AI-Powered Entertainment-Oriented Activism: The Emerging Form of Political Participation in Southeast Asia
Keywords:
Artificial intelligence, Digital activism, Algorithmic, Political participation, Southeast AsiaAbstract
Digital activism is increasingly shaped by the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and entertainment media, yet existing theories of political participation remain inadequate to explain these emerging dynamics. This study proposes an AI-Powered Entertainment-Oriented Activism (AEA) framework, which reconceptualises digital activism across four interrelated dimensions: 1) AI Algorithmic Environment; 2) Networked Resource Mobilisation and Micro-Influencers; 3) Cultural Performance and Algorithmic Aesthetics; 4) Transnational Solidarity and Decentralisations. Given Indonesia’s youthful demographics, vibrant protest culture, and expansive social media ecosystem, this study employs Indonesia as a case study, drawing primarily on literature analysis of academic sources, media archives, and digital traces. Empirical evidence from Indonesia validates the AEA framework, revealing how actors navigate algorithmic governance, leverage AI tools for communications, and transform political dissent into culturally resonant and entertaining forms. These findings also expose structural inequalities in digital visibility, the prevalence of symbolic participation, and ethical challenges surrounding algorithmic manipulation and AI-Powered content. By theorising these dynamics, the research advances discussions within digital activism, social policy, and development studies, demonstrating that AI and entertainment are not peripheral elements in contemporary Southeast Asian political participation patterns but are progressively becoming core components. Consequently, the AEA framework offers conceptual and theoretical contributions for analysing how algorithmic infrastructures and affective cultures jointly reshape activism in Global South nations.
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