Pursuing doctoral studies to advance AI in Indonesian government
Committed to developing Indonesia's AI capabilities and contributing to global AI governance through rigorous doctoral research and practical implementation experience.
Five years of building technology solutions—from founding an RPA startup that served over fifty clients to managing healthcare transformations and government digitalization projects—kept bringing me to the same question: why do some organizations embrace digital transformation while others resist it, even when the benefits are clear?
That question led me from entrepreneurship into civil service. In 2024, I joined Indonesia's Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas, managing information systems that process half a million housing subsidy applications annually. Here, I witness firsthand the challenges and opportunities of AI adoption in government.
A doctorate will provide the research methodology and theoretical foundations to transform practitioner intuition into systematic knowledge. I don't want to theorize about AI in government from a distance—I want to design systems informed by the bureaucracy where I work, test hypotheses with colleagues I sit alongside, and develop frameworks grounded in institutional realities.
“I want to design systems informed by the bureaucracy where I work, test hypotheses with colleagues I sit alongside.”
— Research Philosophy
Specializing in autonomous AI systems for government administrative processes—specifically, how intelligent agents can perform document-intensive workflows with minimal human oversight.
Technical architecture of AI agents capable of completing administrative tasks independently
Understanding how civil servants trust and adopt autonomous AI systems in hierarchical contexts
Designing governance structures for AI operating with minimal human oversight in government
Existing research rarely examines how to deploy autonomous AI in developing-country bureaucracies. Western scholarship assumes reliable connectivity, digitally fluent workforces, and flat organizational cultures. Indonesian ministries operate differently—with hierarchical approval chains, relationship-based coordination, limited infrastructure outside Jakarta, and civil servants whose digital skills vary dramatically.
These factors don't just complicate implementation; they require entirely different design principles.
My goal isn't just personal advancement—it's transformation at scale.
1-5 Years Post-PhD
5-15 Years
15+ Years
Indonesia stands at a crossroads. With the world's fourth-largest population and a rapidly digitalizing economy, we have both the challenges and the scale to become a leader in responsible government AI adoption.
17,000+ islands with varying infrastructure
Hierarchical bureaucratic cultures
Digital skill gaps among civil servants
Limited research on AI in developing-country government
Indonesia employs over four million civil servants. Even modest efficiency gains from responsible AI adoption would return millions of hours annually to policy analysis, citizen service, and program improvement.
My current role inside Indonesian bureaucracy provides something external researchers cannot access: daily observation of how civil servants actually work, which systems they trust, which innovations they quietly resist.
If autonomous AI can work responsibly in hierarchical, resource-constrained bureaucracies, the lessons will matter far beyond Indonesia's borders.
Unique Positioning: This insider perspective, combined with rigorous doctoral training, positions me to investigate questions few researchers can practically study.
Pursuing fully-funded PhD at top 100 global universities with strong AI research ecosystems.
USA
Full scholarship for doctoral studies in the United States
Australia
Australian Government scholarship for postgraduate studies
Global
Indonesian Government Endowment Fund for Education
UK, Singapore, Europe
Exploring additional fully-funded PhD opportunities
Interested in my research direction? I'm always open to connecting with academics, researchers, and practitioners working on AI governance and digital transformation.