How Indonesian fishermen are using AI technology for a bumper harvest

When representatives of Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) gave fishermen access to a mobile application powered by artificial intelligence (AI) two years ago, things started to change dramatically. This technology was supposed to completely change how fisherman went about their everyday jobs.

For local fisherman, the NN Marlin app is revolutionary as it uses machine learning to analyse remote sensing and satellite data. By analysing sea surface temperature and chlorophyll levels, it determines which fishing zones are the most promising.

According to 42-year-old Dedi Arianto, catching fish has become “much more certain and efficient now.” “We are guaranteed to get fish every day, and the use of fuel is also more efficient,” he told Rest of World.

The Economic Impact of AI on Indonesian Fisheries

Millions of people in Indonesia depend on the fishing industry for their livelihoods, which accounts for around 3% of the country’s GDP. One of the many AI breakthroughs being led by President Joko Widodo’s government agency BRIN, which was founded in 2019, is the NN Marlin app. The goal of BRIN is to apply AI to a range of industries, such as food security, healthcare, and education.

Unlike more affluent countries where the AI landscape is dominated by private firms, Indonesia’s AI development is mostly spearheaded by BRIN. Working with regional and global tech companies, BRIN has created artificial intelligence (AI) applications for a variety of purposes, such as tracking mangrove degradation and forecasting forest fires. According to chairman of the Communication and Information System Security Research Center, Pratama Persadha, BRIN is closing the gap between Indonesia and its neighbouring countries, Malaysia and Singapore, in terms of AI investment.

Tailoring AI to Indonesia’s Unique Needs

Persadha clarified in an interview with Rest of World that, “Indonesia has extraordinary cultural, geographic, and economic diversity. With BRIN leading on AI policy, applications can be tailored to the unique needs and specific challenges of Indonesia.” BRIN ensures guarantee that national interests take precedence over private profit by integrating regional scientists and researchers in AI development.

The potential of AI in Indonesia is enormous. According to a study by Kearney, artificial intelligence (AI) might increase Southeast Asia’s GDP by around $1 trillion by 2030, or almost 12%, in Indonesia. A BRIN researcher named Teguh Prayogo underlined that AI is essential to Indonesia’s ambition to become a high-income nation by 2045 and to advance equitable and sustainable economic growth.

Beyond Fishing: AI’s Expanding Role in Law Enforcement and National Security

Hundreds of fishermen in Indonesia now use the NN Marlin software, which costs 1.2 million rupiah ($73) for a tablet and an internet data subscription. BRIN refreshes possible fishing zones up to six times each day, and officials use the app to detect illicit fishing and monitor foreign vessels. Indonesia, the world’s biggest archipelago, loses at least $3 billion each year to illegal fishing, which is worsened by territorial disputes in the South China Sea. BRIN is looking on AI-powered solutions to better detect and address these acts.

AI’s applications go beyond fisheries. In May, North Sumatra police utilised an AI technology created by BRIN to discover illegal marijuana fields. The system identifies marijuana plants from other vegetation by analysing the light reflected off their leaves, offering law enforcement a reliable alternative to human informants.

Balancing AI Growth with Data Security Concerns

As Indonesia’s AI landscape develops, the country has received considerable investment from global IT titans such as Nvidia, Microsoft, and Google. These firms are dedicated to establishing AI infrastructure and training in Indonesia, with initiatives ranging from AI centres to multilingual large language models.

However, with growing AI usage comes the difficulty of protecting data. In June, a ransomware attack affected services at over 160 federal institutions, exposing the fragility of massive datasets used to train AI models. Persadha emphasised the significance of enacting Indonesia’s Personal Data Protection Law to ensure data security from the beginning.

The Fisherman’s Perspective: Balancing Benefits and Limitations

The advantages of AI for fisherman such as Dedi are apparent. In light of the fact that fish stocks are being threatened by climate change and territorial issues, the NN Marlin app has made fishing more predictable and effective. There are restrictions, though. Some people find the app’s membership fee excessively high, and it is devoid of precise information on desirable fish species like red snapper.

“What is certain with this app is that we never go home without a decent catch. But it would be even more useful if it provided details on high-value fish species,” Dedi stated.

Artificial Intelligence’s impact on traditional livelihoods such as fishing highlights the technology’s potential as well as its limitations as it continues to transform businesses throughout Indonesia.