Federal Minister of IT and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haque Wednesday said the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication (MoIT&T) will train 100,000 AI graduates in the next 5 years in collaboration with academia, plus another 50,000 with the support of the IT industry.
The minister said in a statement that projects of national interest can be prepared for the challenges posed by AI, and the new policy would help the country prepare for the challenges coming in this field. In this regard, he said a demand for AI-related job opportunities will be created in Pakistan. Local industries will be supported in national development through modern technology.
Haque said AI will attract foreign and domestic investment and encourage competition, develop trained talent, and ensure public safety, while at the same time enabling data privacy through the ethical use of AI technology. He said the government will provide an enabling environment of trust where AI technology can be developed locally and implemented to its full potential.
The minister said Pakistan should get its due share of the global AI market which is projected to hit US$ 1 trillion by 2030. For this purpose, he said MoITT will train 100,000 AI graduates in the next 5 years in collaboration with academia, and another 50,000 with the support of the IT industry.
Pakistan’s society and economy can grow on par with global change and technology. On May 17, 2023, MoIT&T uploaded the draught AI Policy to its website for this purpose, the minister added.
Haque remarked the ministry is seeking a wide consensus on the AI policy from the public, civil society, experts, related industries, and local and international institutions by June 15, 2023. Thereafter, the draft will be finalized in light of these suggestions.
The minister added that the IT Ministry is setting up a policy committee that will include AI experts from industry and academia. The committee will formulate the latest requirements and challenges related to the technology.
