IOH’s CTO on building trusted AI at scale

Feb 19, 2026

Indonesia’s IOH is seeking to change how it serves customers and runs its business by becoming an AI-native techco. This entails building sovereign AI solutions for enterprises; supporting the country’s efforts to democratize the use of AI tools by Indonesians for Indonesians; and using AI to enhance its network and business operations.

 

A central concern for IOH and other telcos is trust, particularly in complex, multi‑agent AI environments where autonomous agents can generate code, create other agents, and change behavior in real time. Both speakers stressed that traditional governance, security, and monitoring models are no longer sufficient for these dynamic systems.

Linked to trust is data sovereignty and security. Cheung emphasized the importance of keeping sensitive data and AI models within national borders, noting that enterprise and government customers require strong assurances that data remains under local jurisdiction. Ensuring sovereignty across increasingly global and software‑driven AI supply chains adds further complexity.

 

They also discussed how audits and procurement reviews are too slow and costly for an AI ecosystem that may involve thousands of agents and suppliers. Instead, they argued for platform‑based governance, continuous monitoring, and industry‑wide trust frameworks that treat trust as an ongoing business capability rather than a one‑off compliance exercise.

 

Finally, both acknowledged the difficulty of demonstrating near‑term value from AI investments while simultaneously building long‑term foundations, highlighting the need for shared case studies and reusable platforms to balance cost, risk, and innovation.

 

Guest speakers:

Desmond Cheung, CTO, IOH

Guy Lupo, EVP - AI and Data Innovation, TM Forum

 

Host:

Joanne Taaffe, Editor in Chief, TM Forum