Professor Dr. Paulius Pakutinskas, a lecturer at the Law School of Mykolas Romeris University (MRU), Head of the LegalTech Centre, and Head of the UNESCO Chair on AI, Emerging Technologies and Innovations for Society, visited Indonesia, where he took part in international academic and institutional discussions on artificial intelligence (AI) regulation, responsible innovation development, and the global challenges of digital transformation.

During the visit, Prof. Dr. P. Pakutinskas organized and moderated the international conference “Shaping Digital Futures through Law and Artificial Intelligence” at the Faculty of Law of Airlangga University (Indonesia). The conference explored European and global models of AI regulation, international perspectives on AI governance, principles of soft regulation, and the role of law in the context of rapidly developing technologies.

In his keynote presentation, “From EU AI Governance to Global Regulatory Models,” the professor introduced the European Union’s approach to AI regulation and discussed the possibilities of developing global AI governance models that address the needs of different regions.

“Global AI governance cannot be developed solely from the perspective of one region. To ensure that artificial intelligence serves society responsibly and inclusively, it is essential to incorporate the experiences, needs, and challenges of different regions around the world,” emphasized Prof. Dr. P. Pakutinskas.

Together with the Airlangga University community, researchers, and students, discussions focused on the protection of human rights, safeguarding children and vulnerable social groups from potential negative impacts of AI, data protection, the use of AI in criminal justice, and emerging institutional and regulatory challenges.

The conference also brought together members of the academic community from different levels of study, including doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s students, as well as faculty members from the Faculty of Law. According to the professor, one of the most important aspects of the event was the active discussions and the high level of participant engagement.

During his visit to Indonesia, Prof. Dr. P. Pakutinskas also visited the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, where he met with members of the Faculty of Law’s academic community and administrative representatives and delivered a lecture on AI governance, law, and regulation.

According to the professor, the University of Indonesia left a particularly strong impression not only as one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious universities, but also as an institution actively engaged in broader public policy and regulatory discussions.

The meetings focused extensively on the European approach to AI regulation, the EU AI Act, principles of responsible innovation, data protection, institutional preparedness, and the importance of cooperation between different regions of the world in developing national and international regulatory models.

“Indonesia and other countries in the region are not merely observers of technological change — they are actively contributing to discussions on how artificial intelligence should be used, regulated, and what kind of public trust it should foster,” stated Prof. Dr. P. Pakutinskas.

While in Jakarta, Prof. Dr. P. Pakutinskas also met with representatives of the UNESCO Regional Office in Jakarta. The meetings explored possible future directions for cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, education, culture, and responsible innovation.

Considerable attention was devoted to the role of AI in education, the use of technology for preserving cultural heritage and linguistic diversity, and ensuring human rights and social values in the context of technological progress.

According to Prof. Dr. P. Pakutinskas, universities today can play a particularly important role in connecting the regions of the Global North and the Global South — not as spaces for one-way knowledge transfer, but as platforms for equal cooperation and exchange of ideas.

The visit to Indonesia marked an important step in strengthening academic ties between Lithuania and Indonesia and in expanding international cooperation in the fields of AI regulation, responsible technology development, and UNESCO networks.