Indonesia’s deputy minister for higher education on Monday urged university students to sharpen critical thinking skills as artificial intelligence rapidly transforms society, warning that human judgment will remain essential amid fast-moving technological change.

Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Stella Christie delivered the message at the 2026 Santri Scientific Festival in Malang, East Java, according to an official statement received in Jakarta.

She said advances in artificial intelligence were reshaping daily life across social, educational and economic spheres, forcing governments, universities and individuals to rethink how knowledge is produced and used.

“Is it wise to spend huge sums training artificial intelligence instead of educating young people?” Christie said, noting that the question remains the subject of debate among global experts.

She pointed to the economic logic driving major technology companies, which are investing trillions of rupiah to develop, maintain and refine complex algorithms that underpin artificial intelligence systems.

Christie said the spread of artificial intelligence was also altering social dynamics, including accelerating the circulation of misinformation and hoaxes that can distort public debate.

In education, she said, artificial intelligence is increasingly embedded in learning processes, changing how students access information and complete academic work.

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That shift, she added, makes artificial intelligence literacy essential so people can assess whether information generated or amplified by AI systems is accurate or biased.

“The ability to evaluate AI output begins with reflective and critical thinking,” Christie said. “If you have that capacity, you will not be replaced by artificial intelligence.”

She reminded students that universities have historically been centers of innovation, noting that many of today’s leading artificial intelligence companies originated from campus research environments.

Christie said she hoped Indonesian students would continue to innovate, develop new ideas and contribute discoveries that strengthen national development and global competitiveness in the decades ahead.

Separately, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti has said artificial intelligence should be positioned as a tool to support learning, not to replace teachers in the classroom.

He has warned that education systems face the challenge of ensuring technology improves learning outcomes without eroding human values, emphasizing that teachers’ roles remain central despite rapid digital change.

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