The AI countdown: Pakistan’s moment to leap

Just as mobile phones skipped landlines, AI gives Pakistan a rare chance to skip stages of development if the jump is deliberate, not accidental. The prime minister’s announcement of a one-billion-dollar AI investment at Indus AI Week felt like a signal that the country wants to be part of the future, not just watching it unfold from the sidelines.

And the truth is, AI today is no longer just a “tech sector” conversation. It has become tied to economic strength, national competitiveness, and even influence in the global information space. Countries that can build and manage AI systems will shape markets, industries, and narratives. Those that cannot risk being left behind, not just economically, but politically and strategically as well.

What stood out most at Indus AI Week was the emphasis on capacity building. The goal of training one million non-IT professionals in AI is a major shift from the usual approach, where technology development stays limited to a small circle of specialists. Focus on application rather than technology injected freshness for one reason: it finally resembles the kind of digital transformation that actually matters. Not the usual version of “digitalisation,” where an organisation buys an off-the-shelf software license, shifts two workflows online, and then declares itself modern. The realization that AI has to live inside and conform to all our sectors shifts the conversation to application over hype.

Textile exporters could use AI to manage supply chains more efficiently. Farmers could benefit from precision agriculture tools that improve yields and reduce waste, especially in Punjab and Sindh. Financial institutions could expand access through smarter digital services for millions who are still outside the formal banking system. These are practical use cases, not futuristic ideas.

Another encouraging aspect is the proposal to bring AI into the national curriculum. The detail that matters here is the national universality. Too often, technological progress in Pakistan remains concentrated in a few major cities. If AI education is treated as a nationwide priority, it can help narrow that gap and create opportunity beyond urban centres.

That said, ambition is only the first step. Execution will decide everything. AI governance frameworks will be essential to ensure innovation doesn’t outpace ethics, privacy, and public trust. Pakistan will also need to bring the diaspora into the picture in a serious way. Many Pakistani technologists are working in leading global AI labs, and structured pathways for knowledge-sharing and collaboration could become a major advantage if done properly.

Beyond the economy, AI could also improve public services. From healthcare support in underserved regions to better transparency in governance, and even tools to counter disinformation, the potential is much wider than productivity gains. Glimpses can be gleaned in, inter alia, Safe City initiatives, NADRA, and FBR.

The government’s announcement is an important start. The funding commitment, the educational direction, and the overall signalling matter. But the real test will be whether startups are able to innovate without unnecessary barriers, whether talent stays because opportunity exists, and whether AI benefits reach communities in places like Tharparkar as much as they reach entrepreneurs in Karachi and Lahore.

In the end, this cannot remain only a government initiative. It has to become a national project, supported by the private sector, academia, civil society, and the youth who will ultimately carry it forward. The opportunity is there, but the window will not stay open forever. In the age of artificial intelligence, where ChatGPT achieved the fastest adoption rate of any consumer application ever, even time has become the ultimate strategic resource.

The writer is a technology enthusiast.