Shanghai, July 18 -- Indonesia joined the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) as a founding member to accelerate domestic artificial intelligence development, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said on Friday.

Hartarto said joining the China-initiated intergovernmental organization would help Indonesia keep pace with rapid advances in AI while enabling the country to contribute to international AI governance.

"The benefit of joining WAICO is to ensure Indonesia does not fall behind in AI development," Hartarto said at a press conference in Shanghai after attending the organization's founding ceremony and the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026.

The pr...