Pakistani IT firms showcase AI, Big Data solutions at Amsterdam tech exhibition


https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573786/pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Four Pakistani information technology firms showcased cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and big data solutions at an exhibition in Amsterdam this week, highlighting the country’s role as a key player in the global tech arena, the commerce ministry said on Thursday.

The AI and Big Data Expo Europe was held from Oct. 1-2 in Amsterdam, featuring next-generation technologies and strategies in the world of artificial intelligence. The event was sponsored by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and included various speakers from the fields of data science.

AI technology enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem-solving, decision making and creativity. Big data refers to extremely large and diverse collections of structured, unstructured, and semi-structured data that continues to grow exponentially over time. Big data is used in machine learning, predictive modeling, and other advanced analytics to solve business problems and make informed decisions.

“Four leading Pakistani IT companies Reach the Globe, ICILtek, NorthBay Solutions and Sofizar/ ConstellationCK proudly represented Pakistan at the AI and Big Data Exhibition Europe at the RAI Convention Center in Amsterdam,” the commerce ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

Pakistan’s embassy in The Hague played an important role in promoting the participation of these companies by ensuring a “seamless setup” of the Pakistan Pavillion, the ministry said. It added that the embassy also facilitated booths for local companies and promoted Pakistani IT firms in front of visitors from different sectors.

The Pakistani embassy hosted a networking dinner to bring together local IT firms and key stakeholders representing Dutch companies, the statement said. The dinner provided a platform for Pakistani and Dutch businesses to discuss collaboration opportunities.

Muhammad Shafiq Haider Virk, Pakistan’s trade and investment councilor in the Netherlands, said the participation of the four local companies demonstrated the South Asian nation’s growing expertise in AI and big data.

“The Embassy of Pakistan in The Hague will continue to support and promote Pakistani businesses on the global stage, strengthening our trade ties with the Netherlands and Europe,” he said.

Generative Artificial Intelligence and Deterrence Stability between India and Pakistan — Global Security Review


https://globalsecurityreview.com/generative-artificial-intelligence...


Imagine a scene. It is the Indian military command center on the night of May 28, 2028. A high-ranking Indian military officer sends a message to a subordinate commander; Pakistan has initiated a preemptive strike. Prepare for a retaliatory strike. This is not a drill.

Missile flight time between both India and Pakistan is a few minutes. Hence, commanders do not have time for verification and decide to launch a retaliatory strike on warning.

In Pakistan, a high-ranking Pakistani military officer contacts Pakistan’s prime minister to tell him India has initiated a nuclear strike, and an immediate response is required. The prime minister immediately orders a counterstrike. Pakistan proceeds to counterstrike protocols.

Missiles begin crossing borders between India and Pakistan as the world hurtles towards a nuclear catastrophe in South Asia. The world’s worst fears are realized. It is only later realized that the high-ranking Indian military officer’s message to an Indian commander was made by a nuclear command-and-control system embedded with generative artificial intelligence (AI).

The Role of Generative AI in Modern Warfare

The use of generative AI, which is best exemplified by ChatGPT, by an adversary, or third party, can impact deterrence stability between India and Pakistan. In a worst-case scenario, it could trigger a nuclear war, like the scene mentioned above. Should generative AI be embedded in nuclear command-and-control systems, it is theoretically possible that hyper-personalized messages, like the one described above, could be generated in a system that was not originally designed to allow such an outcome. The potential for a tailored message, for specific individuals, is possible.

Traditionally, content and information generation were based on human creativity. However, at present, generative artificial intelligence is being considered as a tool for digital transformation. Generative AI is a deep learning model which has the capability to generate synthetic media including text, video, and audio—dependent on training.

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Generative AI and Deterrence Stability: A Scenario for De-escalation

It is the night of May 28, 2028, at India’s military command center. A high-ranking Indian military officer sends a message to a subordinate commander; Pakistan has initiated a preemptive strike. Prepare for a retaliatory strike. This is not a drill.

Flight time between India and Pakistan is a few minutes. Hence, commanders do not have time for verification and need to decide quickly whether to launch a retaliatory strike. He calls the command center to verify the message received.

India’s prime minister is contacted immediately concerning the message received by one of his commanders. He picks up the hotline to Pakistan’s prime minister and asks, “Have you launched nuclear weapons?”

Pakistan’s prime minister responds, “Not at all. This is fake!”

India’s prime minister informs the military command center. The crisis is averted, and nuclear weapons are not used.

Confidence-building measures, which were present in the second scenario, have the opportunity to change the outcome of a conflict. Given the potential for artificial intelligence to be used in nefarious ways, it is time to take action to avert such a crisis.

Pakistan executes AI-powered criminal identification system | Biometric Update

https://www.biometricupdate.com/202402/pakistan-executes-ai-powered...

Pakistan is rapidly advancing into a technologically advanced era, and its provinces are embracing innovation to transform law enforcement systems. The Punjab Safe City project, a joint project between Punjab Police and PITB, is leading this change by implementing the AI-powered Face Trace System (FTS) to increase the effectiveness of biometric criminal identification and detention.
Not to be outdone, Safe City Projects in Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) are progressing significantly. While KPK is leading the way with its ground-breaking AI security control system in Peshawar, Sindh promises increased security with the completion of the Karachi AI facial recognition project soon.

Baluchistan is getting close to finishing its Quetta Safe City Project, which is adding to this momentum. This project intends to improve security protocols and update law enforcement with more than 1,400 strategically placed IP cameras spread over 255 sites. The initiative, which was designed domestically, demonstrates Baluchistan’s dedication to digital technology independence.

These programs demonstrate Pakistan’s commitment to using biometric technology to follow terrorists, suspects, accused parties, and criminals across the country as they develop. The Face Trace System (FTS), was created to improve accountability, efficiency, and dependability in digitally tracking down criminal identities.

The execution of Face Trace System (FTC) in Punjab
The Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) System, which is based on artificial intelligence (AI) and uses sophisticated technology to identify vehicles involved in criminal activity, is one of the technologies represented by the development of the FTS. This system records and captures license plate information. Chairman of the Punjab Information Technology Board, PITB, Faisal Yousaf, briefed the Media. The Facial Recognition System, which is based on Artificial Intelligence, takes pictures automatically and compares them with a vast database that has been compiled. This database includes 18 million driving license records and pictures, 1.8 million records from the Crime Record Branch, 1.3 million from the Punjab Khidmat Marakaz, and 300,000 records of accused persons and criminals from Punjab prisons. Law enforcement officials can identify and track suspects who CCTV cameras and other sources with the use of this system have identified.

An important step towards Punjab province’s goal of modernizing law enforcement is the introduction of new digital technology. With the help of this extensive database and the user-friendly online platform of the FTS, investigations are accelerated and laborious processes are replaced with smooth identification and verification. Identification procedures are streamlined using AI-driven facial and vehicle number plate recognition, which cuts down on the time and resources required for investigations. With these cutting-edge capabilities, police can ensure public safety by responding swiftly to track illegal activity. Furthermore, law enforcement’s efficiency in holding suspects is improved by the FTS’s capacity to arrest offenders in a multiplicity of settings.

The progress of AI-driven safe city project in Sindh province
Advancements in surveillance technology
A paradigm shift in law enforcement technology is represented by the Safe City project of Sindh province, which uses surveillance systems. This system, which consists of carefully placed cameras with cutting-edge capabilities like facial recognition, night vision, and vehicle plate recording, raises the block for public safety and crime prevention. Law enforcement officials may now quickly identify and monitor suspects by utilizing state-of-the-art AI technology, which improves their ability to initially maintain law and order across vulnerable parts of Karachi city.

The global AI revolution demands that Pakistan urgently integrate AI across key sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and energy. AI can boost productivity and unlock economic potential, but international collaboration and tech exports are also crucial for positioning Pakistan in the global arena. Reskilling the workforce is equally essential.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1861988#:~:text=The%20global%20AI%20revol....

By focusing on tech education, talent development, and promoting freelancing, Pakistan can build a future-ready workforce while preventing further talent exodus. Based on the latest Pakistan Economic Survey for 2023-24, over 13.53 million Pakistanis have officially migrated to work in more than 50 countries by April 2024.

But what happens when countries absorbing Pakistan’s talent face their own AI-driven job crises? AI is set to displace millions of jobs globally. Key destinations like Canada, the UK, Germany, and the US are already experiencing AI disruption. If opportunities abroad diminish, remittances may no longer ease economic pressure, leaving Pakistan’s youth with limited prospects both at home and abroad.

Globally, AI is projected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the economy by 2030, according to a PwC Global Artificial Intelligence Study. Yet, an International Monetary Fund analysis explains that AI exposes 40 per cent of global jobs to automation, with up to 60pc of jobs in advanced economies affected. In response, millions of workers are undergoing retraining, with employers prioritising AI skills by 2027.

When asked whether UBI could sufficiently mitigate AI-driven job displacement, experts remain uncertain. While UBI may provide relief in countries with strong social safety nets, it is less feasible for developing nations like Pakistan. With a workforce vulnerable to automation, Pakistan must prioritise alternative strategies — reskilling, sectoral reforms, and proactive policies — to protect jobs.

However, structural gaps in education, science, and technology impede Pakistan’s preparations. Poor execution of technological strategies, insufficient monitoring, and a lack of skilled resources prevent Pakistan from capitalising on AI opportunities. Without targeted reforms, the country risks falling behind in the global race for innovation.

A significant challenge lies in the disconnect between key stakeholders and the absence of a unified vision for science, technology, and higher education. Addressing these gaps is critical for creating an environment conducive to AI adoption. Yet, AI remains a low priority in national policies. Pakistan also lacks a comprehensive commercialisation framework for research and development, which hinders collaboration between researchers and industry.

The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) system, developed by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, could offer a structured approach to guide innovation from concept to market deployment. Without such frameworks, ad-hoc commercialisation of research limits its impact, weakening the bridge between academia and industry.

Why Pakistan is your next Technology Hub?

https://zigron.com/2024/05/24/why-pakistan-is-your-next-technology-...

