Indonesia is drafting a presidential regulation that would weave artificial intelligence into the government’s sprawling free nutritious meals program, a $15 billion initiative designed to feed tens of millions of children daily across the archipelago. The regulation, awaiting President Prabowo Subianto’s signature, would mandate AI integration across key ministries from 2026 through 2029.

The free meals initiative, known locally as MBG, targets malnutrition and stunting, which affects roughly 20% of Indonesian children. AI would handle everything from designing region-specific menus to monitoring kitchen hygiene, forecasting demand, and flagging irregularities in spending.

The program has already been plagued by governance problems, including the arrest of a former program head. The program itself was temporarily paused between June 22 and July 13, 2026, during a school break period, amid mounting economic pressures. Budget constraints and food safety controversies have dogged MBG since its inception.

Indonesian officials are projecting that broader AI integration could boost the country’s GDP by 12%, or roughly $366 billion, by 2030. Meta, IBM, and Microsoft all contributed to drafting the AI integration strategy. Microsoft had previously committed $1.7 billion for cloud and AI infrastructure in Indonesia.

Officials have suggested that AI-enabled monitoring of social aid programs alone could save between $10 billion and $15 billion. To fund the broader push, Indonesia plans to establish a sovereign AI fund under Danantara Indonesia, the country’s new wealth fund. Analysts have noted that Indonesia currently lags behind regional peers like Singapore and Malaysia in AI readiness, remaining primarily a buyer of technology rather than a builder.