President University, through FABLAB, once again became a center of inspiration by hosting the Professors Talks and Workshop under the theme AI Powered Collective Intelligence: The Role of AI in Social and Business Systems From Data to Decision Support on September 17th, 2025. The event was attended by students from the Faculty of Computing and opened by Dr. Adhi Setyo Santoso, ST., MBA., who emphasized that today, the world no longer speaks only about IT, but more about AI, which has become a global language. He also highlighted the role of FABLAB as an industrial-academic collaboration hub, where students can sharpen their knowledge while building networks. “FABLAB is our industrial collaboration hub, where students not only learn from lecturers but also collaborate with many industry and academic partners,” he stated.
The international speakers shared rich perspectives on how AI is transforming social systems and democracy. Prof. Satoshi Takahashi addressed the issue of ranking in various aspects of life from elections to popularity, that can be evaluated through new methods based on hyper democracy. Meanwhile, Prof. Tokuro Matsuo emphasized the concept of AI-powered collective intelligence, where AI serves as an intermediary that strengthens connections in modern democracy, expanding the space for public participation. “Hyper democracy means the role of AI in connecting people to people, with AI as the intermediary,” explained Prof. Matsuo.
Furthermore, Prof. Takayuki Ito deepened the discussion on hyper democracy, a concept of democracy enhanced by information technology and AI. According to him, this technology can break down knowledge barriers by opening access to information more broadly. However, he also reminded the audience of a paradox: AI has the potential to expand democracy, but at the same time, it could suppress freedom if not properly managed. “With AI, it is not only the elected voices that count, but also public preferences can be calculated to represent society more broadly,” said Prof. Ito.
The session concluded with insights from Prof. Dr. Ir. Ford Lumban Gaol, SMIEEE, who presented ChatGPT and the Future of Work. He emphasized the importance of adaptability, as competition is no longer only with AI itself, but also with individuals who know how to utilize it creatively. AI has entered areas such as content creation, video production, and education, making new skills like communicating with AI one of the most essential assets of this century. “If it is only copy-paste, it’s useless. We must make changes, add our personal touch, and refine it,” stressed Prof. Ford. (Roffizul H, PR Team. Photo: Roffizul H)