Pakistan – The Next Technology Hub
The world will need 80M software engineers by 2030 to keep up with the technological pace. There will be a shortage of estimated 30M technologists, and with the Russia/Ukraine war, this gap will only grow. With India up to its neck and talent gobbled up by more prominent companies; Pakistan is the only logical destination for technology resource hiring. Pakistan has universities, advanced infrastructure, government policies, and existing 300,000 talent growing rapidly by multitudes. With all these in place, Pakistan is today’s destination for finding tech talent. With Zigron’s past and current experience of serving startups to multi-billion dollar organizations; Zigron is here to bridge this gap for the companies facing a shortage of skilled tech workers today and in the future.



Why is Pakistan being termed Asia’s next Tech Hub?
Pakistan is the 3rd largest IT-enabled services exporter, with more than 40 percent software development. Pakistan is continuously creating high-tech industries and expanding its cyber security, system integration, data center, and IT outsourcing, i.e., AI, ML, IoT, Blockchain, Big Data Analytics, and Cloud Engineering. The biggest reason of all is that Pakistan is home to more than 144 universities; with some top-ranked world universities like NUST, GIKI, FAST, LUMS, UET, NED, etc., offering IT and Engineering degree programs that have so far produced over 300,000 IT professionals with expertise in AI/ML, Data Scientists, Full Stack, DB, DevOps, Designers, UI/UX, Embedded, Firmware Engineers, etc. In addition, they have been producing hardcore engineers like Electrical, CAD, Structural, Solar, Wind, Civil, Geotechnical, etc.

Pakistani universities are on the mission to make world-class talent and continue to do so with skills unmatched and dexterity unprecedented. Sky being the limit, skilled Pakistani talent is all you need to grow into a giant organization with technology expertise like AI, ML, IoT, Blockchain, Big Data Analytics, Cloud, etc. With all the efforts to further support and advance these industries; Govt is expecting 50 billion USD annual exports from the technology sector by 2030. With a lot to offer in the tech industry; Pakistani engineers are fully equipped to play their vital role in helping companies grow and succeed. Zigron also takes huge pride in being a pioneer in offering top-of-scale IT services and Engineering talent globally over the past 15 years and continues to enrich the IT world with its state-of-the-art solutions and services.



Pakistan’s IT exports are at an all-time high, with over a 30 percent growth in the last eight months.

Pakistan has made significant successes in IT exports and crossed a mark of 2 billion USD last year. Although numbers are good; there is still a significantly undiscovered IT talent that is yet to be unleashed and utilized to the full extent. Seeing the tech-minded youth, Prime Minister Imran Khan launched a ‘Digital Pakistan’ initiative; focusing on connectivity, digital infrastructure, digital skills, innovation, and entrepreneurship to further upskill the unexplored talent. The government of Pakistan has taken the forefront to uplift tech minds and help them grow by establishing a Special Technology Zones Authority (STZA) to develop a high-tech economy for rapid growth.

IT Exports Up By 42% in September 2024
By ProPK Staff | Published Oct 21, 2024 | 5:03 pm

https://propakistani.pk/2024/10/21/it-exports-up-by-42-in-september...

The country’s information technology and IT-enabled services (ITeS) export remittances comprising computer services and call center services went up by 42 percent to $292 million during September 2024 compared to $206 million in the same period last year, latest data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) revealed on Monday.

During September 24, technology exports went up 42 percent YoY but down 2 percent MoM, still contributing 44 percent of the overall services exports.

In the first quarter of fiscal year 2024-25, technology exports were up 34 percent at $876 million compared to $656 million in 1QFY24.

IT export remittances reached an all-time high of $3.223 billion in the fiscal year 2023-24 while registering 24 percent growth when compared to $2.596 billion in 2022-23.

Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja shared that YoY jump in IT exports is due to (i) IT export companies growing client base globally, especially in GCC region, (ii) relaxation in the permissible retention limit by the State Bank of Pakistan, increasing it from 35 percent to 50 percent in the Exporters’ Specialized Foreign Currency Accounts, and (iii) stability in PKR encouraging IT exporters to bring higher portion of profits back to Pakistan.

According to the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) survey 62 percent of IT companies are maintaining specialized foreign currency accounts.

A major development in July 2024 was SBP adding a new category of Equity Investment Abroad (EIA), specifically for export-oriented IT companies. IT exporters can now acquire interest (shareholding) in entities abroad utilizing up to 50 percent of proceeds from specialized foreign currency accounts. This development will further boost the confidence of IT exporters to remit proceeds back to Pakistan.

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Arif Habib Limited
@ArifHabibLtd
Technology exports went up by 42% YoY during Sep’24 to USD 292mn

During Sep’24, technology exports went up 42% YoY | -2% MoM to USD 292mn contributing 44% to the overall services.

https://x.com/ArifHabibLtd/status/1848325449233166624

PM Shehbaz goes all in on AI at Riyadh investment conference


https://www.dawn.com/news/1868425

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday championed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) as he underscored the importance of a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation in the domains of AI, education and health and called for collective global efforts and partnerships to overcome contemporary challenges.

The prime minister arrived earlier today in Riyadh to attend the eighth edition of the two-day Future Investment Initiative (FII). The FII, scheduled for Oct 29-30, serves as a major platform for countries to promote economic potential, attract foreign investments and discuss strategies for sustainable growth.

Attended by global leaders, this year’s FII is themed “Infinite Horizons: Investing Today, Shaping Tomorrow” and focuses on global investments aimed at addressing major issues such as AI, robotics, education, energy, space, finance, healthcare, and sustainability.

The participating countries are set to engage in dialogue for the promotion of investment and a sustainable future while highlighting the strength of their respective economies. The first day featured discussions on artificial intelligence, robotics, education, energy, space, public health, and challenges confronting sustainable development.

Addressing the plenary session, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan was laying the foundation for a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation in three pivotal domains, artificial intelligence, education, and health, in which it looked forward to forging useful partnerships.

“AI is more than a trend; it’s a force revolutionising economies, societies, and industries. At this critical juncture, Pakistan is not just embracing AI, we are committed to excelling in it,” he said, adding the government’s mission was clear and that was to encourage young minds to redefine the boundaries of AI, training skilled engineers and data scientists as the backbone of the country’s AI growth and equipping their workforce to harness the power of AI across industries.

Along with Saudi Arabia and like-minded global partners, the prime minister said Pakistan envisioned AI as a force for good, free from biases.

The prime minister further said that in agriculture, climate resilience, and the fight against misinformation, AI’s potential could be unleashed not merely to compete, but to uplift and empower.

“Our aspirations in AI and beyond are deeply rooted in a solid educational foundation. Through educational reforms, vocational training and digital literacy, we aim to build a skilled, tech-savvy generation,” he added.

He said that no nation could overcome today’s challenges alone and no single country could harness the potential of tomorrow without the support of others.

“Pakistan stands ready to join those who dare to dream big. We invite you to invest, to bring your expertise and creativity to Pakistan, as we build a future rooted in resilience and shared prosperity,” the prime minister said.


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Shehbaz Sharif
@CMShehbaz
Honored to address the
@FIIKSA
in Riyadh on the theme ‘Infinite Horizons: Investing Today, Shaping Tomorrow.’ Emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to leveraging investments in Artificial Intelligence, Education, and Health to drive human advancement. By investing in AI, we aim to enhance productivity; in education, to empower future generations; and in health, to shape a future that’s inclusive, innovative, and sustainable. #FII8

https://x.com/CMShehbaz/status/1851277536443187460

VEON’s Jazz Launches FikrFree: An AI-Powered Digital


https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/10/24/2968536/0/en/...

VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator (“VEON” or the “Company”), today announces that Jazz, its digital operator in Pakistan, has launched FikrFree, a new AI-powered digital marketplace for insurance and healthcare. The platform aims to bridge a significant gap in Pakistan, where insurance sector penetration is less than 1% of GDP according to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, and millions lack access to essential healthcare. In comparison, insurance penetration in other countries is significantly higher (over 7% of GDP in the US and more than 9% of GDP in the UK, according to the World Bank). FikrFree helps users find accessible and affordable coverage through personalized insurance plans and healthcare services.

FikrFree aims to reach the underserved healthcare market in Pakistan through an innovative platform that seamlessly integrates insurance, healthcare, and financial services all in one mobile app. FikrFree also leverages artificial intelligence to recommend personalized insurance plans for customers. The new digital service builds on VEON’s commitment to creating innovative digital solutions as part of its Digital Operator 1440 strategy, offering customers a portfolio of connected services that are relevant for each of the 1,440 minutes in a day. In 2Q24, direct digital revenues represented over 10% of VEON Group’s total revenues.

"Access to affordable healthcare is a fundamental need. In Pakistan, where millions struggle to find suitable insurance coverage and healthcare services, VEON is addressing this challenge with connected digital services. With the launch of FikrFree, we are empowering customers to access personalized insurance plans, specialist doctors, and on-demand medicine delivery—all in one seamless platform. Our digital operator strategy focuses on investing in services that enhance lives, and with FikrFree, we aim to make affordable healthcare accessible to all Pakistanis," says Kaan Terzioglu, CEO of VEON Group.

UNODC Pakistan provided Law Enforcement with Cutting-Edge Training on Crime Analytics and AI Models to Counter Terrorism


https://www.unodc.org/copak/en/Stories/SP4/unodc-pakistan-provided-...


28 September 2024, Islamabad - UNODC Pakistan organized a comprehensive workshop aimed at building the capacity of National Counter Terrorism Authority analyst’s in using advanced crime analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to combat terrorism. The workshop covered a wide range of critical topics, equipping participants with the skills and knowledge needed to analyze data and counter terrorism through innovative AI techniques. In total 25 analysts including 7 women participated in the training session.

The participants were introduced to the fundamentals of intelligence gathering, the intelligence cycle, and the development of intelligence products. Practical discussions were held around strategic intelligence and its pivotal role in decision-making. Participants also reviewed products developed in earlier training sessions on i2 Analyst's Notebook and Power BI, enabling them to grasp how past learnings integrate with the current focus on terrorism prevention. The workshop covered data analysis, beginning with an introduction to various data forms and their relevance in crime intelligence. Sessions covered both qualitative and quantitative data, with participants learning how to distinguish between structured and unstructured data and their real-world applications in intelligence work.

