Indonesia pushes for more cybersecurity experts as AI-driven attacks surge

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, chair of Indonesia’s National Economic Council, called for a rapid expansion of cybersecurity expertise to meet the surge of AI-enhanced attacks. The National Cyber and Encryption Agency reported 1.52 billion incidents between January 1 and April 15 2026, after 5.5 billion attacks were logged in 2025—a rise of 714 percent over the 2020-2024 average. To address the shortfall, IT Del and Spentera Group hosted the final round of the Hacktrace Independence Day Competition in Balige, North Sumatra, showcasing a model for academia-industry collaboration.

During the event, the two entities signed an agreement covering research projects, innovation initiatives and internship placements aimed at aligning university curricula with industry needs. Spentera Group co-founder Royke Lumban Tobing stressed the urgency of training ethical cyber professionals, noting that the supply of qualified workers is far below demand. Luhut added that mastering AI alongside cybersecurity is essential for protecting citizens and national sovereignty.