Professor Ahsan Iqbal, the Minister of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, chaired a session of the National AI Task Force on Tuesday, which saw participation from senior government representatives, industry experts, and key professionals in the AI sector.
The discussion covered the AI Implementation Roadmap, which was meticulously created by the task force and the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI), according to the press release.
The goal of this long-term plan is to make the country more productive, encourage new ideas, and keep it competitive globally.
Role of NCAI in AI Roadmap Development
The minister acknowledged NCAI’s critical role in advancing artificial intelligence development in Pakistan by using its knowledge, current facilities, and the combined strengths of industrial partners.
He emphasized that several industries, including the legal system, healthcare, manufacturing, education, energy, climate change, and defence, stood to benefit from the introduction of AI, which would speed up economic growth, encourage innovation, generate new employment possibilities, and enhance efficiency.
AI for Sustainable Growth: PM’s ‘Uraan Pakistan’ Initiative
He also brought attention to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ‘Uraan Pakistan‘ initiative, which seeks to use AI to enhance exports, accelerate digital transformation, implement sustainable practices, develop efficient energy solutions, and promote social justice. The initiative also aims to foster sustainable development and increase exports.
In order to help with localized implementation and meet the unique needs of each area, AI Liaison Offices would also be set up in important regions.
The task force laid out a detailed plan with specific, attainable goals and due dates. In the first stage, the Ministry of Planning would help organize 12 sector-specific workshops and prepare a comprehensive three-month action plan.
Agriculture, healthcare, education, industry, energy, the law, and climate change would be the areas of concentration during the seminars.
The urgency of the situation was highlighted by Ahsan Iqbal, who underlined that the workshops and action plans must be finalized over the next three months in order to guarantee the rapid nationwide integration of AI.
Critical infrastructure and technical support would be provided by the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) and provincial governments to facilitate these efforts.
Minister Ahsan stressed the need for cooperation between public and private organizations. He argued for an all-encompassing strategy for AI integration that takes into account the technology’s effects on society, ethics, and the environment in addition to its technical advancements.
Global Alliances and AI Tech Parks
To better align Pakistan’s AI policy with international best practices and to encourage information exchange, the task force will engage in global alliances in the coming months. With the help of AI tech parks, new businesses and ideas will be able to get their AI solutions out into the market.
To make sure the nation continues on track to achieve its AI goals, Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the need to move from planning to implementation and called for frequent updates and evaluations of progress.
Immediate goals would include building an AI-ready infrastructure, training a competent workforce, and implementing AI-driven solutions in critical areas to deliver noticeable outcomes.
