Intelligence and Digital Transformation
As the form and nature of threats in modern warfare evolve with the advent of digital technologies, it also has an impact on the expansion of interests in the utilization of intelligence activities. Accordingly, in the process of formulating national strategies and policies, intelligence is an essential instrument that must be able to present intelligence products in the form of faster, more precise, and more accurate information for state leaders in every decision-making process.
In recent years, the Intelligence Community in developed countries has released strategic roadmaps outlining a transformation of the way intelligence professionals work. The roadmaps aim to modernize and integrate technology, human resources, and culture into intelligence activities. This is due to the strategic battle over the importance of valuable information in cyberspace, as well as the limitations of managing intelligence data using conventional methods. Conversely, the deployment of increasingly sophisticated intelligence methods to obfuscate signals, as well as introducing greater noise and uncertainty into the system by the adversary, further emphasizes the rationale behind the release.
For the Indonesian context, digitalization represents a viable and efficacious response to the challenges posed by the evolving digital technologies and accelerating digital transformation efforts of the Indonesian government. The Indonesian Intelligence Community has already initiated digitalization within governance and business processes, although these efforts have been relatively late compared to Intelligence Communities in developed states, which have been adapting to digital transformation since the end of the first decade of the 21st century. Therefore, the Indonesian Intelligence Community is compelled to implement a strategic leap to overcome the lagging problem.
Furthermore, the Indonesian Intelligence Community continues to face challenges related to the security of state secret data, necessitating innovation and the development of digitally-realized performance in the future. Technological developments enable the processing and analysis of intelligence data in larger quantities and at a faster pace, exceeding the limitations of human capabilities in the decision-making process. Nevertheless, the quantity and velocity of intelligence data managed have the potential to create novel obstacles for intelligence stakeholders, encompassing the restricted digital literacy and expertise of intelligence human resources (HR), the procurement of digital intelligence infrastructure, and policies pertaining to collaboration with external intelligence institutions.
A Strategic Framework for the Digitalization of Intelligence
To address the challenges and obstacles of digitalization in the context of the strategic leap of digital intelligence in Indonesia, three recommendations for strategic steps have been proposed. Firstly, it is of paramount importance to enhance the technical proficiency of intelligence personnel in the field of digital technologies. This will enable them to effectively counter the diverse array of modern threats.
The efficacy of digital intelligence planning for the Indonesian Intelligence Community is contingent upon its utilization by intelligence professionals who possess a comprehensive understanding of digital intelligence technology. This will enable Indonesian intelligence organizations to identify the most suitable intelligence professionals for specific missions. Regardless of the sophistication of digital intelligence technology, there must be a human decision-making role behind it. In essence, this is a contest of intelligence talents.
Moreover, as technology continues to evolve at an accelerated pace, BIN as the Indonesian Intelligence Community coordinator must provide training for its leaders and those of other intelligence communities to develop more technical skills. Such training encompasses the operation of the Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and a variety of other digital software, which are utilized as decision-making tools and foundations for optimizing the role of intelligence in supporting the success of digital transformation.
It is incumbent upon the leaders of the Indonesian Intelligence Community to decentralize and empower innovation in the use of digital intelligence technologies to the lowest organizational level. The objective is to promote immediate intelligence operational outcomes while establishing the foundation for a long-term intelligence digitalization strategy.
The second step in this process is the necessity of a long-term digital intelligence infrastructure development plan that is more realistic and affordable, both in terms of budget and materials. This is necessary to create digital independence in the field of intelligence. This argument reflects the condition of the Indonesian Intelligence Community, which is still dependent on the utilization of digital technologies facilities manufactured in other countries to carry out intelligence functions in the form of investigation, security, and mobilization activities.
Such a reliance on foreign intelligence equipment for the Indonesian Intelligence Community is not without justification. The high cost of investment in domestic production represents the primary catalyst for this situation. In the absence of a solution, this situation will result in a threat vulnerability, whereby the security system owned by the Indonesian Intelligence Community may be infiltrated by foreign intelligence through the security portal embedded in the foreign-made intelligence equipment. It is a paradoxical situation when the objective is to engage in espionage against foreign entities, yet the very act of doing so may result in the exposure of sensitive information to foreign intelligence agencies.
The final strategic step must be taken through collaboration and cooperation schemes with the private sector, both domestically and abroad. The collaboration policy's objective is to facilitate fair and profitable cooperation between the Indonesian government, represented in this case by BIN, and technology giant companies. Furthermore, it is anticipated that collaboration will enable the transfer of technology without compromising state secrets or intelligence information.
The Ideal Concept of Digital Intelligence
The role of the Intelligence Community in Indonesia as the frontline of national security has a crucial influence on the success of digital transformation projects. Therefore, various strategies to facilitate the digitalization of intelligence, encompassing aspects of human resources, digital infrastructure, and collaboration policies, must address the challenges and obstacles posed by digital technologies, which is rapidly evolving and increasingly pervasive.
The concept of digital intelligence will have implications for optimizing opportunities to strengthen the application of digital technologies in the main tasks and functions of the Indonesian Intelligence Community. This will result in an increase in performance in the management of the flow of information and intelligence data that is highly confidential.
In essence, the success of the digital transformation of intelligence does not a priori depend on the amount of investment funds allocated for the procurement of digital intelligence technology. Instead, it lies in how to empower innovation and align it with the long-term strategy of the intelligence organization.
Ultimately, to break through the enveloping fog of digitalization, Indonesian digital intelligence can offer unknown digital transformation-based knowledge for targeted planning based on calculated action-taking schemes. Thus, adverse potential risks in determining strategic steps through the utilization of technology in the digital era can be mitigated.
Disclaimer
This content is part of ISI Commentaries to serve the latest comprehensive and reliable analysis on International Relations, security, politics, and social-cultural in Indo-Pacific Region. Read more how to to submit it: https://www.isi-indonesia.com/write-for-us
About the Writer
Rizky is an observer and researcher with a concentration in intelligence, defense, and national security. Rizky pursued studies in defense science at the Defense University of the Republic of Indonesia and in food security science at Padjadjaran University. Rizky has experience in the fields of banking and education, having served as a professional banker and lecturer associate.
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