Indonesia's journey toward AI sovereignty took a significant step forward in November 2024 with the launch of Sahabat AI, an open-source Large Language Model ecosystem developed through collaboration between Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, GoTo, NVIDIA, and various Indonesian institutions. As we move through 2025, this initiative continues to evolve, with its development phase naturally shifting from public announcements to focused implementation work.

The Promising Foundation

Sahabat AI emerged with considerable fanfare and support from both private and public sectors. Twimbit cover a blog on Sahabat-AI here. At its launch, Patrick Walujo, CEO of GoTo, articulated a vision of "putting the power of AI into the hands of everyone in Indonesia" by addressing "critical context and cultural reference gaps left by the global large language models”. The initiative was designed to be uniquely Indonesian—built by Indonesians, for Indonesians—with models trained to understand local contexts and languages.

The ecosystem was positioned to serve multiple purposes:

• Enabling seamless business-to-government and business-to-business interactions

• Enhancing government services

• Helping businesses unlock AI-driven solutions specific to their goals

• Reducing the digital divide by simplifying language understanding and preservation^[3]

Current Developments Phase

Recent updates about Sahabat AI indicate ongoing progress, albeit with a shift from public announcements to implementation work. In March 2025, GoTo's CEO Patrick Walujo mentioned that the company would "continue enhancing AI development through Sahabat AI" and was "exploring its use in various applications like chatbots and optical character recognition for merchant menus". Similarly, in February 2025, Indosat's CEO Vikram Sinha referenced Sahabat AI as part of the company's strategy to democratize AI access in Indonesia.

This transition from public announcements to focused development work represents a natural evolution for such an ambitious technological initiative.

1. The Implementation Journey

Sahabat AI appears to be in what technology adoption specialists recognize as the implementation phase—a crucial period between initial launch and widespread adoption. During this phase:

• Technical teams focus on refining models and optimizing performance

• Organizations work diligently to integrate the technology into existing systems

• Development teams address the natural complexity that emerges during implementation

This implementation phase is a normal part of the lifecycle for ambitious technological initiatives, especially those requiring significant infrastructure development and ecosystem building.

2. Shifting Public Attention

Public engagement with AI initiatives naturally evolves over time. The initial excitement often gives way to a period of more measured discussion as the technology moves from concept to practical implementation. This pattern is common across many technological innovations and reflects a healthy maturation process rather than diminished interest.

3. Competition from Global AI Systems

While Sahabat AI focuses on local languages and contexts, it exists within a global AI ecosystem. Recent developments suggest a complementary approach, with Sahabat AI leveraging NVIDIA's cutting-edge platforms like NeMo and NIM microservices while focusing on Indonesia's unique linguistic and cultural needs.

Outlook for Indonesia's Digital Future

The quiet space surrounding Sahabat AI has several potential implications:

Digital Sovereignty

The ongoing development of Sahabat AI represents meaningful progress toward Indonesia's digital sovereignty goals. The recent collaboration between Lintasarta and NVIDIA announced in April 2025 to accelerate AI adoption in Indonesia through GPU Merdeka further strengthens this ecosystem

Cultural Inclusion

Sahabat AI continues to address linguistic and cultural gaps in global AI models. By supporting Bahasa Indonesia and local languages, it enhances accessibility of AI technologies for Indonesia's diverse population.

Several factors indicate Sahabat AI positive momentum:

1. Long-term commitment: Both Indosat and GoTo have consistently reaffirmed their commitment to AI development, with Indosat's initiatives aligned with the government's goal to produce 9 million digital talents by 2030.

2. Public support for localized AI: Research indicates public preference for AI systems that reflect local values and contexts, suggesting potential demand for Sahabat AI's offerings.

3. Integration with existing services: The mention of integrating Sahabat AI into chatbots and OCR systems suggests practical applications are being developed.

Closing Remarks

The journey of Sahabat AI illustrates the natural evolution of ambitious technological initiatives. The current focus on implementation and integration represents a necessary and valuable phase in building truly local, sustainable AI ecosystems.

The quiet period may simply be a natural phase in the initiative's development—a time of building rather than announcing. However, it also serves as a gentle reminder that technological sovereignty requires not just enthusiasm but sustained effort, investment, and public engagement.

As Indonesia continues its path toward the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision, initiatives like Sahabat AI play a vital role in positioning the country as a leader in AI innovation, underscoring its sovereign capabilities and potential influence in the global AI landscape.