'Legenda Bertuah': Indonesia's First Fully AI-Animated TV Series Sparks Debate

The television series 'Legenda Bertuah' is described as the first in Indonesia to use generative artificial intelligence (AI) to fully animate a show.

The series premiered in January on Indonesian free-to-air television, with fourteen half-hour episodes aired. Each episode tells a different Indonesian folktale. The show is produced by the company TRANS7 and is also available for streaming on its website.

The AI Production Process

According to TRANS7 spokesperson Mira Khairunnisa, producing one episode takes approximately one month and involves about 10 people.

The process begins with human-led storyboarding, image agreement, scripting, and video editing. Prompt engineers, who come from backgrounds such as camera operation and IT, then use AI platforms to generate the animation.

1. The engineers first prompt ChatGPT to generate still images for each scene as visual guides.
2. These stills are then animated into video using Google Veo.
3. The final step involves human producers editing the AI-generated videos to adjust sound, colors, and lighting.

Khairunnisa stated that producers consulted experts on the folktales to ensure accuracy in scripting and visual interpretation.

Reactions to the AI-Generated Show

From Viewers

Some viewers on social media described the show as "really cool," "refreshing," and a "quality AI TV show" that helps younger generations learn about Indonesian legends. Other viewers were critical, describing the AI-generated human characters as having "stiff" expressions and tone, and questioning the decision to use AI instead of hiring animators.

From TRANS7

Spokesperson Mira Khairunnisa stated that the main reason for using AI was not to save money, noting that production with AI is "not that cheap." She described AI as a "new tool that can be developed in our content production" and emphasized that it "still needs humans behind it." Khairunnisa argued that the use of AI is "not eliminating jobs, but instead, creating new ones."

From Industry Figures

• Dermawan Syamsuddin (Indonesian Animation Industry Association): Disputed that the AI-generated videos could be called animation, stating the character movements were "exaggerated" and that the content does not use a globally recognized animation style.

• Satriaddin Maharinga (Director/Actor): Expressed concern that AI was used to save money and raised ethical questions for the creative industry. He questioned whether AI-generated content should be considered art, noting that AI "has no soul" or independent creative agency. He uses AI for writing inspiration but advocates for clearer ethical guidelines before widespread adoption.

• Franklin Darmadi (Movie Director): Said AI is helpful but "not everything can 100 per cent be replaced with AI," and that filmmaking still requires a "human touch." He uses AI for tasks like background editing but is not comfortable making main visuals entirely with AI, citing a lack of human "micro-expressions" and spontaneity.

• Irvan Satya Prana (Indonesian Animation Industry Association): Said animation and design jobs are already being impacted by AI, with reports of harder-to-find work and layoffs. He expressed confidence that the industry would adapt to this transition.

The Regulatory Context in Indonesia

Indonesia has a national AI strategy (Stranas KA) that includes ethics and policies, but it is not a legally binding document. The government has indicated it may revise copyright legislation to address AI-generated content and protect artists.

Arif Perdana (Monash University Indonesia): Described regulating AI as "tricky," requiring a balance between stifling innovation and protecting the public.

A spokesperson for Indonesia's Ministry of Creative Economy said the government is working to move from moral guidelines to legally binding regulations to minimize risks like mass layoffs and ensure fair remuneration for creators. The spokesperson stated, "AI should be used as a tool, not a replacement for humans."