MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - The Governor of North Sumatra, Bobby Nasution, has urged civil servants (Aparatur Sipil Negara, ASN) to strengthen their faith while improving their ability to use digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). These efforts, he said, should help them carry out their duties more effectively and improve the quality of public services.
Bobby delivered the message during a regular religious gathering for ASN and non-civil servant employees at the Raja Inal Siregar Hall in the North Sumatra Governor's Office, Jalan Diponegoro No. 30, Medan, on Wednesday, 21 October 2026. This session adopted an interactive, digitally supported approach and focused on how
artificial intelligence could be used to perform official duties and formulate policy measures.
Through the event, the North Sumatra Provincial Government aims to encourage its employees not only to develop spiritually but also to adapt to technological change. Both aspects are considered essential to developing professional and ethical public servants who can respond effectively to the needs of the community.
Public Service as a Form of Worship
In his address, Bobby reminded ASN to regard their duties and positions as a trust for which they must be accountable both spiritually before Allah SWT and professionally to the public.
He stressed that the facilities provided to employees and their salaries were funded by the public. Every ASN member must therefore fulfil their responsibilities conscientiously, maintain integrity and provide the best possible service to the community.
"Alongside our responsibility to Allah SWT, we also have a responsibility to the people here on Earth. The facilities and salaries we receive come from the people of North Sumatra. We should therefore fulfil this trust to the best of our ability, so that it may pave our way to Paradise and enable us to receive the intercession of the Messenger of Allah," Bobby said.
The message highlights moral responsibility as an essential component of government service. In Bobby's view, faith should be reflected in employees' daily conduct, particularly through honesty, discipline, a willingness to help others and a genuine commitment to serving the public.
As administrative responsibilities become increasingly complex, employees must also maintain a balance between spiritual values and the development of professional skills. Strong personal principles provide a foundation for ensuring that the use of technology remains guided by the public interest.
Bobby also welcomed the innovative format of the religious gathering, which actively involved participants rather than relying solely on one-way presentations. He said the approach was in keeping with the times and offered ASN and non-civil servant employees a different learning experience.
DAMRI TAMBUNAN PROMOTES DIGITAL SKILLS AMONG CIVIL SERVANTS: Damri Tambunan, chairman of the Forum for Islamic Religious Communication within North Sumatra's Islamic Spiritual Guidance Agency, explains how artificial intelligence can support employees' work and administrative duties during an interactive religious gathering. (PHOTO: Alexander AP Siahaan)
Interactive Religious Gathering Builds Digital Skills
Damri Tambunan, chairman of the Forum for Islamic Religious Communication (FOKKUS) within North Sumatra's Islamic Spiritual Guidance Agency (Babinrohis), explained that the organisers had chosen the theme of "Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Performance of Duties and Policy Decision-Making by Civil Servants" to familiarise employees with technological developments.
During the session, participants did more than listen to presentations. They also interacted with the material using their own Android smartphones. This method gave them the opportunity to explore digital technologies directly and try out ways to apply them in their daily work.
"We chose this theme so that all ASN can use digital technologies independently, including when preparing their electronic performance reports through the MyASN system. They should also be able to obtain information more effectively and efficiently in support of a blessed, advanced and sustainable North Sumatra," Damri explained.
The use of AI and digital devices in administrative work can help employees prepare documents, develop ideas and retrieve information more efficiently. However, they must still verify the accuracy of information, protect confidential data and ensure that all decisions comply with applicable regulations.
The ability to use technology must also be accompanied by an understanding of its limitations and risks. AI can support work processes, but it cannot replace the responsibility of ASN to verify data, assess the implications of policy measures and make decisions in the public interest.
The use of digital tools to prepare electronic performance reports through MyASN is one example of how technology can support administrative work. With adequate knowledge and training, ASN should be able to use these tools independently without compromising accuracy, accountability or professional ethics.
Damri added that FOKKUS Babinrohis intended to extend its Islamic religious guidance activities to more workplaces and educational institutions. These would include regionally owned enterprises, hospitals and universities.
Alongside expanding its religious education programmes, FOKKUS Babinrohis planned to establish its own organisational structures in regencies and cities across North Sumatra towards the end of October 2026. The initiative is intended to strengthen coordination and provide employees and residents in different areas with greater opportunities to participate in religious education activities.
USTAZ WAHFIUDIN SAKAM ADVOCATES RESPONSIBLE USE OF AI IN RELIGIOUS OUTREACH: Ustaz Wahfiudin Sakam encourages ASN and non-civil servant employees to use artificial intelligence responsibly and make religious messages more accessible to younger audiences through inspiring and engaging storytelling. (PHOTO: Alexander AP Siahaan)
AI Opens New Opportunities for Creative Religious Outreach
In his sermon, Ustaz Wahfiudin Sakam urged participants to use advances in artificial intelligence responsibly. He said the technology could not only make everyday work easier but also create new opportunities to communicate religious messages through media that better reflect the experiences and interests of modern society.
He emphasised that technological progress also required a fresh approach to religious outreach. Messages should not merely convey religious teachings but should be delivered in ways that foster an emotional connection, provide inspiration and encourage positive changes in behaviour.
"Religious outreach today should make greater use of storytelling — stories that inspire and motivate. We can use AI to develop relevant ideas and produce engaging video content that younger generations can relate to more easily," he told ASN and non-civil servant employees attending the gathering.
Storytelling allows messages to be communicated through narratives connected to everyday experiences. AI can help content creators explore ideas, develop narrative structures and produce visual materials to reach wider audiences, particularly younger people.
Nevertheless, using AI for religious outreach also requires a responsible approach. Users must ensure that the content is accurate, preserve the context of the messages and avoid misleading information so that the technology genuinely contributes to promoting positive values.
These considerations are also relevant to ASN who communicate with the public through various digital channels. The ability to present information clearly, engagingly and accessibly can help government agencies communicate policies and
public services more effectively.
Through the regular religious gathering, which combines spiritual education with the development of technological skills, the North Sumatra Provincial Government hopes to encourage its employees to pursue continuous professional and personal development. Strengthening faith is intended to provide an ethical foundation, while technological competence is an important requirement for responding to changing working practices and public needs.
This combination is expected to produce ASN who understand their moral and professional responsibilities, use technology prudently, improve their productivity and deliver better
public services to the people of North Sumatra.
(IDNC)REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala