What Do Indonesians Really Need from Language Technology? A Nationwide Survey

AbstractDespite emerging efforts to develop NLP for Indonesia’s 700+ local languages, progress remains costly due to the need for direct engagement with native speakers. However, it is unclear what these language communities truly need from language technology. To address this, we conduct a nationwide survey to assess the actual needs of native Indonesian speakers. Our findings indicate that addressing language barriers, particularly through machine translation and information retrieval, is the most critical priority. Although there is strong enthusiasm for advancements in language technology, concerns around privacy, bias, and the use of public data for AI training highlight the need for greater transparency and clear communication to support broader AI adoption.