The hands-on segment includes Textalyser, an online tool used to analyze qualitative data specially for conducting sentimental analysis allowing participants to experiment with real-world examples. Participants were engaged through thought-provoking case studies, including analyses of social media sentiment and notable incidents such as the Al Qaeda network and the Sialkot lynching case. These examples highlighted the practical value of AI tools like Voyant in unraveling criminal networks and understanding public sentiment related to terrorist activities.

The overall workshop was dedicated to hands-on sessions with low-code and no-code AI platforms, empowering participants to leverage AI without the need for extensive programming knowledge. Practical exercises included case studies using Google Teachable Machines for image classification and Google Cloud AutoML for predictive crime analytics, both of which offer powerful tools for identifying criminal patterns and behaviors in complex datasets.

The workshop concluded with a closing session that recapped the key learnings and allowed participants to discuss the next steps in their professional development.

IT exports surge to $1.2bn in July-Oct - Business - DAWN.COM


https://www.dawn.com/news/1873376

KARACHI: Despite internet disruptions and firewall issues, Pakistan’s IT exports rose 35 per cent to $1.21bn during July-October 2024-25.

Nasheed Malik of Topline Securities said exports have risen due to IT export companies’ growing client base globally, especially in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, relaxation in the permissible retention limit increasing it from 35pc to 50pc in the Exporters’ Specialised Foreign Curr­ency Accounts, and exch­ange rate stability encouraged IT exporters to bring a higher portion of profits back to Pakistan.

IT exports surged 39pc year-on-year and 13pc month-on-month to $330m in October.

These monthly IT exports in October 2024 are higher than last 12-month average of $287mn. This is the 13th consecutive month of YoY IT export growth, starting from October 2023, he said.

He said the MoM increase in IT exports is due to a higher number of working days in October (23) compared to September (20). Export proceeds per day were recorded at $14.3mn for October 2024 versus $14.6mn in September 2024.

Pakistani IT companies are actively engaged with global clients. He added that leading IT companies recently attended Oslo Innovation Week 2024 and the Pak-US Tech Invest­ment Conference.

According to a Pakistan Software Houses Asso­ciation (P@SHA) survey, 62pc of IT companies maintain specialised foreign currency accounts.

Nasheed said a major development in FY25 was SBP adding a new category of Equity Investment Abroad (EIA), specifically for export-oriented IT companies. IT exporters can now acquire interest (shareholding) in entities abroad utilising up to 50pc proceeds from specialised foreign currency accounts.

Labelers training AI say they're overworked, underpaid and exploited by big American tech companies - CBS News

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/labelers-training-ai-say-theyre-overwo...

Naftali Wambalo: I did labeling for videos and images.

Naftali and digital workers like him, spent eight hours a day in front of a screen studying photos and videos, drawing boxes around objects and labeling them, teaching the AI algorithms to recognize them.

Naftali Wambalo: You'd label, let's say, furniture in a house. And you say "This is a TV. This is a microwave." So you are teaching the AI to identify these items. And then there was one for faces of people. The color of the face. "If it looks like this, this is white. If it looks like this, it's Black. This is Asian." You're teaching the AI to identify them automatically.

Humans tag cars and pedestrians to teach autonomous vehicles not to hit them. Humans circle abnormalities to teach AI to recognize diseases. Even as AI is getting smarter, humans in the loop will always be needed because there will always be new devices and inventions that'll need labeling.

Lesley Stahl: You find these humans in the loop not only here in Kenya but in other countries thousands of miles from Silicon Valley. In India, the Philippines, Venezuela - often countries with large low wage populations - well educated but unemployed.

Nerima Wako-Ojiwa: Honestly, it's like modern-day slavery. Because it's cheap labor–

Lesley Stahl: Whoa. What do you –

Nerima Wako-Ojiwa: It's cheap labor.

Like modern day slavery, says Nerima Wako-Ojiwa, a Kenyan civil rights activist, because big American tech companies come here and advertise the jobs as a ticket to the future. But really, she says, it's exploitation.

Nerima Wako-Ojiwa: What we're seeing is an inequality.

Lesley Stahl: It sounds so good. An AI job! Is there any job security?

Nerima Wako-Ojiwa: The contracts that we see are very short-term. And I've seen people who have contracts that are monthly, some of them weekly, some of them days. Which is ridiculous.

She calls the workspaces AIi sweatshops with computers instead of sewing machines.

Nerima Wako-Ojiwa: I think that we're so concerned with "creating opportunities," but we're not asking, "Are they good opportunities?"

Because every year a million young people enter the job market, the government has been courting tech giants like Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Intel to come here, promoting Kenya's reputation as the Silicon Savannah: tech savvy and digitally connected.

Nerima Wako-Ojiwa: The president has been really pushing for opportunities in AI –

Lesley Stahl: President?

Nerima Wako-Ojiwa: Yes.

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Fasica: I was basically reviewing content which are very graphic, very disturbing contents. I was watching dismembered bodies or drone attack victims. You name it. You know, whenever I talk about this, I still have flashbacks.

Lesley Stahl: Are any of you a different person than they were before you had this job?

Fasica: Yeah. I find it hard now to even have conversations with people. It's just that I find it easier to cry than to speak.

Nathan: You continue isolating you-- yourself from people. You don't want to socialize with others. It's you and it's you alone.

Lesley Stahl: Are you a different person?

Naftali Wambalo: Yeah. I'm a different person. I used to enjoy my marriage, especially when it comes to bedroom fireworks. But after the job I hate sex.

Lesley Stahl: You hated sex?

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These three and nearly 200 other digital workers are suing SAMA and Meta over "unreasonable working conditions" that caused psychiatric problems

Global Times
@globaltimesnews
AI is rapidly transforming various industries in China, creating numerous job opportunities, including in the field of data labeling. Recently, Global Times reporters visited the Ningxia Artificial Intelligence Industrial Park in Wuzhong, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in Northwest China, to explore how AI, as a new driving force in productivity, is generating not only new employment opportunities but also new challenges and trends. At a local data labeling base, young annotators can be seen busily identifying specific words in text or speech, outlining objects in images or videos, and tagging them on their computers.

https://x.com/globaltimesnews/status/1869594668180369511

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Inside the Ningxia Data Labeling Industrial Base in NW China

https://www.globaltimes.cn/galleries/5598.html

Editor's Note:
AI is rapidly transforming various industries in China, creating numerous job opportunities, including in the field of data labeling. Recently, Global Times reporters visited the Ningxia Artificial Intelligence Industrial Park in Wuzhong, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in Northwest China, to explore how AI, as a new driving force in productivity, is generating not only new employment opportunities but also new challenges and trends. At a local data labeling base, young annotators can be seen busily identifying specific words in text or speech, outlining objects in images or videos, and tagging them on their computers. (Photos: Chen Tao/GT)

UNESCO Engaged Higher Education Institutions across Pakistan to Discuss Artificial Intelligence for a Sustainable Future

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-engaged-higher-education-...

To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) will make humanity smarter, or will we sublet our critical thinking skills?

UNESCO launched a MasterClass series in Pakistan to address some of the burning issues faced in the country to help explore solutions with the aim to create knowledge-based societies. In the efforts to promote and foster information sharing and knowledge transfer, UNESCO successfully concluded its first episode of the MasterClass Series, titled Harnessing the Era of Artificial Intelligence for a Sustainable Future. With UNESCO’s commitment to strengthening higher education of Pakistan and the strategic support from the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the webinar brought together more than 200 participants from the academia, especially faculty members and university students from more than 15 higher education institutions across Pakistan to understand Pakistan’s vision in leveraging AI for socio-economic growth. The session focused on the international global framework incorporating ethical considerations in AI, and country’s efforts in expanding AI. The webinar commenced with a context setting by Mr. Hamza Khan Swati, National Professional Officer (Communication and Information), UNESCO in Pakistan, who highlighted the growing use of AI and its impact on our lives. During the opening remarks, Mr. Antony Kar Hung Tam, Officer-in-Charge emphasized the role of shaping ethical and inclusive digital transformation surrounding AI in the world and Pakistan.



The webinar brought together two keynote experts. Mr. Gustavo Fonseca Ribeiro, working on strengthening capacities of civil servants and judiciary on AI and Digital Transformation at UNESCO, discussed AI’s potential in public sector service delivery.



Dr. Aneel Salman, Chair of the National AI Policy, Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, provided insights into Pakistan’s strategic approach to integrating AI at the national level. Dr. Salman highlighted the rapid evolution of AI technologies and their role in reshaping labor markets. Reports indicate that 44 percent of workers face skill disruptions due to AI-driven automation, making cognitive skills, creative thinking, and technology literacy crucial for future employment. Discussions also emphasized on the increasing demand for AI and big data expertise across industries such as management, media, entertainment, health, education, hospitality and information technology (IT) services.



Key takeaways from the session included the recognition of AI as a game changer for Pakistan. Participants emphasized the need for an inclusive AI policy framework, greater knowledge transfer to enhance understanding of AI ethics and international norms, and the importance of AI-driven innovation in socio-economic development.



In Pakistan, UNESCO is actively expanding efforts to facilitate multi-stakeholder collaboration in alignment with recommendations on Ethics in AI, particularly concerning fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and access to information. The organization continues to support ongoing policy interventions in AI and is working on preparing policy recommendations.

Additionally, UNESCO is committed to enhancing the education sector by building the capacities of public-school teachers to integrate AI into learning and assessment processes, promoting its ethical and effective use in classrooms in Pakistan.



UNESCO will continue this MasterClass series in Pakistan. University students, educators, and professionals interested in AI and digital transformation are encouraged to participate in future MasterClass episodes.

Nury Vittachi
@NuryVittachi
There is no race between China and the US to be top player in AI development, says a new report from Nature, the world's top science journal.

The two countries are on different tracks with different endpoints. The US has been leading the pack in making big, headline-grabbing projects like ChatGPT, while China's focus has been, and remains, the production of practical AI programs that help industrialists, farmers, business people and factories.

AI programs in China are being used "to make trains run on time, monitor fish stocks and provide automated telehealth services," says the report by science writer Jacob Dreyer in the latest edition of the scientific publication.

