Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka encouraged Islamic boarding school students, known locally as santri, to develop expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics rather than remain merely technology users.
"We want santri to be able to meet future challenges. We are in a race; we cannot afford to fall behind other countries," he remarked while observing AI and robotics training at the Darullughah Wadda'wah Islamic boarding school in Pasuruan, East Java, on Friday.
Gibran stressed the importance of providing equal opportunities for young people across the country, including santri, to acquire technological skills and contribute to the nation's technological development.
"Studying AI or robotics does not necessarily mean becoming a programmer; rather, it trains us in critical thinking, computational thinking, and problem-solving skills," the vice president said.
He called for a practice-oriented approach to technology training, stressing the need to align it with labor market demands to improve efficiency, productivity, and the quality of outcomes.
Furthermore, Gibran warned santri against neglecting ethics and moral values when using digital technologies.
"Use technology wisely. Protect your data, avoid hoaxes, and refrain from using technology to harm other people," he told the students.
The vice president also spoke with several santri, who showcased their prototypes, including a facial recognition application for attendance tracking.
He praised the students for developing innovations after only a few days of learning the basics of programming and AI.
One of the santri, Reyhan, said the training had convinced him to learn more about technology and create impactful innovations.
"Even though I have been learning robotics for only four days, this activity has greatly motivated me to delve deeper into technology and create something that could be beneficial to many people," he remarked.
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Translator: A. Ramadhan, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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