Pakistan’s Updated AI Policy to be Presented for Approval Next Month

On Friday, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives announced that the final version of Pakistan’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy is set to be presented to the Cabinet for approval in August.

During a meeting of the Special Task Force on AI, Iqbal called on relevant parties to accelerate their consultations with stakeholders. He emphasized that AI is a current global reality rather than a future possibility, stating, “Artificial intelligence is not the future but the present reality in the world.”

Iqbal also highlighted the government’s milestones in AI, mentioning the establishment of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence in 2017 and the National Task Force on Artificial Intelligence in 2023. He underscored the importance of these initiatives for advancing Pakistan’s capabilities in artificial intelligence.

Iqbal blamed past policy’s shortcomings for slowing down the economy. He also said the country’s economic progress is blocked by troublesome elements, but did not go into detail.

During the Prime Minister’s recent trip to China, both sides agreed to give IT skills to 200,000 young Pakistanis. This is meant to help the country deal with today’s tech world.

Iqbal said Pakistan must catch up with the world in artificial intelligence (AI). He complained that some countries have blocked Pakistani students from learning about tech. Still, Pakistan is determined to get modern technology.

Iqbal wants the government to use the ideas from a special AI group. He also announced a major AI meeting to discuss such matters. He believes AI will work wonders for health, schools, finance, and farming. He said there’s no reason Pakistani young people can’t make tech giants like Facebook or Twitter.