Tanjungpinang Entrepreneurs Ready to Adopt AI: Senator Dwi Ajeng Sekar Respaty Encourages MSMEs to Increase Competitiveness Through AIM ASEAN

05 August 2026 oleh admin

Tanjungpinang, dpd.go.id - Digital transformation is no longer an option, but a necessity for businesses to survive and thrive amidst increasingly rapid economic changes. Responding to this challenge, Member of the DPD RI/MPR RI for the Riau Islands Province Electoral District, Dwi Ajeng Sekar Respaty, S.H., M.Kn., re-initiated the AIM ASEAN (AI for MSME Advancement in ASEAN) Roadshow training in Tanjungpinang City on August 5–6, 2026, at the Tanjungpinang Mayor's Office. This program is held in collaboration with the ASEAN Foundation and KUMPUL Impact, as part of an effort to expand the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Riau Islands.

Following its initial implementation in Batam City, which garnered high enthusiasm from business owners, the AIM ASEAN Roadshow is now in Tanjungpinang to reach more MSMEs and empower them to utilize AI productively, safely, and responsibly. Through this training, participants are not only introduced to the basic concepts of artificial intelligence, but also guided in implementing various AI tools in daily business activities, from developing marketing strategies and managing information to increasing productivity and making data-driven decisions. This practice-based approach is expected to accelerate the digital transformation of MSMEs in a real and applicable way.

As a member of Committee IV of the House of Regional Representative of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI), which oversees economic affairs and regional development, Senator Dwi Ajeng Sekar Respaty believes that improving the quality of human resources is the main foundation for local businesses to optimally utilize digital economic opportunities. "Artificial intelligence (AI) is not a technology that can only be utilized by large companies. In fact, MSMEs have a significant opportunity to use it as a tool to help increase efficiency, expand markets, and strengthen competitiveness. Therefore, we are building not only the ability to use AI, but also the readiness of business actors to adapt to changes in an increasingly technology-based economy."

This training is part of the AIM ASEAN initiative, a two-year regional initiative run by the ASEAN Foundation in collaboration with the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) through the AI Opportunity Fund: Asia Pacific, with support from Google.org and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This program also received official support from the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) as part of efforts to accelerate the digital transformation of MSMEs in the Southeast Asia region. In Indonesia, the program is implemented by KUMPUL Impact, with the target of increasing the capacity of 32,000 MSMEs through the strategic and sustainable use of AI.

The AIM ASEAN Roadshow in Tanjungpinang also demonstrates cross-sector collaboration involving the Tanjungpinang City Government, the ASEAN Foundation, KUMPUL Impact, MSMEs in the Riau Islands Province, and business partners. This synergy is expected to strengthen the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem so that digital transformation goes beyond improving technological literacy and truly generates innovation, productivity, and added value for community businesses.

Through the AIM ASEAN Roadshow in Tanjungpinang, Senator Dwi Ajeng Sekar Respaty hopes that more MSMEs in the Riau Islands will be able to utilize AI technology as a tool to increase productivity, expand market access, and create more innovative and competitive business models. Thus, digital transformation in the region will not only become a technological agenda but also a driving force for sustainable and competitive economic growth, both regionally and nationally, as well as in the ASEAN region.