Indosat CEO pushes Indonesian-language AI platform amid growth push
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison chief Vikram Sinha is developing a locally-focused AI platform called Sahabat AI, aiming to serve Indonesian startups while the carrier reports rising revenues and profits.
Vikram Sinha, chief executive of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, says Indonesia needs AI solutions that reflect its own languages and culture, prompting the launch of Sahabat AI, an open-source large language model created with ride-hailing firm GoTo. The platform is intended to help local startups build applications that run close to users, leveraging Indosat’s partnership with Nvidia for on-demand GPU processing and a deal with Google to bring Gemini AI to its network.
Indosat reported 56.5 trillion rupiah in revenue for 2025, a modest 1.1 % rise, and profits of 5.5 trillion rupiah, while the first quarter of 2026 saw revenue climb 12.1 % year-on-year and the highest average revenue per user since the merger. Despite these gains, the carrier’s stock is down 9 % for the year, and Sinha admits his team has not yet proven a solid business case for the sovereign AI initiative. He stresses that infrastructure alone is insufficient without skilled talent, positioning Indonesia’s abundant power resources as an advantage over competitors. The effort reflects a broader trend of countries seeking home-grown AI models to avoid bias and meet regulatory accuracy needs.
