MAGELANG — Data Sorcerers joined Magelang AI Expo 2026 as a community partner on 4 June, taking part in an APINDO Kota Magelang gathering about the skills and collaboration needed to put AI to work locally.
Held at Lokal Folk Cafe, the event connected the business community’s interest in productivity with a public-sector concern: ensuring that people understand and retain control over the systems they use. That shared concern gave the discussion a focus beyond demonstrations of what new technology can do.
For a city’s businesses and institutions, adoption is ultimately a question of practice. Tools have to fit the work, employees need the ability to assess their outputs, and organizations need to decide which responsibilities remain with people. The expo brought those different perspectives into one setting.
Business competitiveness and space for young people
APINDO Kota Magelang chair Eddy Sutrisno linked digital change with business competitiveness and employment. Yohanes Santoso, the association’s vice chair for the creative and digital economy, emphasized young people’s role in developing enterprises and cooperation across business, government, academia, and communities.
Data Sorcerers founder Marchel Andrian Shevchenko, introduced by the organizer also as CTO of Magelang Avengers, advocated an open setting in which young people could exchange ideas, build connections, and work across disciplines. Data Sorcerers lead Zidan Amikul Afham supported the technology partner booth.
Their contributions addressed two sides of participation: the discussion about who can help shape local innovation, and the practical work of supporting the event. For Data Sorcerers, involvement in the expo connected its community work with a business-led forum in Magelang.
The mayor’s message: retain human control
Mayor Damar Prasetyono urged participants to remain in control of AI, according to the city government’s account published on 5 June. “AI is made by humans. Humans are not made by AI,” he said. He emphasized the need for young people and students to understand the technology and use it with judgment.
The mayor also described AI and information technology entering government activities, including financial reporting, accountability indicators, social media, and internal communication. Regional government offices were being encouraged to use technology to improve administrative performance and public services.
The city’s account records Sutrisno connecting that message with the need to adapt across business, education, and employment. His response framed AI as a change in how organizations think and work, not simply an additional piece of software.
Taken together, the remarks point to a common requirement across the public and private sectors: the ability to question a system’s output. Faster preparation of a report, for example, still leaves someone responsible for checking its accuracy and explaining the decisions made from it.
From introductions to useful work
The expo placed community participation alongside institutional and business perspectives. Its value as a meeting point lies in that combination: people with technical interests can encounter organizations with operational problems, while those organizations can discuss their needs with practitioners.
Translating such introductions into useful work requires a narrower next step—a defined problem, a responsible team, and an outcome that can be evaluated. The discussion in Magelang made room for that conversation, while keeping the people expected to learn, use, and oversee AI at its center.
Zidan Amikul Afham’s support for the technology partner booth was confirmed by Data Sorcerers. This account draws on APINDO’s event report and the city government’s follow-up coverage. Archive note: this website edition was added on 1 November 2026. The date above follows the original reporting or event record. Event date: .