Ultimately, China will do its usual thing, passing the systems that work to other nations, "especially to lower-income countries," the report says.

.

DIFFERENT SOURCES OF SUPPORT
In the west, companies need to have innovative ideas that make an impact in the media to attract venture capitalists to invest. In contrast, China has more of an engineering school approach—projects must have practical benefit and be shown to be working to get government investment.

"The divergence in priorities reflects the forces driving innovation in each economy: venture capital in the United States and large-scale manufacturing enterprises and organs of the state in China," Dreyer says.

That doesn't mean that Chinese AI projects are always smaller. One of them is to integrate AI into a system to control the national grid so that the best use can be made of energy.

China is keen to keep its reputation as a leader in making clean energy options affordable around the world. "Its emerging AI playbook mirrors its approach to other technologies, such as electric vehicles and clean energy: not the first to innovate, but the first to make them affordable for widespread use," Dreyer writes.

The huge attention paid to DeepSeek, a relatively cheap but high performance AI chatbot, has hidden the difference in strategies, inspiring journalists to conjure up the colorful but ultimately inaccurate scenario of a US-China AI "arms race".

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STRATEGIC PLAN - FOR FARMERS
The appearance of the Nature report happily coincided with the February 20 publication of a Chinese government "strategic plan" for farmers to use scientific developments, including AI and genetic modification, to boost crop production and help the country move towards food self-sufficiency. You can't get much more practical than that.

Other recent data also bolsters the theory that Chinese AI projects may be lower profile, but have already made more inroads in business and industry.

A recent international study of usage of AI revealed that more respondents from China – 83 per cent – said their companies were using AI, than respondents from the United States – at only 65 per cent. In fact, the data in the SAS Generative AI Global Research Report shows that China was ahead of all other nations in the study in this regard (see pic).

[from fridayeveryday. com]


https://x.com/NuryVittachi/status/1894277527151284232

Profit
@Profitpk
About 8.6% of Pakistanis over the age of 25 have a bachelor's degree or higher. It is a growing number, with college graduates increasing by three times the population growth rate. What does this mean for Pakistan, especially in the age of AI? {THREAD}

https://x.com/Profitpk/status/1895013898937397564

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The state of higher education in Pakistan
How educated is the Pakistani workforce, and what is it prepared for, especially in the age of AI?

February 24, 2025
Farooq Tirmizi
By Farooq Tirmizi

https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2025/02/24/the-state-of-higher-...

The college-educated Pakistani is not yet the majority, but is rapidly becoming part of the norm.

More than half a million Pakistanis graduate from a college or university every year with at least a two-year college degree. A little more than 11% of 30-year-olds in Pakistan have at least a two-year college degree and, judging by the fact that the number of graduates is growing at three times the population growth rate, that number will likely keep on rising for every subsequent generation of 30-year-olds in the country.

So what do those statistics mean? It is by now cliché to assume that the quality of higher education in Pakistan is not good (partly true) and that while the country has a lot of raw talent, the country is not prepared for the rapid advancement of technology that will necessitate a much better trained workforce than the one we have now.


There is no denying the fact that education – both in terms of quality and quantity – is lacking in Pakistan. It is the contention of this publication, expressed through previous analytical writings, however, that the situation can be described as not ideal, but far from hopeless.

While in previous articles we have covered basic literacy and numeracy, in this piece will cover higher education, placing it in both historical context relative to where it has been in Pakistan’s own past, as well as the global context: where Pakistan stands relative to peer economies and geographic neighbours.

We will then examine a question often left unasked: exactly how well-educated does the median Pakistani need to be, given where the country is in its economic evolution? And how has the answer to that question changed with the advent of the recent, more visible, rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI)?

Pakistani tech firm launches first ‘home grown’ GPT platform | Arab News

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2594353/pakistan


Zahanat AI is a text-based generative AI model that enables users to engage in human-like conversations, answer queries, and assist in various domains
Its key differentiator is its hosting and local training on Pakistani culture and localized issues, which makes it equipped to address regional challenges

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Meet the woman who made Pakistan's first AI chatbot

https://theprint.in/go-to-pakistan/woman-pakistans-first-ai-chatbot...

The platform is designed to empower Pakistani citizens, particularly in sectors like education and healthcare. One of Zahanat’s most anticipated developments is the upcoming Z2 model, which will support Urdu and multiple regional languages. This is a game-changer for more than half of Pakistan’s population, a large part of which struggleswith English or even Urdu.

Ali imagines the platform being used by a rural student to access world-class education in their native Sindhi or Pashto. She dreams of Zahanat helping an elderly womanreceive her healthcare diagnosis in Balochi.

“We’re not just enabling access to AI, we’re redefining who gets to be part of the ecosystem. We’re moving from a digital divide to digital empowerment. This isn’t just tech progress. It’s social progress,” Ali said.

Zahanat is a personal mission for Ali to break the gender barriers that persist in tech. She has faced bias in the male-dominated industry, both spoken and unspoken.

“When I lead a project like Zahanat, it’s not just innovation, it’s disruption. It’s proof that women can lead tech.”

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Kineto: K-Electric Becomes Pakistan’s First Power Utility to launch Generative AI Chatbot To Enhance Customer Experience

https://propakistani.pk/2025/03/26/kineto-k-electric-becomes-pakist...

“Users of the KE Live App have grown by 21% annually over the last 5 years and now stand at 1.3 million digitally connected customers. This is over one-third of KE’s total customer base and conveys our digital-savvy population. We then heralded another innovation when we launched the WhatsApp platform back in 2021, and now this platform caters to over 2.0 million people. Additionally, nearly another half a million subscribe to our e-billing feature, a step that helps save Pakistan paper and reduce its import bill.”

“Now, leading the way with digital transformation in customer engagement, Kineto was just the next logical step forward reflecting our investment in future-ready digital platforms, further transforming the way Karachi’s customers interact with its power utility.”

The chatbot has been developed in collaboration with Convex Interactive, KE’s technology partner for this initiative.

“This partnership with K-Electric aligns with our mission to revolutionize customer engagement through AI,” said Aamir Irfan Siddiqui, CEO & Founder of Convex Interactive. “By leveraging generative AI, we’re making customer interactions faster, smarter, and more intuitive.”

TCF set to bring AI-powered learning to teachers with Khanmigo

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1296015-tcf-set-to-bring-ai-powere...

The Citizens Foundation (TCF) and Khan Academy Pakistan have announced an innovative AI-powered collaboration to support teachers and enhance classroom learning in selected TCF schools.

This pilot initiative aims to empower teachers by enhancing teachers’ lesson delivery, fostering critical thinking, and improving classroom engagement for students in Grades 6-8. Under this collaboration, Khanmigo will be integrated into selected TCF schools to enhance mathematics and science instruction.

Unlike traditional AI, Khanmigo acts as an interactive teaching assistant, helping educators enhance their knowledge, craft lesson hooks, develop quizzes, and foster deeper student engagement.

The pilot programme will equip teachers with AI-driven teacher tools, provide structured prompts to guide teachers to develop learning material relevant to their students, and offer bilingual support in English and Urdu.

Additionally, Khan Academy Pakistan will train school leaders on effective AI integration, offering guidance on best practices for using Khanmigo in classrooms. This initiative will empower TCF teachers to refine their teaching methods, personalise learning experiences, and drive meaningful classroom discussions, making AI-driven learning more accessible, structured, and engaging for students. “At TCF, we want to ensure that technology serves as a bridge to better learning opportunities rather than a barrier,” shared Syed Asaad Ayub Ahmad, the president and CEO of TCF.

“We are hopeful that Khanmigo will be useful in serving as a thinking partner for TCF teachers in the classroom and a transformative step towards making high-quality education accessible and engaging.”

One of Khanmigo’s most promising features is its bilingual support, allowing teachers to instruct in both English and Urdu. This ensures that educators from diverse backgrounds can fully engage with the content. As the programme progresses, regional language support will be explored, further broadening its accessibility.

“Khanmigo aims to give every child in Pakistan access to world-class education,” said Zeeshan Hasan, CEO of Khan Academy Pakistan. “By empowering teachers, we are ensuring that AI becomes a tool for empowerment rather than a shortcut. This partnership with TCF is a step forward towards transforming how education is delivered in classrooms.”

“TCF strongly believes in the power of good teachers, and there is an undeniable social aspect of learning from a teacher. We are hopeful that KhanMigo will augment teacher skills to make classroom experience fun, engaging, and meaningful for the students,” shared Shazia Kamal, executive vice president, Outcomes at TCF.

With Pakistan facing a critical education crisis and a shortage of trained teachers, AI-powered solutions like Khanmigo offer a scalable and cost-effective way to enhance teaching quality.

While this initiative is currently in its pilot phase, TCF and Khan Academy Pakistan envision expanding the programme to more schools.

As AI continues to reshape global education, this partnership reaffirms TCF’s commitment to equipping teachers with the best tools to inspire and educate the next generation of Pakistan’s changemakers.

TCF is a non-profit organisation set up in 1995 by a group of citizens who wanted to bring about positive social change through education.

The 30-year-old organisation is among Pakistan’s leading organisations in the field of education, educating 301,000 students across 2,033 school units in the country.

Pakistani Developer Builds First AI Voice Tool for Sindhi Users


https://propakistani.pk/2025/04/07/pakistani-developer-builds-first...


A young Pakistani developer has successfully managed to create the first-ever AI tool to assist with the Sindhi language. These tools enable text-to-speech (TTS) and speech-to-text (SST) in Sindhi for the first time.

The 23-year-old software developer from Hyderabad, Fahad Maqsood Qazi, began work last year on an AI-based dubbing system for his company, Flis Technologies. During development, he realized there were no basic text-to-speech (TTS) or speech-to-text (STT) tools for Sindhi—a language spoken by nearly 40 million people worldwide.

Starting from Scratch
In August 2023, Qazi began gathering and transcribing hours of Sindhi audio from various sources, including YouTube videos, audiobooks, and news reports, to build a training dataset. Around the same time, he came across Mozilla’s Common Voice project, where Google employee Asad Memon had added Sindhi support.

