IT Ministry Unveils Six-Pillar AI Framework to Boost Adoption in Pakistan

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has unveiled a strategic six-pillar framework designed to significantly boost Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption, foster innovation, and enhance the nation’s global competitiveness in the field.

This comprehensive policy aims to cultivate a strong AI ecosystem within Pakistan by focusing on key areas: innovation, readiness, security, transformation, infrastructure, and international collaboration.

Let’s break down these crucial pillars:

The first pillar, the AI Innovation Ecosystem, will closely track the growth of AI-driven startups and SMEs, monitor the increase in AI-related jobs, and assess how effectively AI solutions are being adopted across vital sectors like smart cities, healthcare, and agriculture. A key performance indicator for this pillar will be the growth in investments and funding directed towards AI ventures.

Next, the Awareness and Readiness pillar is dedicated to expanding AI research and intellectual property. This involves measuring the number of AI-focused research papers, patent applications, and the funding allocated to research grants and initiatives. The goal is to ensure Pakistan’s talent pool is well-equipped to contribute meaningfully to the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

For a Secure AI Ecosystem, the third pillar concentrates on reducing cyber threats, establishing data standardization, and promoting ethical AI practices. Public awareness campaigns will encourage responsible AI use. Crucially, efforts will also be made to digitize and synchronize existing national infrastructures, such as WAPDA, NADRA, FBR, and the health and education sectors, to facilitate real-time data sharing, which is essential for advanced AI applications.

The remaining pillars complete this ambitious framework. Transformation and Evolution will focus on integrating AI across specific sectors. The AI Infrastructure pillar aims to build national AI computing capacity, establish dedicated AI hubs, ensure the availability of essential datasets, and even support the development of local large language models. Finally, International Partnerships and Collaborations will connect Pakistan with the global AI community through joint research, strategic partnerships, and active participation in international AI forums, ensuring the nation stays at the forefront of global AI advancements.

This multi-faceted approach by the IT Ministry underscores Pakistan’s commitment to harnessing the power of AI for national progress and securing its position in the global AI arena.