The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication in Pakistan has recently drafted the “National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy,” which aims to create an AI-enabled ecosystem in the country that is transparent, responsible, and equitable. The policy framework will cover all aspects of AI, including awareness, skill development, standardization, and ethical use.
Pakistan currently ranks 117 out of 172 countries in terms of AI readiness, according to a State of AI Report, with a score of 34.03. The new National AI Policy focuses on the responsible and equitable distribution of opportunities and benefits of AI, with defining attributes; evidence-based, user-centric, objective, and forward-looking.
The policy seeks to increase awareness and understanding of AI technologies, provide necessary competencies for the workforce to participate in the AI economy, and transform sectors and industries towards effective use of AI. The government aims to establish research and innovation centers in AI for developing, test bedding, deploying, and scaling AI solutions, and improve governance to manage the impact of AI. The responsible use of AI expected to generate economic gains and improve lives while raising the government’s capability to deliver anticipatory and personalized services.
The draft policy also recognizes that the availability of data in digital form and standardization of data are the main challenges for the successful implementation of IoT cloud-based services. The government and public organizations are sitting on vast amounts of data. That needs digitization and standardization for predictive analytics, machine learning, and other technological uses.
The policy also proposes the establishment of an AI regulatory directorate to ensure the ethical and responsible use of AI. The directorate will ensure that AI use does not discriminate against individuals or groups and that its use is transparent and accountable. Additionally, the policy addresses potential job displacement that could result from the global proliferation of AI, calling for investment in training programs to help the existing and new workforce acquire the skills to adapt to changing job requirements.
The AI policy can help promote economic growth by encouraging investment in AI research and development, leading to the creation of new jobs and industries. It can also address social and economic challenges, such as improving healthcare outcomes, providing better access to education, and addressing food security challenges.
In conclusion, the National AI Policy in Pakistan aims to create a broad-based awareness of the use of AI-based platforms while keeping privacy at the forefront, upskilling human capital on AI and allied technologies, guiding investment in AI research and development, ensuring ethical and responsible use of AI, and providing a framework for addressing the challenges and risks associated with the socio-economic outfit of the country.
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