AI Pathways To The Future

Indonesia faces a pervasive and evolving cybercrime threat, with online scams growing in number and sophistication – while U.S. families continue to lose their life’s savings to international cybercrime, totaling over $12 billions in financial losses in 2023 alone. Unlike scam compounds in mainland Southeast Asia, criminal scam operations in Indonesia are decentralized and embedded within transnational networks. Thousands of Indonesian nationals have worked in scam compounds in Cambodia, Burma, and Laos, and there is now concern crackdowns in other countries prompting a wave of experienced Indonesian scammers to return home to establish new operations in collaboration with Chinese and other scam groups.To strengthen its efforts in combating scams, Indonesia established an Anti-Scam Center (IASC) in 2024 to respond to citizen complaints, block fraudulent transactions, and recover victim funds. IASC data shows an average of 1,300 complaints per day. The IASC reports approximately $500 million in victim losses from November 2025 to March 2026, of which only $9.75 million has been recovered — a two percent recovery rate. To date, IDN law enforcement has not successfully recovered funds for U.S. victims. Officials state that victims’ delayed reporting (average of 24-48 hours) to the IASC and Indonesian National Police (INP) significantly contributes to law enforcement's inability to recover victim funds. Faster reporting directly correlates with higher asset recovery rates, as fraudulent transactions can be blocked before funds are transferred across multiple accounts or jurisdictions.In addition to harming U.S. citizens, digital fraud hurts U.S. companies as cybercrimes increasingly rely on direct messaging, platform-specific targeting, and syndicate-level tactics, with social media platforms emerging as a major channel for phishing, malicious APK files, fake investment groups, video-call extortion, and account takeovers. Criminal scam groups also tailor tactics across platforms, using Facebook for marketplace, romance, and fake job scams; Instagram for fake investments and impersonation, other platforms are used for donation scams, quick-wealth schemes, and deepfakes. Criminals support these schemes with technical infrastructure such as lookalike domains, fake sub-domains, shortened links, QR-code redirects,free SSL certificates, and resilient hosting to make fraudulent sites appear legitimate and harder to disrupt. Indonesia’s Cyber and Cryptography Agency (BSSN) assesses that AI will increasingly be used as a “double-edged sword” with perpetrators creating highly natural phishing, automated chatbot scams, voice cloning and deepfake videos to impersonate individuals.The “Escape the Hack” escape room and launch event addresses these threats through a popular entertainment activity that provides an emotional triggering connection with victims. By educating Indonesian citizens on recognizing scams, the dangers of working in scam centers, and the importance of immediate reporting — the program targets one of the most actionable gaps in Indonesia’s current anti-scam framework. A more cyber-aware Indonesian public that reports scams promptly strengthens the law enforcement’s ability to block fraudulent transactions in real time, benefiting both Indonesian and U.S. victims. The launch event with expert speakers amplifies this message to the widest possible audience through workshops, media coverage, and social media, maximizing the program’s impact.The “Escape the Hack” initiative advances U.S. strategic interests by building cyber resilience in Indonesia — ASEAN’s largest economy and most populous nation — making America safer and more prosperous. The program promotes the United States as a global leader in cybersecurity innovation and demonstrates American commitment to addressing shared security challenges through innovative, people-centered solutions. Funding Opportunity Number: PAS-JAKARTA-FY26-04. Assistance Listing: 19.040. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: O. Award Amount: $100K – $300K per award.

