Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison has unveiled an AI facility as part of partnership with Huawei, with plans for expanded AI Centre of Excellence.
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH), Indonesia’s second-largest telecommunications provider, has launched the country’s first artificial intelligence (AI) experience centre at Solo Technopark, supported by a 5G network infrastructure and technology from Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer Huawei.
The facility marks the first phase of IOH’s broader AI investment strategy, with the company announcing plans to invest $200 million in an expanded AI Centre of Excellence focused on AI-cloud infrastructure development and technical training programmes.
The Digital Intelligence Operations Center (DIOC) was inaugurated by Vikram Sinha, President Director and CEO of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and board of management and commissioner and Simon Lin, President of Huawei Asia-Pacific Region and board, underscoring the strategic collaboration between the two companies.
Digital transformation drive
The development aligns with IOH’s corporate mission to expand digital access across Indonesia, according to Vikram Sinha, President Director and Chief Executive Officer at IOH. “Indosat’s larger purpose is to connect and digitally empower every Indonesian, which inspired the creation of the country’s first-ever AI Experience Center at Solo Technopark,” says Vikram.
The initiative forms part of IOH’s strategy to position Indonesia within the global AI sector. The company operates existing data centre facilities providing cloud computing services – the delivery of computing services over the internet – and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions across Indonesia.
The centre has emerged from a partnership between IOH and Huawei, reflecting the Indonesian telecoms provider’s strategy of collaboration with global technology firms. This approach, which IOH terms ‘gotong royong’ (mutual cooperation), forms part of the company’s transformation into what it describes as an ‘AI-native’ telecommunications provider.
“This initiative would not have been possible without the invaluable support of our partner, Huawei, who provided cutting-edge technologies to bring the centre to life,” says Vikram. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Huawei as we enter the next phase of the centre’s development.”
Enhancing technical capabilities
The facility incorporates AI applications for smart city management systems operating on 5G networks – the fifth generation mobile network technology offering higher data speeds and reduced latency compared to 4G. The centre also demonstrates AI implementations across creative industries, including arts and food service sectors.
“The AI Experience Centre marks a major leap in our efforts to empower Indonesia through AI,” says Vikram. “It serves as a showcase for cutting-edge AI technologies applicable across various sectors, including smart city management optimised by 5G, as well as the arts, food and beverage industries and other creative fields.”
Training and development
The installation provides training facilities for students, civil servants and community groups, focusing on AI applications for productivity enhancement. Training programmes cover machine learning fundamentals – the subset of AI enabling computers to learn from data without explicit programming – and practical implementations of AI systems.
“In addition to showcasing the latest AI innovations, the centre serves as a training hub, offering programs for students, public servants, and the wider community on how AI can boost productivity and open up new opportunities,” says Vikram.
The development represents an expansion of IOH’s data centre and digital infrastructure portfolio. The planned AI Centre of Excellence signals a significant scaling up of these capabilities.
“We have plans to invest $200 million in the creation of a larger AI Centre of Excellence, which will focus on AI-cloud infrastructure and the development of human capital in AI,” says Vikram. “As Indonesia embarks on a technological revolution, the centre represents more than just the beginning of a new era – it marks the launch of a journey that will elevate Indonesia to a leadership position within the global AI community.”
