Indonesia has become the creative powerhouse of Southeast Asia's AI revolution, with users generating nearly 9 million custom images every single day using Google's Gemini artificial intelligence model. This explosive adoption reveals how rapidly generative AI is embedding itself into daily life across the region, particularly among mobile-first populations who are embracing the technology in ways that surprise even Google's leadership.

Why Is Indonesia Leading Southeast Asia in AI Image Generation?

Google's Vice President for Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier, Sapna Chadha, unveiled these striking numbers during a virtual press conference in mid-July 2026, presenting findings from the "Gemini Report: Southeast Asia 2026." The data shows that Indonesia's creative output dwarfs other countries in the region, driven by a unique combination of mobile-first behavior and a population eager to experiment with AI tools.

"In Indonesia, one out of every three prompts is purely creative. The Indonesian society creates nine million custom images every day to materialize their ideas, the highest number in the Southeast Asian region," stated Sapna Chadha, Vice President of Google for Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier.

Sapna Chadha, Vice President of Google for Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier

The report examined AI usage patterns across six Southeast Asian countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Indonesia's dominance in creative image generation reflects both the scale of its population and the particular ways Indonesians interact with technology.

How Mobile Devices Are Reshaping AI Adoption in the Region?

The mobile-first nature of Southeast Asian internet usage is a critical factor in Gemini's success. An overwhelming 82 percent of all Gemini prompts in Indonesia originate from mobile phones, not desktop computers. This matters because it means people are using AI tools while on the move, during breaks, or in moments of creative inspiration rather than sitting down at a desk with a specific task in mind.

Beyond text-only prompts, Indonesians are also embracing multimodal inputs, where users combine voice, images, and text to communicate with AI. Nearly half of all Gemini prompts in Indonesia involve these richer input methods, allowing people to express ideas more naturally and intuitively. This shift toward voice and image inputs suggests that AI interaction is becoming as casual and conversational as texting a friend.

• Mobile Dominance: 82 percent of Gemini prompts in Indonesia come from mobile devices, reflecting the region's smartphone-first internet culture.
• Multimodal Inputs: Nearly 50 percent of prompts use voice or image inputs alongside text, making AI interaction more natural and accessible.
• Local Language Preference: 84 percent of Indonesian prompts are submitted in the local language, with Southeast Asia averaging 70 percent local language usage overall.
• Creative Focus: One in three prompts in Indonesia is purely creative in nature, compared to other use cases like research or productivity.

The language dimension is equally important. Indonesia leads Southeast Asia in local language adoption for AI interactions, with 84 percent of prompts submitted in Indonesian rather than English. This regional trend is even stronger in Vietnam (89 percent) and Thailand (87 percent), indicating that AI tools are becoming truly localized rather than remaining English-centric.

What Does Gemini's Rapid Growth Mean for the Tech Industry?

Google's Gemini has achieved remarkable scale in Southeast Asia. The company reports that Gemini currently serves over 900 million users globally across 230 countries and in 70 languages. Within Southeast Asia specifically, the number of active Gemini app users has more than doubled in the last 12 months, making it the fastest-growing Google app the company has ever launched in the region.

"In Southeast Asia, the number of active Gemini app users has more than doubled in the last 12 months. In fact, this growth has set the fastest record compared to other Google apps that we have ever launched in this region," noted Sapna Chadha.

Sapna Chadha, Vice President of Google for Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier

The underlying technology powering Indonesia's image generation boom is Gemini's "Nano Banana" model, which launched in August 2025. Since its debut, users across Southeast Asia have created over 5 billion images using this feature. The sheer volume of creative output suggests that AI image generation has moved from a novelty to an integrated part of how people express themselves and explore ideas.

Director of Google Ads Solutions for Southeast Asia, Samuele Saini, emphasized that Gemini democratizes creative expression by allowing users without artistic training to generate visual ideas simply by describing them in everyday language. This accessibility is particularly powerful in a region where creative tools and professional design services may be expensive or difficult to access.

How to Maximize Gemini's Capabilities for Creative Work

• Use Voice and Image Inputs: Instead of typing text-only prompts, combine voice descriptions and reference images to provide richer context and more accurate results from Gemini.
• Prompt in Your Native Language: Gemini performs exceptionally well with Southeast Asian languages; using Indonesian, Vietnamese, or Thai can yield better results than translating to English.
• Iterate and Refine: Start with a basic creative prompt, then use follow-up messages to adjust details, style, or composition until you achieve your desired output.
• Combine with Other Tools: Use Gemini's generated images as starting points for further editing in other design tools, rather than treating AI output as final.

Google's evaluation of Gemini's language capabilities adds another layer of credibility to its Southeast Asian success. According to testing by AI Singapore using the Southeast Asia Holistic Evaluation of Language Models (SEA-HELM) benchmark, Gemini is the best-performing language model for Southeast Asian languages overall. This technical advantage translates directly into better user experiences for people interacting with the model in their native languages.

The data also reveals that Gemini has become the most sought-after AI assistant in key markets. In Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, Gemini ranks as the preferred AI tool among users, suggesting that Google's strategy of optimizing for local languages and mobile-first interaction has paid off significantly.

The Indonesia story is particularly noteworthy because it demonstrates how AI adoption patterns differ dramatically across regions. While Western markets often focus on productivity and enterprise use cases, Southeast Asia's creative explosion shows that generative AI is fulfilling a different need: enabling self-expression and creative exploration among populations that may lack access to traditional creative tools. As Gemini continues to evolve and expand its capabilities, the region's appetite for AI-powered creativity will likely continue to drive growth and innovation in how these tools are designed and deployed.