Project Background, Goals, and ObjectivesThe Creative Industries Film Lab and Residency – American Film Showcase 2026 is a five-day public diplomacy program aligned with the American Film Showcase 2026 Envoy visit and scheduled during the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival Market 2026. The program includes two main components: Exhibition Booth: In partnership with Jogja-NETPAC, the program will secure and construct an 81m² (9m x 9m) professionally designed, interactive exhibition booth featuring American Film Showcase and Freedom 250 branding. The booth will showcase American film, U.S. technological innovation, American contributions to cinematic arts, and U.S. companies and industry standards. It will serve as the primary platform for the American Film Showcase Envoy’s public engagement, hosting expert-led panel discussions on topics including American film, digital freedom, intellectual property rights, and artificial intelligence. Residency participants may join the Envoy in the booth as panelists or demonstrators, amplifying the reach and impact of U.S.-led training. The booth may also showcase U.S. companies, technology, and innovation, and host expert-led panel discussions on topics such as American Film, digital freedom, intellectual property rights, and artificial intelligence with local and U.S. film professionals. Film Residency: The residency will bring together 30 emerging and mid-career Indonesian filmmakers for immersive, hands-on training and an American Film envoy in cinematography, directing, production design, and American technology and standards, while facilitating industry knowledge exchange through expert-led panels, production company visits, networking sessions, and university engagements. This initiative advances a strategic opportunity to deepen U.S.-Indonesia diplomacy and economic prosperity at a moment when Indonesia’s Creative Economy Ministry has identified the United States as a priority partner for its national creative ecosystem and expanding the creative economy is a part of the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. By advancing the Policy Diplomacy Strategic Plan Objective 2.1 — increasing foreign public understanding of American innovation, education, culture, and creativity — the program will build sustainable professional networks that position the United States and American technology as Indonesia's preeminent choice for creative economy development.Project Audience(s):• Primary: Emerging and mid-career Indonesian film professionals attending the festival, including cinematographers, production designers, sound designers, on-set crew, and emerging directors. Participants should be active practitioners positioned to immediately apply new skills, influence purchasing and production decisions, adopt American technology and industry practices, and serve as force multipliers between U.S. and Indonesian film communities.• Secondary Audiences: Film students and faculty, production companies and studio executives, exhibitors, and media representatives present at the festival and potential commercial partners and users of American film-production technology, equipment, software, and services.Project Goal: Establish the United States as Indonesia’s premier partner for creative economy development; showcase American excellence in cinematic arts, technology, and industry standards; strengthen business environments for U.S. film and creative economy companies and technology in Indonesia. Project Objectives:• Objective 1: Increase Indonesian public understanding of American film contributions and innovation through a highly-visible, interactive exhibition booth and lab area featuring American Film Showcase and Freedom 250 branding at the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival Market 2026 (28–30 November 2026), resulting in engagement with at least 5,000 visitors, at least three media placements, and increased recognition of the United States as a global leader in film, technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship.• Objective 2: Expand cross-sector film industry connections by hosting a VIP engagement event at the booth, resulting in at least 100 VIP guests — including government officials, industry leaders, and production company executives — and building sustainable networks between U.S. and Indonesian film communities.• Objective 3: Strengthen the technical skills and professional capacity of 30 emerging Indonesian filmmakers through immersive, hands-on training in cinematography, directing, and production design, delivered by U.S. and local film experts. The training will equip participants to elevate production standards and innovation while increasing familiarity with American equipment, software, technology, safety practices, intellectual property protections, and commercially proven production methods. The program should encourage participants to view American products, expertise, and professional standards as their preferred choices for future productions.• Objective 4: Foster direct connections between U.S. and Indonesian film professionals through expert-led panels, networking sessions, and university engagements, reinforcing association of the United States with innovation, trusted technology, and long-term economic opportunity so that the United States is understood to be Indonesia’s prime partner for creative economy development.Substantial InvolvementThe recipient organization will be responsible for day-to-day management and execution of the Creative Film Lab and Residency - American Film Showcase 2026, ensuring high-quality delivery in accordance with the approved proposal and cooperative agreement terms.The recipient will:• Lead overall project management and implementation.• Develop and manage event agenda and logistics in coordination with the U.S. Embassy.• Coordinate with the U.S. Embassy to secure booth space at the JAFF Market using available funding.• Identify, recruit, and coordinate Indonesian speakers, moderators, and residency participants.• Identify, recruit, and coordinate booth and design vendor for construction and dismantling.• Design and implement communications and outreach strategies.• Manage all financial aspects including budgeting, procurement, and financial reporting in compliance with U.S. government regulations.• Establish and implement a monitoring and evaluation plan.• Ensure compliance with all applicable U.S. government grant regulations, branding requirements, and reporting deadlines.• Coordinate closely with the U.S. Embassy through regular updates and consultations. Funding Opportunity Number: PAS-JAKARTA-FY26-05. Assistance Listing: 19.040. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: AR. Award Amount: $25K – $35K per award.

AI Pathways to the Future program is sponsored by U.S. Department of State, Embassy Jakarta (U.S. Mission to Indonesia). This program aims to strengthen U. S. -Indonesia partnerships in artificial intelligence education, research, and innovation. It includes workshops for Indonesian college students and faculty and a five-month AI Innovation Mentorship Challenge where U.

The United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ Office of International Visitors (ECA/PE/V) announces an open competition for up to four cooperative agreements to support the staff expenses and overhead costs of the FY 2026 International Visitor Leadership Program’s (IVLP) National Program Agencies (NPAs). Launched in 1940, the IVLP is the Department of State’s foundational professional exchange program. The IVLP advances U.S. national security priorities and builds long-term relationships between Americans and international leaders in government, business, academia, and other fields. Recipients design and implement customized short-term visits to the United States for current and emerging leaders from around the world. These visits support U.S. foreign policy goals and reflect the participants’ professional interests. Eligible recipients will have expertise in foreign policy, experience in professional exchange programming, and the ability to provide tailored projects for participants from all countries. Please see the full NOFO for additional information. Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0017385. Assistance Listing: 19.402. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: O. Award Amount: $613K – $1.2M per award.