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Tracy
Tracy
Oct 08 2026
38The first two days brought together leaders from 25 member economies, saw the launch of a cybersecurity policy report, and highlighted Coordinating Minister AHY’s address on infrastructure in the age of AI and his receipt of ASOCIO’s highest honorary award.
Jakarta brought together technology industry leaders from across Asia–Oceania during the first two days of the ASOCIO Digital & AI Summit 2026. Held at Swissôtel Jakarta PIK Avenue and hosted by APTIKNAS, the programme on 5–6 October combined strategic meetings among members, dialogue between government and industry, and recognition of contributions to the digital ecosystem. A highlight of the second day was the address by Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), who also received the Special Honorary Leadership Award.
The first day, Monday, 5 October, opened with a closed session of the ASOCIO General Assembly. Board representatives from 22 member economies attended in person in Jakarta, while three member economies joined online, bringing representation from 25 member economies together in one regional forum.
The General Assembly provided a forum to strengthen the organisation and discuss the direction of ASOCIO cooperation. The agenda also included the election of its leadership for the 2027–2028 term. For Indonesia, one outcome was the election of Karim Taslim as ASOCIO Vice Chairman for that term, representing APTIKNAS.
The programme continued that evening with a Welcome Dinner & Networking event attended by Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ni Luh Puspa. ASOCIO Chairman Stan Singh-Jit also delivered welcome remarks to the delegates. The evening gave participants an opportunity to continue conversations and build relationships beyond the formal sessions.
In her remarks, Ni Luh Puspa highlighted how digital technology and artificial intelligence are changing tourism, from the way destinations are promoted and trips are planned to the experiences visitors enjoy during their stay. Under Tourism 5.0, AI, machine learning and data-driven approaches form part of the development of Indonesia’s tourism ecosystem.
One example highlighted was MaIA, the AI-powered travel assistant on the Indonesia.travel platform, which helps travellers discover destinations and plan more personalised trips. The talking points also highlighted the digitalisation of event permits to support a more efficient and integrated events ecosystem.
The remarks placed culture, creativity and hospitality at the heart of the Indonesian tourism experience. Technology helps make that experience more connected, accessible and relevant to travellers. The ASOCIO forum provided an opportunity to present Indonesia as a MICE destination and a gateway for technology tourism in Asia–Oceania.
The second day, Tuesday, 6 October, began with the Grand Opening of the ASOCIO Digital Summit, setting the stage for the technology and industry forum. This was followed by the launch of the ASOCIO Cybersecurity Policy Report, placing cybersecurity on the regional cooperation agenda as the use of digital services and AI continues to expand.
The report launch opened up discussion of cybersecurity policy among stakeholders from across the member economies. In an increasingly connected digital ecosystem, trust and security are central to conversations about growth and the use of technology.
As part of the same programme, ASOCIO presented Special Recognition & Appreciation to V2 Indonesia, led by Founder & CEO Rudi Hidayat; Erlin Veronica Hartanto, President Director of WGS; and Sue McTaggart of Dark Defensive.
The recognition of V2 Indonesia through Rudi Hidayat highlighted its pioneering contributions to advanced media and immersive technology, as well as the development of future-oriented technology experiences in Indonesia. The appreciation segment complemented the opening programme by recognising contributions from industry.
Following the opening, the programme continued with keynote addresses, plenary panels and fireside chats. These formats brought together presentations of ideas, discussions among leaders and more focused conversations throughout the ASOCIO Digital Summit.
Later that afternoon, Award Night officially opened with the attendance of Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY). In his keynote, Infrastructure in the Age of AI, AHY highlighted the development of smart, connected and resilient regions as an important context for digital transformation.
His presentation highlighted three complementary dimensions of connectivity: physical, digital and energy. Physical connectivity encompasses transport infrastructure that enables the movement of people and links economic activity. Digital connectivity includes fibre-optic networks, broadband, satellites, cloud infrastructure and data centres. Energy connectivity, meanwhile, must be reliable and sustainable to power the digital economy.
This framework illustrated the relationship between AI adoption and infrastructure readiness. Mobility, digital networks and energy supply need to develop in an integrated way so that the benefits of technology can reach more regions. This perspective brought the summit’s discussions to the foundations needed to support digital services and economic growth.
On the same occasion, AHY received the Special Honorary Leadership Award, the highest award conferred by ASOCIO. The honorary recognition acknowledged his Digital Infrastructure and Regional Connectivity Leadership, particularly his role in strengthening digital infrastructure and regional connectivity.
The award recognised his strategic leadership in advancing integrated infrastructure, digital connectivity, sustainable regional development and the foundations of an inclusive and resilient digital economy. The rationale for the recognition also highlighted the importance of narrowing gaps in access to technology and linking infrastructure development with public welfare and more equitable regional growth.
The Special Honorary Leadership Award represents institutional recognition of AHY’s leadership contributions. Its presentation reinforced the forum’s focus on the relationship between infrastructure policy, regional readiness and the future of the Asia–Oceania digital economy.
The first two days of the ASOCIO Digital & AI Summit 2026 demonstrated the breadth of opportunities for technology cooperation in the region, from strengthening association leadership, applying AI in tourism and developing cybersecurity policy to preparing infrastructure for the digital economy. For Indonesia as host, the Jakarta gathering offered an opportunity to deepen ties with Asia–Oceania partners and connect national industry capabilities with regional networks.
