Kominfo Encourages Ethical Use of AI Technology

Jakarta, INTI - Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Budi Arie Setiadi, issued Circular Letter Number 9 of 2023 on Artificial Intelligence Ethics on December 19, 2023.

Director-General of Information and Public Communication of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Usman Kansong, urges companies adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to apply ethical guidelines.

"These ethical guidelines serve as a sort of voluntary regulation. Meanwhile, the Government will provide support from a legislative standpoint," he stated during the Panel Discussion "Road to World Public Relation Forum 2024: AI and the Future of Public Communication" in South Jakarta on Tuesday (23/04/2024).

Director-General Usman Kansong hopes that the presence of ethical guidelines will serve as a reference to reduce the risks of utilizing AI technology for the public communication sector.

"There are risks and vulnerabilities in the use of AI technology, such as polarization, misinformation, copyright infringement, and others," he explained.

Therefore, the Director-General of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology emphasizes the role and human control to minimize the risks of AI technology utilization.

"The capacity and capabilities of human resources in the public relations field must be enhanced. Humans must act as agents, entities that make decisions, determine the direction of the narrative (and context) of information. For that, we (PR human resources) must also upgrade ourselves," he emphasized.

Adaptive and Ethical

Special Staff III of the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Arya Mahendra Sinulingga, stated that the integration of public relations practices with AI technology is inevitable. He believes that PR practitioners must adapt to the presence of this technology.

"Artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in managing and utilizing information quickly and effectively," he said.

Arya Sinulingga reminded that not all human roles can be replaced by artificial intelligence. One of them relates to the preparation of public communication narratives.

"It requires wisdom, such as what narrative or context of information you actually want to convey to the public. Or, in selecting keywords," he explained.

Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Public Relations Association (Perhumas), Dorien Kartikawangi, explained that the integration of public relations practices with artificial intelligence has been happening since 2016. It is not only for analyzing data and identifying trends but also for tracing and measuring the impact of a public relations program.

"One form of AI utilization is to create press releases. Is this practice wrong? Not wrong. But remember, always prioritize authenticity, originality. How genuine is the message you convey," she clarified.

Dorien Kartikawangi emphasized the importance of alignment with regulations and the implementation of ethics in sustainable public relations practices.

"And when talking about the implementation of ethics in the field of public relations, it will be closely related to the moral values ​​that accompany humans in behavior," she concluded.

The Road to WPR is part of the World Public Relations Forum (WPRF), which will be held in Merusaka, Nusa Dua, Bali, on November 19-22, 2024. The forum will serve as a dynamic platform for the exchange of ideas, strategies, and best practices among professionals, academics, and industry leaders.

The collaboration between the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management with Perhumas and Katadata brings together the best thinkers in the fields of public relations and communication management from around the world.

With the theme "Purposeful Influence for the Common Good," WPRF 2024 aims to address the challenges and opportunities in the PR industry, foster dialogue on innovation, ethical practices, and the role of PR in society and organizations.