On April 15, I had the opportunity to present the research design for our latest collaborative project at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in Jakarta. Serving as the research coordinator for this initiative, I led the discussion on our study titled “AI as a Creative Partner in the Game Production Pipeline.” It’s a project that feels particularly timely, as we aren’t just looking at the technology itself, but how its implementation ripples through the social and economic fabric of Indonesia’s growing gaming industry.

The atmosphere during the presentation was one of focused curiosity. We are diving deep into how generative AI can be integrated into game development—moving beyond simple automation to becoming a genuine “creative partner.” However, with great innovation comes the need for critical oversight. Our research aims to map out the impacts of this shift, ensuring that as our pipelines become more efficient, we don’t lose sight of the human elements of creativity and labor.

We were fortunate to have Rikman Aherliwan Rudawan from Telkom University as our lead discussant. His feedback was incredibly sharp, especially regarding the technical feasibility and the academic rigor required to bridge the gap between industry practice and scholarly research. Having a peer like Rikman dissect the methodology helped us identify the “blind spots” in our pipeline model, ensuring that our findings will be as practical for local studios as they are sound for the scientific community.

Steering a collaborative research project of this scale—involving partners from UMN, Universitas Bunda Mulia, and various industry stakeholders—is a bit like conducting an orchestra. Everyone brings a different “instrument” or expertise to the table. This session at BRIN was a vital milestone in ensuring all our notes are in harmony before we dive into the heavy data collection phase. I left the session feeling energized; it’s clear that Indonesia isn’t just consuming AI—we are actively researching how to master it on our own terms.