Qazi merged that data with his own and began training AI models. By January 2024, he had built initial working versions of Sindhi TTS and STT systems. He also developed a tokenizer, a necessary tool for processing language in machine learning models, since one was not previously available for Sindhi.

Supporting Language Access
Sindhi is not formally taught in many countries where Sindhi-speaking communities live, which can result in younger generations being less familiar with the language. Qazi hopes his tools will make it easier for people to read, write, and speak Sindhi through digital platforms.

Qazi told Arab News:

My goal is to help them stay connected to it through speech and text tools. In many diaspora communities, younger Sindhis grow up without learning to read or write in their language.

In March, he uploaded his models to HuggingFace, which is essentially the GitHub for AI models, allowing developers and researchers access to his work.

Everyday Use and Accessibility
Qazi’s models could help Sindhi speakers send messages using speech input or listen to written text read aloud in Sindhi. These tools may also assist older adults and people with limited formal education in using the language in everyday communication.

Qazi said:

A person who can’t read Sindhi could use the TTS model to hear written stories. Or someone who never learned to write could still search for information and get answers by speaking.



Long-Term Potential
Qazi believes that the addition of Sindhi to tools like TTS and STT is necessary for the language to remain relevant in digital communication and technology.

“Without access to tools like these, Sindhi could be excluded from digital spaces,” he said. “Now it can be part of systems like voice interfaces, educational resources, and translation tools.”

By addressing a basic gap in language technology, Qazi’s work gives others a foundation to build further tools for Sindhi users, ensuring better access and usability in an increasingly digital world.

UNDP highlights inclusive growth potential of Pakistan’s AI, digital identity strategy | Biometric Update

https://www.biometricupdate.com/202504/undp-highlights-inclusive-gr...

Pakistan is integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its digital identity infrastructure to improve service delivery and security. According to UNDP’s Development Advocate Pakistan 2025, NADRA utilizes AI to improve identity verification processes, prevent fraud, decrease manual errors, and boost trust in digital systems. These activities contribute to broader objectives such as digital inclusion and secure access to financial and governmental services. The application of artificial intelligence in identity systems emphasizes Pakistan’s commitment to creating a more efficient and inclusive digital landscape.

The publication from UNDP highlights that Pakistan’s digital transformation strategy relies on artificial intelligence to modernize governmental services and infrastructure. AI is being used to streamline government processes, enable data-driven policymaking, and improve citizen-centric services, particularly in Punjab’s urban governance and public safety programs. AI helps to improve transparency, responsiveness, and inclusive governance by automating routine processes and increasing real-time decision-making. This aligns with Pakistan’s broader vision of being a digitally empowered nation.

The UNDP report explains how Pakistan is utilizing AI to expand e-governance by digitizing public documents and automating administrative activities. AI tools are being tested to improve transparency, efficiency, and service responsiveness. While the report emphasizes AI’s role in smart governance and public service delivery, it does not explicitly relate AI-powered platforms to digital ID-based ecommerce payments. However, one of the essays does cite statistics about the growth that can be unlocked with digital ID-linked digital payment services.

Pakistan is increasing investments in AI research and development to foster new industries, encourage entrepreneurs, and boost public-sector innovation. The government is pursuing AI integration with education, healthcare, agriculture, and governance systems to accelerate economic growth and boost digital competitiveness. Strategic relationships with universities and technology businesses are also being pursued to increase local AI capacity.

AI is being leveraged in Pakistan to promote digital financial inclusion, especially among the underprivileged population. AI technologies facilitate alternative credit scoring models, enabling financial institutions to evaluate creditworthiness without traditional credit histories. These technologies make loans, insurance, and customized financial services more accessible.

The UNDP report includes an interview with the Punjab Safe City Authority, which explores how AI is transforming public safety and citizen services. Artificial intelligence is being utilized to improve facial recognition, surveillance systems, traffic management, and emergency response. The Authority aims to create a secure and more efficient urban environment by analyzing real-time data while also strengthening government and public services.

In his article “AI for Development,” UNDP’s Robert Opp underlines the significance of AI in improving digital governance. He promotes the development of inclusive digital identity systems that can improve public service delivery and accessibility. The emphasis is on ensuring that AI-powered technologies advantage underprivileged communities, encouraging equitable development while protecting privacy and security.

Pakistan allocates 2,000 megawatts of electricity to bitcoin mining, AI data centres | Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/pak...

ISLAMABAD, May 25 (Reuters) - Pakistan will allocate 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity in the first phase of a national initiative to power bitcoin mining and AI data centres, its finance ministry said on Sunday.

The allocation is part of Islamabad's plans to use its surplus electricity to bitcoin mining and AI data centres.

Pakistan's energy sector is grappling with challenges, including high electricity tariffs and surplus generation capacity.

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https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/05/26/pakistan-taps-surplus-...

What to know:
Pakistan is allocating 2,000 megawatts of electricity to support bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence data centers.
The initiative, led by the Pakistan Crypto Council, aims to create tech-related jobs and attract foreign investment while taking advantage of surplus capacity.
Pakistan is also developing a regulatory framework to support its estimated 15-20 million cryptocurrency users.

Pakistan has committed 2,000 megawatts of electricity to bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence data centers, the country’s finance ministry said.

The committed energy is being directed from coal-fired power plants that are currently running at 15% capacity, Bloomberg reports, in an initiative spearheaded by the Pakistan Crypto Council.

By tapping surplus energy, the government hopes to turn a liability into an asset. Officials say the plan will create tech-related jobs and help attract overseas capital as the country works to stabilize its fragile economy, which came close to default in 2023.

Pakistan is also laying the groundwork for a regulatory framework to support its estimated 15 to 20 million cryptocurrency users.

Meet Cursor: How Anysphere’s MIT-born AI startup hit a $9.9B valuation in 3 years — TFN. Founded by Sualeh Asif, Pakistani-American cofounder

https://techfundingnews.com/meet-cursor-how-anyspheres-mit-born-ai-...

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From Karachi to Silicon Valley: The Remarkable Journey of Saleh Asif

From Karachi to Silicon Valley, Saleh Asif’s journey is a shining example of Pakistani talent on the global stage. A former International Math Olympiad participant and MIT graduate, Saleh is now the co-founder of Cursor AI — a $10 billion platform revolutionizing software development. Backed by global giants like OpenAI and Stripe, his success reflects the untapped potential of Pakistan’s youth in STEM and serves as an inspiring blueprint for the nation’s future.


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https://www.sualehasif.me/

Sualeh Asif
tweets :)
I’m building Cursor to discover a new way to write code. I owe much of my fun to my friends and MIT. I am extremely excited about the new capabilties of LLMs and applications to code tools.

Previously:

Studied machine learning, number theory, performance engineering, and theater at MIT.
Made early contributions to metaphor, an end-to-end LLM powered search engine (before it was cool).
Represented Pakistan at the IMO 2016-2018. Studied and taught competitive math at the Pakistani math camps.
Worked on translation at IBM Watson ML.
Selected Publications:
"Computing L-Polynomials of Picard Curves from Cartier-Manin Matrices", Mathematics of Computation, 2021.
"Arithmetic Expression Construction", presented at 2020 International Symposium on Algorithms and Computation.
"Tetris is NP-Hard Even with O(1) Columns", presented at 2019 Japan Conference on Discrete and Computational Geometry, Graphs & Games (JCDCG^3).
-- Sualeh

E-Agri Leads AgriTech Revolution in Pakistan with Euronet Pakistan and CMA as Strategic Digital Payment Partners

https://propakistani.pk/2025/06/19/e-agri-leads-agritech-revolution...

E-Agri has officially launched a breakthrough digital platform designed to overhaul the country’s agricultural landscape. This game-changing initiative, conceptualized and led by E-Agri, brings together the power of artificial intelligence, real-time data, and digital finance to empower farmers at an unprecedented scale.

To enable seamless financial transactions within this bold digital ecosystem, E-Agri has onboarded Euronet Pakistan and CMA as payment processing partners—leveraging their global expertise to support the scale and complexity of Pakistan’s agriculture-driven economy.

E-Agri’s platform delivers a comprehensive, farmer-centric experience—combining AI-powered crop intelligence, weather analytics, expert advisories, and localized agri-research with fully integrated financial services. From seed to sale, farmers are now empowered to make informed decisions, access digital payments, and engage in transparent market transactions—all from their mobile devices.

Effects of ChatGPT on students’ academic performance in Pakistan higher education classrooms
Muhammad Azeem Ashraf, Jan Alam & Usama Kalim

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-92625-1

The rapid integration of cutting-edge technology is significantly transforming the higher education landscape. ChatGPT’s groundbreaking technology has provided numerous advantages for higher education. This study explored students’ behavioral intentions to utilize ChatGPT as a learning resource in Pakistani universities and its effect on their academic performance. To accomplish this, the study employed a quantitative descriptive approach to examine the impact of various factors on students’ behavioral intentions, actual behavior, and academic performance. Reflective measurement criteria were adhered to in the development of all indicators and constructs. The study utilized the PLS-SEM to examine the relationships between variables. The findings indicate that ChatGPT platforms have been beneficial in enhancing students’ academic performance within the framework of Pakistani higher education. Behavioral intention serves as the driving force behind students’ actual behaviors, with significant influences from habit and hedonic motivation. These findings are encouraging for fostering a positive perception of ChatGPT usage for learning.

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Ethical consideration
Proper ethical standards were maintained throughout the study, in accordance with the guidelines provided by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research (1978). All participants received comprehensive information regarding the study’s goals, the voluntary nature of their involvement, and their right to withdraw at any moment without any consequences. A formal consent form was provided, ensuring that participants had all the necessary information and willingly agreed to participate in the study. To protect participants’ privacy and confidentiality, pseudonyms were used instead of their real names. Additionally, both male and female participants were included and treated with consideration for their individual needs throughout the research process. The Ethical Committee at the University of Wah, Pakistan granted ethical approval for this study. The research complied with all applicable ethical guidelines and regulations concerning studies involving human participants86.

