Pakistan, Google sign MoU for AI centre, free Gemini access for students

Pakistan and Google signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Friday under which Google will provide Pakistani students with free one-year access to advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools including Gemini, and work with the government to establish an AI Centre of Excellence in Islamabad, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

The MoU comes days after Google opened its first office in Pakistan, with the company saying the move reflected its confidence in the country’s digital future and talent. Google has also partnered with the government on digital-skilling programmes and other initiatives supporting developers, startups, gaming, hardware manufacturing and online safety.

The MoU was signed during a reception hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in honour of the Google team. Under the agreement, the two sides will work to expand Google’s Career Certificates programme in Pakistan, with Google targeting 150,000 certificates in 2026 to help develop digital skills.

They also agreed to increase Pakistani students’ access to Google’s advanced artificial intelligence tools, with students set to receive free one-year access to tools including Google AI Plus and Gemini.

Pakistan and Google will also cooperate on establishing an AI Centre of Excellence in Islamabad, which will train young people and other human resources in skills aligned with global market requirements.

The agreement also covers cooperation to strengthen the global competitiveness of Pakistan’s mobile application and gaming industries, promote digital payments and expand digital commerce.

The two sides will explore the use of AI to improve public service delivery and government operations, including the use of AI-powered data analytics in the Federal Board of Revenue’s digitisation project.

In agriculture, Pakistan and Google will cooperate on using AI for crop monitoring, forecasting and sustainable farming practices.

The agreement also envisages the use of digital platforms to help Pakistani small and medium-sized enterprises access international markets.

A task force comprising the government, Google and relevant stakeholders will be established to prepare a roadmap for Pakistan’s IT exports and competitiveness, according to the PMO. The task force will identify obstacles to IT exports and assess opportunities for growth.

Read: PTA, Google sign agreement to make digital platforms safer for children

The government said the agreement marked progress towards Prime Minister Shehbaz’s vision of increasing Pakistan’s IT exports and digital economy to $30 billion by 2030.

“The cooperation between the Government of Pakistan and Google will lay the foundation for a new era of digital transformation and innovation in Pakistan,” the PMO said.

The agreement was the second MoU signed between Pakistan and Google this week, following the establishment of Google’s first office in Pakistan earlier this week. On Thursday, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Google signed an MoU to strengthen child online safety and promote safer use of digital platforms.

Under the agreement, the two organisations agreed to collaborate on a child safety programme focused on “awareness, education and capacity-building”, including initiatives to equip parents and teachers with practical tools to help children navigate the digital world safely.

The programme will also include awareness content in English and local languages, training programmes in educational institutions and a nationwide outreach campaign connecting families with localised online safety resources and tutorials.

Read More: Pakistan starts assembling Google Chromebooks

Google expanded its engagement with Pakistan in recent years through digital-skilling, artificial intelligence, app development and online-safety initiatives, as well as support for local technology businesses. The company opened its first office in Pakistan on Wednesday, with the government saying its presence would help strengthen the country’s technology ecosystem and attract further international investment. It has also worked with the government on digital security and online safety.

On Tuesday, a senior Google delegation met Minister of Interior for State Talal Chaudhry to discuss digital security, countering terrorism through social media, the timely removal of harmful online content and greater cooperation. Chaudhry urged Google to take Pakistan’s “specific circumstances” into account, while the company said it would continue working with the government to help ensure a safe digital environment.

Google’s partnership with Pakistan has also included skills development. The government said around 350,000 Google Career Certificate scholarships had been completed since 2022, while Google-backed developer groups had reached hundreds of thousands of developers. Other initiatives have focused on AI, gaming, app development, online safety and the training of public officials.