing emerging technologies, with a particular focus on AI governance amidst rapid technological change and shifting geopolitical dynamics.

The event also marked the launch of the third edition of TFGI’s flagship annual report, The Evolution of Tech Governance in Southeast Asia (2026). Building on previous editions, the report continues to explore how governance policy priorities and governance approaches are evolving across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

The discussion took place against the backdrop of Indonesia’s expanding digital economy, which continues to strengthen the urgency of developing effective governance frameworks for emerging technologies, particularly as ASEAN advances negotiations on the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), which is targeted for completion and signing in 2026. Drawing on findings highlighted in an ERIA report referencing Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning, Indonesia’s digital economy is projected to increase to 20.7% of GDP, or around Rp22,513 trillion (US$1,4 billion), by 2045. These developments indicate the growing importance of adaptive, interoperable, and forward-looking governance approaches to support innovation while ensuring trust, security, and regional digital integration.

In response, Citra Nasruddin, Programme Director of the Tech for Good Institute, said, ‘As technologies evolve rapidly across Southeast Asia, governance approaches must evolve alongside them. Beyond introducing new regulations, it is equally important to understand how institutions make decisions, coordinate implementation, and respond to emerging challenges in practice. Through this roundtable and our ongoing Tech Governance programme, we hope to contribute to more informed, practical, and regionally grounded conversations on the future of digital governance.’

Dr Aladdin D. Rillo, Managing Director for Policy Design and Operations at ERIA, emphasised that the region has reached a critical inflection point. ‘ASEAN's current digital transformation has entered a new phase – the question is no longer whether to regulate, but to ensure institutional frameworks are designed with the market realities they are meant to address. Regional efforts towards meaningful digital economy integration can be done better when it accounts for the varying digital maturity across all eleven ASEAN Member States.’

The discussion opened with a regional overview of technology governance developments across Southeast Asia-6, examining how governments are responding to key policy priorities, including AI, cybersecurity and data protection, and digital platform regulation. The session also explored broader governance trends shaping the region’s digital landscape, including evolving models of digital sovereignty, structural and institutional changes, and regional coordination across Southeast Asia.

‘Governance does not only mean ‘governments.’ In a fast-moving industry like the digital economy, there is room for co-creation across multiple disciplines, collaboration between the public and private sectors, and cooperation across borders. This is to ensure we are crafting regulations that are responsive to the needs of our region, ’ noted Keith Detros, Programme Manager of the Tech for Good Institute.

In her presentation, Dr Randeep Kaur, Digital and AI Policy Economist, ERIA examined the evolving relationship between AI and data governance, highlighting the limitations of existing data protection frameworks in addressing the scale and complexity of AI systems. The session examined emerging policy considerations related to consent, privacy, data governance, and the growing need for adaptive regulatory approaches that balance innovation, trust, and security.

The roundtable brought together representatives from government, academia, industry, and regional policy institutions for an in-depth discussion on Indonesia’s evolving approach to AI and data governance. Participants exchanged perspectives on current regulatory developments, institutional coordination, and the broader implications of regional digital integration, including ongoing ASEAN initiatives.

Key contributors to the discussion included Theodore Sutarto, Deputy Assistant for Digital Economy, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia; Prayoga Wiradisuria, Director of Policy and Program, Indonesian Business Council; Hafiz Noer, Expert, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada; Andreas Tjendra, AI National Advisor and Director AI Innovation, Korika; Angga Airlangga, Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs, IBM; Muhammad Faisal, Head of Partnerships and Investment Ecosystems, Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. Together, they shared their perspectives on Indonesia’s policy priorities and strategic directions for 2026.

As Southeast Asia navigates an increasingly complex technology landscape, ERIA and TFGI will continue to support regional dialogue grounded in research, comparative insight, and the perspectives of those shaping policy on the ground.