Pakistan AI Policy: Government Introduces National Policy
Pakistan has introduced an ambitious National AI Policy aimed at building a $2.7 billion domestic AI market within five years. This policy is structured around six main pillars:
- Innovation
- Skills
- Secure and Ethical Use
- Sector Transformation
- Infrastructure
- International Collaboration
Policymakers have emphasized the importance of prioritizing public funding and clarifying points regarding data usage, intellectual property (IP), taxation, and defining financial policies within this framework.
Secure AI Ecosystem
The policy outlines plans to deploy AI cybersecurity systems shared across institutions to protect digital infrastructure. An AI ethics board will be formed under the AI Directorate to oversee data privacy. There is a strong emphasis on transparency and human oversight in AI operations across both public and private sectors.
To enhance accountability, a public register of AI systems will be introduced, allowing citizens to access information about AI usage. Furthermore, an open-source AI governance framework will be created, incorporating international data protection standards.
The AI Directorate, in collaboration with Centres of Excellence (CoEs), will establish regulations for generative AI to mitigate risks such as misinformation, privacy breaches, and copyright violations.
Job Creation
The policy sets a target to train 200,000 individuals annually in AI tools, with specific modules designed for marginalized women and specially-abled citizens. The government plans to offer 3,000 scholarships each year for postgraduate and doctoral studies in AI.
A specialized AI curriculum will be introduced for public servants to train them on ethical AI use and data protection awareness. Additionally, an interest-free education financing scheme will support 15,000 students pursuing high-tech degrees.
The government also aims to launch a national high-tech internship program to create 20,000 internships annually in the AI sector.
Innovation
A National AI Fund (NAIF) will be established under the Ignite National Technology Fund, allocating around 30% of Ignite’s resources for research and development to support AI research, innovation, and commercialization.
With funding from the NAIF, Centres of Excellence (CoEs) will be created in cities across the country to act as hubs for AI research, training, and startup incubation. An innovation fund will back projects addressing challenges in healthcare, education, and agriculture.
A venture fund will also be introduced to provide financial support for scaling early-stage AI startups. The government intends to introduce data standards and quality assurance frameworks to ensure the reliable and ethical usage of domestically developed AI models.
Transformation and Evolution
The government aims to leverage AI to enhance various industries and services, creating a detailed roadmap for its implementation in education, healthcare, agriculture, and energy management.
A new Ranking Management System will be developed to assist individuals and businesses in selecting the appropriate AI tools. While the adoption of AI will be voluntary, businesses that implement AI technologies will be eligible for tax breaks and subsidies.
AI Infrastructure
To support the AI policy, a nationwide AI network will be established to provide sufficient computing power for large-scale experiments and AI model training. At least 100 universities and research institutions will have access to these resources.
The government will maintain high-quality datasets in national and provincial data repositories and upgrade existing public-sector data centers for more efficient access.
Additionally, cloud-based services and shared AI resources will be promoted to provide businesses and institutions with access to data and tools via public cloud platforms, benefiting local AI developers and startups.
International Collaboration
The government plans to establish bilateral agreements with leading AI nations, such as the United States, to facilitate knowledge sharing and joint AI research initiatives. Pakistan aims to actively participate in global AI forums to showcase progress and build partnerships.
The AI regulations will align with international standards to ensure compliance while attracting foreign direct investment in the AI sector. Talent exchange programs will also be created to enable students and professionals to pursue AI education and training abroad, with the goal of bringing back expertise to foster further domestic innovation.
