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COM Research Seminar: A Close Intimacy: Artificial Intelligence, and Indonesian Migrant Workers' Life in, Hong Kong

20 Apr 2026 (Mon)



On 13 April 2026 , Dr. Irfan Wahyudi from Universitas Airlangga, delivered a seminar entitled “A Close Intimacy: Artificial Intelligence and Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Life in Hong Kong.”

In the seminar, Dr. Wahyudi discussed how Artificial Intelligence (AI) contributes to the daily lives of Indonesian migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. These workers face multifaceted challenges, including labor exploitation, emotional strain from distant relationships, and limited social interaction. Based on research conducted from November 2025 to March 2026, Dr. Wahyudi found that AI has emerged as a transformative tool heavily used by the migrants, particularly in addressing mental health issues and feelings of loneliness. Furthermore, AI is also used to improve labor conditions, strengthen family connections, and preserve cultural identity. The study revealed that AI is beneficial in promoting financial inclusion among migrant workers. However, the migrant workers also recognised the negative impacts of AI use, including the tendency to become overly dependent on the technology for solving daily issues, as well as growing awareness of how AI can facilitate the spread of false and misleading information.







Faculty members and doctoral students from the Department of Media and Communication attended the session and engaged in a lively and intellectually stimulating discussion. In responding to questions from the audience, Dr. Wahyudi addressed enquiries regarding the dual role of AI in supporting and complicating the lives of Indonesian migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.

Dr. Irfan Wahyudi is a lecturer in Media and Communications at Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia. His research touched topics on media studies,activism, migration, virtual communications,community, social memories, and identity. He also serves as Research Fellow at Edith Cowan University (2019), Curtin University (2023), and the International Institute of Asia Studies (lIAS), Leiden University (2023).