Washington, DC. (07/07/2020). BIANKA or Bincang Karya is a serial-webinar held by the Indonesian Embassy in Washington D.C., USA through the Attaché for Education and Culture. BIANKA Series 1 carries the theme Artificial Intelligence (AI).
A number of figures presented in BIANKA Series 1 including Dr. Rionald Silaban, President Director of LPDP (Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education) Ministry of Finance, the Republic of Indonesia; Prof. Jamal Wiwoho, Chairman of the Council of Rector of Indonesia State Universities; and Dr. Ir. Hammam Riza, M.Sc., Head of the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) Ministry of Research and Technology / National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN: Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional).
The recorded live event of BIANKA Seri-1 can be accessed in the following link http://bit.ly/fb-watch-bianka1
Dr. Ir. Hammad Riza, M.Sc. delivered a presentation on the application of artificial intelligence in responding the Covid-19 outbreak. Currently, the Ministry of Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia is preparing an AI-based application for radiology systems. This application is very much needed by doctors to diagnose patients with suspected Covid-19. The model developed can provide decision making recommendations to detect whether the patient being examined has Covid-19 or not. Artificial intelligence also helps map the distribution of epidemiology, especially in the testing (tracing and tracking of suspected Covid-19 patients) and isolating.
Apart from discussing the application of AI in handling Covid-19, Dr. Riza also explained the readiness of the Ministry of Research and Technology to release the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. Dr. Riza said that Indonesia already has strengths in digital infrastructure (the presence of the Palapa Ring), physical infrastructure, industry, academic collaboration, and capacity training. In fact, Indonesia is lacking of data sets. However, AI will continue to be developed, especially in five priority areas, namely education and research, bureaucratic reform, health care, food security and mobility and smart cities.
The webinar which was chaired by Prof. Popy Rufaidah, the Education and Cultural Attaché, was also attended by Dini Maghfirra, M.Sc, an LPDP scholarship awardee who is currently pursuing a PhD at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United States. The staff of the Ministry of National Development Planning of the Republic of Indonesia (BAPENNAS) presented the importance of using AI in decision making in government sector. Dini explained the various reasons for using AI, the process of implementing it, and the steps for using AI in making decisions in government. Before implementing AI, according to Dini, the government should answer 10 basic questions so that the application developed is effective. In addition, she also presented her research plan on AI-based planning and budgeting platforms for electricity supply in rural areas in Indonesia. The advantages and disadvantages of this platform were also presented in the presentation.