ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has launched a national innovation competition aimed at mobilizing the country’s top talent to craft artificial intelligence (AI)-driven solutions for high-priority sectors.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said Monday that AI is no longer the future, but the present as sectors such as health, education, agriculture, industry and governance continue to be transformed.
Calling the national competition a milestone in Pakistan’s digital history, he said that now decisions are no longer made solely in economies, but in algorithms, stressing the urgent need for Pakistan to actively engage in the global AI revolution to avoid technological dependence on others.
“AI could predict diseases in crops, assist doctors in diagnosis and bring quality education to every child in the country. Pakistan will not be a spectator in the AI revolution; it will become an emerging leader,” the minister said.
Talking about the government’s measures, Iqbal said that AI is being integrated into academic curricula, and national capacity is being mobilized through various programs, adding that the latest initiative would unlock new avenues for national development through youth innovation.
