Top! 145,000 Civil Servants Will Be Trained by Microsoft to Become Experts in AI
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia –The National Civil Service Agency (BKN) in collaboration with Microsoft Indonesia will conduct digital leadership training and capacity building for 145,000 State Civil Apparatus (ASN) to prepare them for the era of artificial intelligence (AI).
The Head of the National Civil Service Agency (BKN), Zudan, stated that bureaucratic transformation in the era of artificial intelligence is no longer an option, but rather a necessity that all civil servants must immediately respond to. The development of AI will fundamentally change the way government works, especially since many administrative and routine tasks can now be automated by technology.
According to him, the biggest investment the government must make now is developing civil servants who are ready to face the AI era, so they can become the driving force of a professional, innovative, and data-driven bureaucracy.
Zudan directed that future civil servants (ASN) possess agile, digital, and AI-ready characteristics. Civil servants are required not only to be able to use digital technology, but also to have an adaptive mindset, a strong willingness to learn, and a readiness to face rapid change.
Future civil servant competencies will no longer be limited to understanding regulations and administration; they must be strengthened with data literacy, AI literacy, critical thinking skills, complex problem-solving skills, and a growth mindset to be competitive and provide the best service to the public.
“Civil servants must be able to transform from administrative workers into civil servants with analytical and strategic skills, capable of generating solutions to various public problems,” he said, as quoted in a press release on Friday (June 12, 2026).
Zudan emphasized the importance of utilizing technology to accelerate work processes, improve decision-making accuracy, and create faster, easier, and more responsive services.
The National Civil Service Agency (BKN) has implemented various AI-based innovations, such as the BKN AI Chatbot (Melinda), AI Proctoring in the CAT system, automatic classification of personnel documents, and automated document verification and validation. These innovations are part of efforts to modernize ASN management and support the implementation of 12 ASN Pro-Career Policies.
“Ultimately, the goal of this entire transformation is to create a bureaucracy that is increasingly modern, effective, and world-class, while also realizing public services that facilitate, protect, and delight the public, as well as civil servants, in the digital era,” he explained.
“Ultimately, the goal of this entire transformation is to create a bureaucracy that is increasingly modern, effective, and world-class, while also realizing public services that facilitate, protect, and delight the public, as well as civil servants, in the digital era,” he explained.
However, he believes that the success of digital transformation is determined not only by technology, but primarily by the quality of human resources. Therefore, the National Civil Service Agency (BKN) continues to encourage the strengthening of civil servant competencies through various capacity building programs, including collaboration with Microsoft Indonesia and Binar Academy on AI training for civil servants. This program is part of BKN’s efforts, as an agency fostering civil servant management, to support the acceleration of the government’s digital transformation. The strategic collaboration between BKN and Microsoft Indonesia was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding on April 28, 2026.
The training, which ran from May to July 2026, was enthusiastically received by civil servants (ASN), with 12,551 participants already participating and targeting up to 145,000 ASN. The training consisted of six AI for Public Impact classes and one AI Policy Lab for Leaders class. In addition to providing a basic understanding of AI, the training also introduced various practical applications of AI in policy formulation, information processing, increasing work productivity, and developing innovative public services. Meanwhile, AI Policy Lab for Leaders participants received training focused on governance, policy, and the strategic direction of AI implementation in government.
SOURCE : CNBC INDONESIA
