IT Ministry Launches Six-Pillar AI Policy to Boost Pakistan’s Digital Future
The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has introduced a comprehensive six-pillar Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy framework aimed at speeding up AI adoption, fostering innovation, and positioning Pakistan as a competitive player in the global tech arena.
This new policy is designed to strengthen Pakistan’s AI ecosystem by focusing on innovation, readiness, security, transformation, infrastructure development, and global partnerships.
1. AI Innovation Ecosystem
The first pillar emphasizes expanding the number of startups and SMEs using AI technology, increasing AI-powered job opportunities, and encouraging industry adoption of AI in critical sectors such as smart cities, healthcare, and agriculture. The framework also prioritizes attracting investments and funding for AI-based projects as a key performance benchmark.
2. Awareness and Readiness
Under the second pillar, the focus will be on boosting AI research output and securing intellectual property rights. Performance will be measured through the volume of AI-related research publications, patent registrations, and funding allocated to research grants. The aim is to build a skilled talent pool capable of contributing to the fast-growing AI sector.
3. Secure AI Ecosystem
The third pillar is centered on improving cybersecurity, implementing data standardization, and ensuring the ethical use of AI technologies. Public awareness campaigns will promote responsible AI usage, while government bodies like WAPDA, NADRA, FBR, and departments in health and education will work towards digitization and real-time data integration.
4–6. Transformation, Infrastructure, and International Partnerships
The remaining three pillars focus on accelerating sector-specific AI adoption, enhancing Pakistan’s AI computing capacity, creating dedicated AI hubs, ensuring the availability of diverse datasets, and developing local large language models (LLMs).
Additionally, MoITT plans to strengthen international cooperation through joint research projects, global partnerships, and participation in international AI forums, ensuring Pakistan remains in sync with global advancements in AI.
With this six-pillar AI strategy, Pakistan is setting the stage for a future driven by innovation, efficiency, and international collaboration—paving the way for the country to become a competitive force in the global AI landscape.
