Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Cautions Deepfake Digital Fraud

Jakarta: The exploitation of Artificial Intelligence for deepfake has striked a moral and security dilemma for Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Wamenkomdigi), Nezar Patria. Deepfake technology enables the creation of fake videos, images, and voices that deeply resemble real actors, making it difficult to distinguish the real with the synthetic.
 
Nezar explained at the Indonesian Ethical AI Summit in Jakarta, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, “now our voices can be imitated, our facial expressions can be imitated, and 'deepfake' videos generated by AI are capable of seamlessly imitating our persons."
 
According to Nezar, the development of artificial intelligence has progressed at an alarming rate, surpassing entire phases, having leaped from the generative artificial intelligence (generative AI) phase to the autonomous artificial intelligence (agentic AI) phase within a short time span. Though its development brings with it significant benefits to various sectors, the risks that arise from it will require serious attention.
 
Cybersecurity concerns stem from the exploitation of AI by digital criminals, used to deceive people through deepfake technology. Nezar believes that AI-based manipulation has evolved into synthetic reality, with digitally engineered content becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from reality.
 
He added that the public's limited literacy on AI technologies makes many especially vulnerable to manipulation.
 
Nezar explained, “the public’s lack of awareness about AI developments has led to many being manipulated. This has enabled such 'scams' to be so widespread."
 
Nezar further emphasized the importance of human involvement (human in the loop) within the autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) development process, given recent technological advancements that have achieved independent decision-making and reasoning. Nezar disclosed that several experts have proposed the implementation of stricter protocols to ensure that critical decisions remain under human oversight.
 
“Many experts have proposed a stricter protocol, including the implementation of the 'human in the loop' principle within the AI development process," said Nezar.
 
Nezar believes that the looser ethical approach of AI development, as seen in early stages, is no longer sufficient. He calls for the effective implementation of transparency, accountability, and security to be embedded throughout the entire AI development cycle, beginning with the design stage.
 
Nezar has encouraged developers, industry actors, academics, and the AI user community to demand for strengthened governance and risk mitigation in AI development.
 
“Transparency, accountability, and security must be present throughout the implementation and development of AI products," claims Nezar.
 
(Jonathan Sianto)