AI Overview
AI adoption in Pakistan is growing, with the country ranking highly in usage, but faces challenges in areas like infrastructure, skills, and ethical guidelines. The government has approved a National AI Policy 2025 to address these issues and promote development in sectors like education, business, and governance. Despite a positive outlook on AI's potential for economic growth and job creation, concerns remain regarding job displacement, the spread of misinformation, and data security.
Current adoption and outlook
High usage: Pakistan is ranked among the world's top five users of AI tools, with a large percentage of the population holding a positive view of its potential.
Positive perception: The optimism is driven by hopes that AI can create jobs, boost economic growth, and improve public services.
Sectoral adoption: Academia and research began adopting AI around 2010, followed by the startup sector in 2015, and government promotion in 2016.
Educational use: Teachers are increasingly integrating AI for tasks like lesson planning and content creation, though AI-driven grading is less common.
Employee interest: A majority of workers have expressed interest in receiving AI training to enhance their productivity.
Government initiatives and policy
National AI Policy 2025: The government has approved a national roadmap to guide the ethical and inclusive adoption of AI.
Focus on development: Programs are underway to develop the necessary policies, research, skills, and infrastructure for AI dissemination.
Digital infrastructure: The government is exploring ways to improve digital access, including incentives for rural internet infrastructure and using surplus electricity for AI data centers.
Addressing risks: The National AI Policy 2025 aims to create a framework that encourages innovation while also addressing risks and ensuring ethical implementation.
Challenges and concerns
Infrastructure and readiness: Pakistan's AI readiness rank is lower than countries like the US, China, and India, with challenges in accessibility and content on public websites.
Skills gap: There is a need for more trained personnel and a bottleneck exists in developing the required master trainers.
Data and security: Challenges include a lack of quality and availability of data, and critical concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy.
Ethical concerns: Experts are urging the government to establish clear ethical guidelines to address potential job displacement and the spread of misinformation, hate speech, and propaganda.
Bureaucratic hurdles: Reluctance to accept technology, resistance to change, and fear of machine-driven decision-making also present hurdles, particularly in the public sector.
Misinformation: The ease of creating AI-generated content has led to a rise in misinformation, which can escalate polarization.

AI Overview
Yes, a survey by the Schwartz Reisman Institute indicated that Pakistan ranked as the fourth-highest user of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools among 21 countries. This rapid adoption is linked to a positive outlook on AI for job creation, economic growth, and improved services, though it also raises concerns about job displacement and the need for government-led ethical guidelines and policies.

https://srinstitute.utoronto.ca/public-opinion-ai

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2565710/pakistanis-among-top-ai-users

High adoption rate: Pakistan's AI tool usage places it among the top five globally, with one source specifying the fourth spot.
Positive sentiment: Experts note that Pakistan's optimism is driven by hopes for AI's potential to create jobs, boost economic growth, and enhance public services.
Concerns raised: Despite the optimism, there are concerns about potential job displacement and a decrease in critical thinking skills due to over-reliance on AI tools.
AI policy and development: Pakistan has released an official AI policy and is developing its AI ecosystem, including creating its own local chatbot, Zahanat AI.
Need for ethical guidelines: In response to the rapid growth, there are calls from industry leaders for the government to implement clear ethical guidelines and policies for AI development and use.

AI Overview
The world is embracing AI, is Pakistan ready? - Invest2Innovate
Pakistan ranks fourth globally for its use of AI tools, according to a 2025 survey by the Schwartz Reisman Institute, which noted a surge in AI adoption driven by hopes for economic growth and public service improvements. However, other reports indicate Pakistan lags in "AI readiness," ranking eighth out of 17 countries in South and Central Asia in a 2025 Oxford Insights report, due to factors like limited internet access and a lack of AI tools in local languages.
Rankings and perspectives
Fourth globally in AI use: A 2025 Schwartz Reisman Institute survey of 21 countries placed Pakistan fourth for its high utilization of AI tools.
A significant percentage of respondents held a positive view of AI.
Experts link this optimism to hopes for economic growth, job creation, and better public services.
Lower in AI readiness: Other reports present a different picture, showing Pakistan has a lower readiness for AI adoption.
A 2025 Microsoft AI Economy Institute report stated that Pakistan lagged behind leaders like UAE and Singapore, with less than 15% of the population using AI tools.
An Oxford Insights report ranked Pakistan eighth in South and Central Asia for AI readiness in government services.
Challenges and opportunities
Challenges:
Limited internet availability.
Lack of digital skills.
Absence of AI tools in local languages.
Outdated legal and policy frameworks.
Opportunities:
A growing tech ecosystem with IT exports.
Government initiatives like the recently approved Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy 2025.
Local startups developing AI solutions for niche areas like health tech.
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As Pakistan emerges among the top five global users of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, its rapid adoption is reshaping jobs and the economy, prompting urgent calls for ethical guidelines and pragmatic policy frameworks.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2565710/pakistanis-among-top-ai-users

According to a survey published by the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, the Pakistani nation is ranked fourth worldwide for utilising AI tools and applications, as per a survey of 21 countries.



The study shows Pakistanis hold a largely positive outlook on AI, though its rapid adoption is also reshaping jobs and sparking calls for ethical frameworks and policy interventions.

India led the survey with 43% of respondents expressing a "very positive" view of AI, followed by Kenya (29%), Brazil (27%), and Pakistan (26%). Among Pakistani respondents, 39% described AI tools as fairly positive, 22% as neutral, 8% as fairly negative, and 5% as extremely negative.

Experts believe emerging economies like Pakistan are more optimistic about AI due to hopes of job creation, economic growth, and improved public services. However, industry leaders caution that the technology, while efficient, is displacing jobs in IT and service sectors and weakening critical thinking among workers who are overly reliant on AI apps.

In contrast, advanced economies such as the US, France, and Australia reported the highest shares of negative sentiment. For instance, 34% of US respondents had either a "fairly" or "very negative" view of AI. Such scepticism might be tied to political divides, concerns about misinformation, or fears of job loss in white-collar industries.

Pakistan is not only among the leading users of artificial intelligence (AI) tools but has also developed its own indigenous chatbot, Zahanat AI, available in local languages. The country's growing interest in AI was highlighted at a recent United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) dialogue, "AI for Humanity: Ethical and Inclusive AI in Pakistan", which brought together over 25 key stakeholders from the private sector, academia, civil society, and technology institutions to discuss the AI innovation ecosystem under the National AI Policy.

Pakistan launches first locally hosted AI cloud to keep national data inside the country

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2624100/pakistan

KARACHI: Pakistan this week launched its first locally hosted artificial intelligence cloud, a step officials say will allow sensitive national data to remain inside the country while giving businesses and public institutions access to powerful AI computing for the first time.

Pakistan, like many emerging markets, has relied on cloud servers located abroad for AI and machine-learning workloads, raising concerns over compliance with domestic regulations, financial data privacy, telecom metadata protections and broader national security. Around the world, countries are investing in “sovereign clouds” — cloud platforms physically hosted within national borders under local jurisdiction — to build digital autonomy and reduce reliance on foreign service providers. Pakistan’s new AI cloud aims to meet that need by keeping all AI training, analytics and data processing within its borders.

The cloud has been launched by Telenor Pakistan in collaboration with Data Vault Pakistan, whose high-density AI data center will host all workloads domestically.

“Today we are turning sovereign, high performance computer into a national capability,” Data Vault Pakistan CEO Mehwish Salman Ali said at the launch event on Wednesday.

“By weaving Data Vault Cloud into Telenor Pakistan’s enterprise portfolio, we are giving every organization a secure, local path from idea to inference — without sending data abroad. This is how Pakistan moves from consuming AI to producing it.”

According to the press release, the cloud enables organizations to train and deploy artificial intelligence models, process large datasets and run real-time applications without relying on offshore cloud regions. It covers sensitive data types including financial transactions, medical imaging, telecom data and government records, ensuring none of it leaves Pakistan.

AI systems require intensive computing power, especially for tasks such as training large language models, processing video analytics, powering generative AI systems or running real-time fraud detection. These workloads depend on GPUs — specialized processors far more powerful than standard chips. Pakistan has previously struggled to access such hardware because of global shortages and high import costs.

The new platform introduces GPU-as-a-Service, allowing organizations to rent NVIDIA-grade accelerators on demand rather than purchase expensive physical equipment. The release said this will enable a range of applications, from machine-learning pipelines and industrial automation to Urdu and regional-language AI models, computer-vision systems for public safety and advanced sector-specific analytics in health care and fintech.

Officials expect the cloud to support national priorities across multiple sectors. In finance, it can power fraud detection and anti-money laundering systems. In health care, it can assist with diagnostics and medical image processing. Manufacturers and logistics companies can use the platform for automation and predictive analytics, while public agencies can deploy secure local AI for citizen services and governance.

According to the release, the initiative aligns with regulations from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), health care data laws and emerging national AI safety frameworks. Hosting all data within the country, the statement said, strengthens cybersecurity, improves audit trails, enhances privacy and identity controls and bolsters digital trust.

With onshore GPU capacity now available in Pakistan, researchers and startups can develop their own AI systems rather than depend on offshore platforms.

AI Overview

GO Telecommunications Group establishes AI Hub in Pakistan ...
GO AI Hub Pakistan is a joint initiative between Pakistan's Ministry of IT and Saudi Arabia's GO Telecom, launched in Islamabad in October 2025 to boost AI development, digital skills, and tech exports, fostering collaboration, innovation, and creating jobs through training, research, and connecting Pakistani talent to global markets, especially Saudi Arabia. It aims to position Pakistan as a regional tech leader, supporting digital transformation through AI labs, datacenters, and talent hubs under initiatives like the {Link: Digital Nation Vision Pakistan.}
Key Aspects of GO AI Hub Pakistan:
Partnership: A collaboration between Pakistan's Ministry of IT & Telecom (MoITT) and Saudi Arabia's GO Telecom Group.
Objective: To advance Pakistan's digital economy, foster AI innovation, build digital skills, and create jobs.
Focus Areas: Developing AI solutions, cybersecurity, data systems, talent development, and creating pathways for Pakistani freelancers and companies.
Facilities: Includes plans for AI labs, datacenters, and a "GO Talent Hub" for training.
Benefits: Aims to increase IT exports, provide access to global markets (especially Saudi), and empower youth with digital skills.
Strategic Importance: Aligns with Pakistan's "Digital Nation" vision and strengthens tech ties with Saudi Arabia.
In essence, it's a significant step in tech collaboration, leveraging Saudi investment and expertise with Pakistan's skilled workforce to create a regional AI and digital innovation powerhouse, noted by sources like Dawn, Arab News, Aaj English TV and The Express Tribune.

