- Indonesia has 231 million internet users (80.2% of the population) and 240 million social media user identities (83.2%).
- 94.9% of internet users aged 16+ used AI tools in the past month, the 4th highest in the report.
- 47.2% believe AI benefits society (the highest of any country), yet only 28.3% say they are comfortable using it.
- Indonesian WhatsApp users spend 1 hour 55 minutes a day on the app, the longest of all countries in the report.
- 34.7% use buy now, pay later every week and 39.4% use an ad blocker, both the highest in the report.
INDUSTRY.co.id, Jakarta – We Are Social, the global creative agency focused on social-led marketing, together with Meltwater, a global leader in actionable intelligence for PR, communications, and marketing, today released its annual Digital 2027: Indonesia report. The report offers an up-to-date picture of the country's digital landscape and of how Indonesians' use of the internet, social media, and other digital technologies is changing.
With 231 million internet users, equal to 80.2% of the total population, Indonesia is one of the most digitally active countries in the world. That high level of engagement shows up across several indicators, including belief in the benefits of AI for society and the use of buy now, pay later (BNPL) services, both of which put Indonesia at the top of the report.
Social media is increasingly woven into everyday life
Social media has become an inseparable part of Indonesians' digital lives. The country has 240 million social media user identities, equal to 83.2% of the total population. Internet users aged 16 and above use an average of 7.5 social media platforms every month, placing Indonesia eighth in the report.
Despite the wide range of platforms in use, messaging apps remain the main way people communicate. WhatsApp is used by 92.7% of internet users in Indonesia. Its active users spend an average of 1 hour 55 minutes a day on the app, the longest of any country covered in the report. Instagram and TikTok follow as the most widely used platforms.
Social media's role also extends to purchase decisions. Some 60.0% of internet users in Indonesia rely on social networks to look up information about brands, making it the most used channel for brand research.
Enthusiasm for AI is high, but trust is still developing
AI use is spreading quickly in Indonesia. In the past month, 94.9% of internet users aged 16 and above used AI tools, ranking Indonesia fourth in the report. AI is also being used for creative purposes: among AI users, 43.7% have used it to create or enhance images and videos. ChatGPT and Google Gemini are each used by nearly half of Indonesia's internet users.
Even so, people's comfort with AI has not kept pace with their enthusiasm for the technology. Some 47.2% of internet users in Indonesia believe AI benefits society, the highest figure among all countries in the report. Yet only 28.3% say they feel comfortable using AI, still below the global average.
The findings point to a gap between people's belief in AI's potential and their comfort using it directly. As AI plays a bigger role in searching for information, learning, and creating, clear and responsible use of the technology is becoming increasingly important.
Technology supports connection, entertainment, and everyday decisions
In Indonesia, digital activity is not only about finding information; it is also part of how people connect and enjoy entertainment. Active WhatsApp users spend an average of 1 hour 55 minutes a day on the app, the highest of all countries in the report. Meanwhile, 95.6% of internet users in Indonesia play video games, ranking the country second after the Philippines.
Conversations, content consumption, and gaming have become part of daily routines, shaping how people build relationships, discover new things, and spend their free time.
The internet is also increasingly relied on for shopping and decision-making. Some 73.1% of internet users in Indonesia prefer shopping online over shopping in physical stores, the second-highest figure in the report. BNPL use also stands out: 34.7% of internet users use these services every week, more than twice the global average.
For brands and businesses trying to reach Indonesians, understanding audience behavior is becoming more important. More than two-thirds of internet users research brands and products online before buying, the highest share among countries in the report. At the same time, Indonesia records the highest ad blocker usage, with 39.4% of internet users using the technology. Only 13.2% feel represented by the ads they see.
These findings show that reaching an audience does not necessarily mean building a relationship with it. Amid the flood of information and messages people receive every day, communication that is relevant, credible, and close to people's lives is increasingly important to win attention.
“Audience attention in Indonesia has to be earned through the right approach. People are becoming more careful about how they search for information and filter the messages they receive,” said Mimrah Mahmood, APAC Vice President of Enterprise Sales, Meltwater. “Overall, we see that Indonesians have made digital technology part of everyday life, even as their trust in that technology continues to develop. They see AI's potential to benefit society and are increasingly comfortable shopping online, but they still weigh how far they can trust the information they come across. How this trust develops will help shape the direction of Indonesia's digital economy.”
“With around two-thirds of internet users in Indonesia researching online before they buy, and 28.2% already using AI as their main source for brand research, the way brands build consideration is changing,” added Yudhi Hastiardi, Managing Director of We Are Social Indonesia. “Until now, brands have competed for visibility. Now they also need to pay attention to how they appear and are represented across the information sources audiences rely on, including AI. What people say about a brand, and the credibility of the information around it, plays a growing role in shaping perception, just as important as the brand's own message. For brands, the opportunity is to build a presence that is not only visible, but also relevant and credible wherever audiences look for answers.”
The Digital 2027: Indonesia findings show how digital technology has become part of many aspects of life, from communication and entertainment to shopping and payments. With AI increasingly present in daily life, businesses, platforms, and institutions have an opportunity to deliver digital experiences that not only meet people's needs but also build trust through relevant and credible approaches.