Pakistan-American surgeon appointed Chief AI Officer at US college of medicine

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2587116/pakistan-american-surgeon-appo...

Dr Adil Haider says AI can strengthen healthcare systems at scale if implemented responsibly

Pakistani-American surgeon-scientist Dr Adil Haider has been appointed the Inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine (CI MED), the world’s first engineering-based medical school, according to a press statement issued on Wednesday.

The newly created role marks a major milestone in Dr Haider’s global career spanning Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. As CAIO, he will lead the strategic and responsible integration of artificial intelligence across medical education, research, and clinical innovation at CI MED.



Dr Haider joins Carle Illinois after completing a transformative 6.5-year tenure as Dean of the Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan. During his leadership, the institution quadrupled its research funding, achieved top-100 global ranking status, and secured multiple international accreditations. Widely respected for his mentorship and accessibility, he remained a popular figure among students.

Speaking on his appointment, Dr Haider said artificial intelligence has the potential to strengthen healthcare systems at scale if implemented responsibly and grounded in real clinical needs.

CI MED Dean Mark Cohen said the appointment reflects the institution’s commitment to making artificial intelligence foundational to the future of medicine, adding that Dr Haider’s leadership would ensure innovation remains ethical and patient-centred.

Dr Haider will also serve as Medical Director for Research Informatics at Carle Foundation Hospital and as a Visiting Professor at the University of Illinois’ Grainger College of Engineering.

Dr Haider has authored over 450 publications, secured more than $200 million in research funding, and founded Boston Health AI in 2024, with a mission to improve care for one billion patients worldwide.

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CI MED Appoints International Expert to Lead AI Initiatives

https://medicine.illinois.edu/news/ci-med-appoints-international-ex...

Carle Illinois College of Medicine has appointed internationally recognized surgeon-scientist, biotech entrepreneur, and academic leader Dr. Adil Haider as its inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO).

In this newly created role, Haider will lead the strategic vision, development, and responsible deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) across CI MED. He will be responsible for advancing AI-enabled medical education, translational research, and clinical innovation.

Adil Haider (left) has been appointed by CI MED Dean Mark Cohen (right) as the college's first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. 
Adil Haider (left) has been appointed by CI MED Dean Mark Cohen (right) as the college's first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.
“By establishing the role of chief AI officer, Carle Illinois is signaling that artificial intelligence is not peripheral, but foundational to the future of medicine,” said CI MED Dean Mark Cohen. “Dr. Haider brings a unique combination of academic rigor, clinical expertise, and entrepreneurial experience. His leadership will help ensure that AI at Carle Illinois is innovative, ethical, and meaningfully improves health outcomes, transforming our clinical, research, innovation, and educational missions for the future.”

In addition to his duties at CI MED, Haider will serve as the medical director for research informatics at Carle Foundation Hospital, strengthening alignment between academic innovation and real-world clinical practice. In this dual role, Haider will help integrate advanced informatics and AI-driven tools to enhance care delivery, clinical efficiency, and the patient experience across the Carle Health system.

Bottom layer: Energy
Second layer: AI Chips
Third layer: Infrastructure (data centers, cloud services)
Fourth layer: AI Models
Top layer: Applications

Five layers of artificial intelligence (#AI): #Energy (#electricity), #Semiconductor #Chips, #DataCenters/ #CloudServices, AI #LLM Models and #Applications.

https://x.com/haqsmusings/status/2015281283077923050?s=61&t=mgT...

AI Overview

AI education in Pakistan is rapidly evolving, with a strong focus on integrating technology into the curriculum to bridge educational gaps, particularly in the Punjab province where AI is becoming mandatory in schools. Key initiatives include the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) and AI-powered tools (Khanmigo, MagicSchool) to enhance teacher capacity. Despite high potential and policy interest, challenges include limited infrastructure, funding gaps, and the need for teacher training.
Key Developments and Initiatives
Government Action: The Punjab government is leading in making AI education mandatory in schools, aiming to modernize the curriculum. The National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at NUST has been established to promote research, training, and innovation.
Educational Integration: AI-driven platforms like Khanmigo and MagicSchool are being used to support teachers with lesson planning and personalized learning.
Focus on Skills: There is a push towards creating AI literacy to prepare the youth for a 21st-century job market, driven by initiatives like the Digital Pakistan Vision.
Certifications: The Artificial Intelligence Education Foundation (AIEF) offers specialized, tiered certifications, including Certified AI Developer (CAD) and Certified AI Practitioner (CAP).
Opportunities and Impact
Bridging Rural Gaps: AI offers a solution to the lack of qualified teachers in remote areas (e.g., Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan) through smart learning apps, virtual tutors, and video-based lessons.
Personalized Learning: AI can adapt to diverse student needs and learning paces, addressing disparities between urban and rural education.
Future-Ready Workforce: With 65% of the population under 30, investing in AI education allows Pakistan to leverage its youthful demographic for a tech-driven economy.
Challenges and Barriers
Infrastructure Gaps: Many schools lack basic IT infrastructure, internet access, and electricity, hindering the adoption of AI tools.
Teacher Readiness: Educators need significant training to effectively integrate AI and understand its ethical implications.
Resource Constraints: Limited financial resources make it challenging to implement widespread AI adoption across all schools.
Future Outlook
The focus is shifting toward creating a comprehensive AI policy framework that includes ethical guidelines, data privacy, and extensive teacher training. Partnerships with international organizations like UNESCO are helping to build these capabilities.

AI Overview
The Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) in Pakistan is a flagship educational program launched to equip local youth with advanced AI, IoT, and Big Data skills to foster technological growth. It acts as a CSR initiative aimed at enhancing employability in the tech sector.
samsung.com
samsung.com
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Here are the key details about the Samsung Innovation Campus in Pakistan:
Core Focus and Features
Programs: The campus offers intensive, free, in-person training focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).
Curriculum: The training involves over 240 hours of instruction, ranging from theoretical foundations to practical, hands-on project work.
Target Audience: The program is designed for Pakistani nationals, typically aged 22–28, with a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Engineering.
Goal: To bridge the gap between education and industry requirements, improving employment prospects for young graduates.
Samsung
Samsung
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Locations and Implementation
Coverage: The program operates in major cities, including Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad.
Partnerships: Samsung partners with local organizations like Knowledge Streams to deliver these trainings.
Recent Activity: As of February 2026, the program has launched new cohorts and continues to offer training in AI.
Instagram
Instagram
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Key Information for Applicants (2025/2026)
Application: Applicants can apply through the official Samsung Pakistan Innovation Campus portal.
Duration: The training period typically lasts around 12 weeks, featuring on-premise classes.
Eligibility Restrictions: In some cohorts, graduates from specific institutions like LUMS, NUST, GIKI, and Habib University were not eligible, as the program targeted a broader demographic.
samsung.com
samsung.com
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Note: The Samsung Innovation Campus is different from the Samsung Service Centers, which are dedicated to technical repair and customer support (e.g., in Johar Town, Lahore).

Pakistan Digital Authority: Building a Citizen-Centric Digital Future

https://www.fairobserver.com/business/technology/pakistan-digital-a...

Artificial intelligence: Promise and risk
AI is rapidly emerging as one of the most influential technologies of the 21st century, offering significant potential to improve efficiency, governance, education and economic opportunity. In Pakistan, this promise is already being explored in some institutional arenas. For example, courts and several provincial governments are beginning to experiment with AI tools to improve administrative efficiency, such as case management and document review, helping reduce bureaucratic delays and improve service delivery.

Alongside government adoption, regulators are actively considering how to govern AI in complex sectors like finance. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and related bodies are engaged in drafting frameworks and guidelines that could govern how AI and algorithmic systems are used in the banking sector, with an emphasis on issues such as data security, fairness and transparency, aligning with broader digital policy priorities found in Pakistan’s national AI strategy discussions.

In the education sector, AI-driven technologies are reshaping traditional practices. Smart learning platforms, virtual tutors and automated assessment tools have begun to offer more personalized learning pathways for students and reduce routine administrative burdens for teachers. Studies show educators experiencing efficiency gains and improved engagement when using AI for lesson planning and content generation, though these benefits are highly uneven across contexts.

However, these technological advances are not evenly distributed. Persistent challenges such as inadequate digital infrastructure, limited internet access, uneven device availability and low levels of digital literacy continue to hinder equitable AI adoption across Pakistan’s education system and beyond. Research on digital inclusion highlights how rural and marginalized communities, in particular, remain disproportionately excluded from the advantages of AI, compounding existing inequalities rather than closing them.

Moreover, without robust governance, AI systems can pose real risks, from reinforcing biases or misinterpretations to exposing sensitive data if privacy safeguards are absent. Ethical considerations around algorithmic fairness and transparency are increasingly part of policy debates, especially as stakeholders call for frameworks that protect both citizens and institutions as AI becomes more widespread.



The Pakistan Digital Authority: A central role
The PDA is positioned as the principal institutional mechanism for translating the country’s digital vision into coordinated national action. Tasked with implementing the National Digital Master Plan, built upon the pillars of digital economy, digital society and digital governance, the Authority is responsible for aligning federal and provincial initiatives, formulating a National Data Strategy and establishing standards for cloud infrastructure and data interoperability. Through these functions, the PDA seeks to transform fragmented digital efforts into a unified and strategically directed national framework.

When effectively implemented, the PDA can integrate Pakistan’s diverse digital initiatives into a cohesive, future-ready system capable of delivering measurable social and economic benefits. Coordinated governance structures, interoperable data systems and standardized infrastructure can significantly enhance administrative efficiency, enable evidence-based policymaking and expand access to public services across regions.

26 year old Karachi born Sualeh Asif joins list of Forbes Billionaires

https://www.forbes.com/profile/sualeh-asif/

Sualeh Asif cofounded Cursor, the maker of a popular AI code editing tool, with three friends from MIT.
Cursor reached a $29.3 billion valuation in November 2025, after raising $2.3 billion in a funding round co-led by VC heavyweights Accel and Coatue.
Cursor claims to have more than $1 billion in annualized revenue, making it one of the fastest growing AI startups.
Today, millions of software developers at 50,000 enterprises like Nvidia, Adobe, Uber and Shopify use Cursor to generate and edit chunks of code.
Originally from Karachi, Pakistan, Asif represented the country in the International Math Olympiad from 2016 to 2018.
In college, he started an AI-powered search engine company.

Pakistani Woman Techie Explains How She Got Hired At Anthropic, Urges Young Engineers To Embrace AIShe advised professionals to overcome the fear of automation by embracing adaptability and learning to work with AI tools.

https://www.ndtv.com/feature/pakistani-techie-explains-how-she-got-...

Aiza Usman, an Applied AI Engineer at Anthropic, has gone viral for sharing her journey from Pakistan's Lahore to the United States, how she broke into the AI industry, and why adaptability is now one of the most critical skills in today's job market. In a conversation with content creator Hamzaa Chishti, she shared that she came to the US for her undergraduate studies.

Explaining how she landed a job at Anthropic, she said her background in Computer Science engineering played a key role in building a strong technical foundation. She added that her graduate studies further strengthened her expertise, especially through courses focused on generative AI, large language models (LLMs) and transformer architectures. She also gained hands-on industry experience by working with a fintech startup, where she built AI agents and worked on applied AI solutions.

Speaking about the similarities and differences between Anthropic and OpenAI, she said both companies place strong emphasis on AI safety and responsible development. She explained that one of the core priorities at Anthropic is ensuring that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence remain aligned with human safety and well-being. According to her, the company is focused not only on accelerating AI capabilities but also on making sure the technology is developed responsibly and safely for people.

She further advocated for embracing AI as a tool, urging professionals to shift from fearing automation to learning how to work alongside it. "Everyone needs to stop being scared of AI," she stated, adding that AI isn't just for technical teams anymore. It's showing up in nearly every profession. Instead of avoiding these tools, she argued that people should invest time in learning to use them well.



Notably, AI has become one of the biggest talking points in the technology world, dominating headlines, investor calls, and policy debates. Meanwhile, workers across industries are trying to make sense of what these rapid changes could mean for their careers.

Roles in writing, design, coding, law, and even medicine are being reshaped as AI tools handle tasks once done exclusively by humans, leaving many people both excited about new productivity gains and anxious about job security. Among the firms driving this shift is Anthropic, one of the world's leading AI companies.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DX9LZH6O6vS/?utm_source=ig_embed&...

Pakistan’s AI future

By Vugar Usi


https://www.thenews.pk/magazine/money-matters/1421801-pakistans-ai-...

Pakistan has placed artificial intelligence (AI) near the centre of its economic agenda. At the Indus AI Summit in February, the government announced a $1 billion AI investment commitment by 2030.

The plan covers sovereign compute infrastructure and research, an AI curriculum for schools, 1,000 fully funded PhD scholarships and training for one million non-IT professionals.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently pointed to a national backbone of more than 234,000 kilometres of fibre-optic network, six submarine cables, around 58,000 cellular towers, and over 20 modern data centres.

These are substantial commitments. Pakistan is going to create the conditions that allow AI to improve the way businesses operate, workers build skills and public institutions serve people.

GPUs attract attention because they are visible, expensive and closely associated with the global AI race. They are also only one part of the system.

The World Bank, in its Digital Progress and Trends Report 2025, offers a useful framework that identifies four foundations for AI adoption: connectivity, compute, context and competency. The four cover infrastructure, processing power, locally relevant data and the skills to use it. A powerful model creates little value when an SME cannot count on stable internet access. The same applies when a public agency works with disconnected databases or when a teacher receives a new tool without the training needed to use it well.

Running a digital platform makes this easy to see. People experience technology through reliability, speed, cost, and trust -- the same standards by which AI will be judged.

The same applies to our work at MEXC. In the first quarter of 2026, MEXC AI-related features reached around 140,000 daily active users, with more than 1.04 million users over the quarter. No surprise that people are more likely to use AI when it is useful, easy to access, and built into tools they understand.

Pakistan already has important digital foundations in place. Its national identity system and instant-payment infrastructure have created opportunities for more efficient public services. Yet the country still lags behind comparable economies in digital infrastructure, digital governance and the broader environment needed for a strong digital economy.

There is also uneven connectivity across districts and the relatively high cost of fixed broadband. These problems can feel abstract until a business tries to move more of its operations online. AI adoption makes dependable access even more important.

Power is one of the clearest pressure points. World Bank President Ajay Banga described electricity-sector reform as Pakistan’s most urgent near-term priority. Distribution losses and inefficiencies continue to limit growth, even after improvements in generation capacity.

AI will not solve Pakistan’s employment challenge by itself. It can still help companies become more productive, support new businesses and give workers useful tools. The real impact will depend on how widely those tools are available
The underlying problem is that Pakistan has continued to experience outages and load shedding despite maintaining surplus generation capacity. A large part of that capacity remains underused because the transmission network has not kept pace.

AI adds a further dimension of urgency. Data centres and cloud platforms require reliable power. If they need to work around power cuts, backup power charges, or patchy internet speeds, it will be difficult for companies to integrate AI tools into their daily workflows.

The local data-centre investment can place additional pressure on power grids. New computing capacity has to be matched with affordable energy and resilient digital networks.

So before Pakistan can aim to lead in AI, it needs a more dependable digital economy. Grid modernisation, broadband access, fibre networks and data-centre investment belong in the same conversation.

Pakistan’s AI future

By Vugar Usi


https://www.thenews.pk/magazine/money-matters/1421801-pakistans-ai-...

Hardware and connectivity will only take the country so far. The people using AI will ultimately determine its economic value. Pakistan has started to recognise this. The national plan announced at the Indus AI Summit includes training for one million non-IT professionals. A separate initiative is already training 10,000 government officials to strengthen digital capacity across public institutions and improve service delivery.

This is a promising start. People also need the skills to use these tools with confidence. Roads help people get to markets and telecom networks help businesses get to customers. Practical AI skills can help workers find their place in a shifting economy, too.

AI capability must be built as infrastructure, underpinned by learning anchored in real tasks and measured in practical competencies. One-off workshops can raise awareness, but lasting value is in skills that people can use in their day-to-day work.

For a civil servant, this could mean using AI to speed up and improve the quality of public services; for an SME, it may mean reducing repetitive administrative work or serving customers more efficiently. Teachers could use carefully designed tools to support learning and healthcare professionals could work with patient information to save time.

AI’s real value tends to be in practical tools that help people do their jobs better. These use cases may receive less attention, but they are often where economic gains begin. The approach we take at MEXC is that useful AI should make a familiar task easier to complete without adding another layer of complexity.

Pakistan’s AI ambitions also need to be understood in the context of the country’s employment challenges. It needs to generate between 25 million and 30 million jobs over the next decade as millions of young people enter the workforce.

AI will not solve Pakistan’s employment challenge by itself. It can still help companies become more productive, support new businesses and give workers useful tools. The real impact will depend on how widely those tools are available. The race Pakistan needs to win is not for the largest model. It is for the moment a shopkeeper in Multan, a teacher in Quetta and a clerk in Karachi all reach for the same tool without thinking twice.

The countries building the biggest models may not benefit most from AI. And those making these tools reliable, affordable and useful in everyday life will.

Pakistan has already made its ambition clear. Build the grid, the broadband, and the skills and the models will take care of themselves. That is the work Pakistan has left to do.

The writer is the CEO of MEXC.

I moved to the US from Pakistan for college. Here's how I landed a job at Google — and why AI doesn't worry me.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/moved-us-pakistan-college-...

Aimen Moten moved to the US hoping to eventually land a tech job.

A strategic job search helped her land a Google software engineering role.

She shared how AI changed her work — and why she isn't worried about being replaced.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Aimen Moten, who has worked as a software engineer at Google since March. She's in her 20s and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I work as a software engineer at Google, and I don't code that much anymore.

Instead, I spend more time reviewing AI-generated code, making design decisions, and deeply understanding how things work.

The job of an engineer is 100% changing due to AI, and we need to adapt. But before I had to think about adapting to AI, I first had to land a job.

Getting a job at Google was far from easy. For me, that journey started long before my first Google interview.

My original goal was to graduate from college early

I'm originally from Pakistan, and I came to the US in 2022 to pursue a computer science degree at DePauw University.

My goal was to graduate in three years because college was expensive. Even with a partial scholarship, school-related expenses still cost more than $10,000 a semester. And since I wasn't a US citizen, I wasn't eligible for federal student loans. My parents helped pay for my first few semesters, but I knew I might have to rely on scholarships and internship earnings to get me through the rest of college.

If I graduated early, I'd need a job right away. So, during my sophomore year, my strategy was simple: apply to as many internships as possible, land the best one, earn a return offer, and put myself on the quickest path toward a full-time software engineering job.

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I was strategic in my internship applications

I attended tech conferences like the Grace Hopper Celebration to network and learn when different internship applications would open. The conference gave me a heads-up, and I made sure to apply as soon as the applications were released.

The summer before my sophomore year, I also spent a lot of time cold-messaging people on LinkedIn at companies I was interested in to learn about their experiences. When I eventually applied, I was able to ask some of those people for referrals and received several.

During this search, I applied to what felt like hundreds of internships and went through several interview processes, including one that stretched six rounds.

I landed an internship at Google and had to adjust my plans

Eventually, I landed an interview for a software engineering internship at Google, and ultimately received an offer for the internship, which was based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ironically, Google was one of the few companies I interviewed with where I didn't have a referral.

My first Google internship was a very positive experience, but I had to adjust my graduation and full-time job search timeline. I was told that returning to Google for a second internship would be the best path to a full-time software engineering offer.

The following summer, I returned to Google for my second internship and received the full-time offer I'd been waiting for. After graduating in three and a half years in December 2025, I moved to the Bay Area and started as a full-time software engineer in March.

Looking back, I'm especially grateful that I received my return offer because I know how difficult today's tech job market has become. I know so many incredibly qualified people who are still looking for opportunities.