ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the federal government will invest $1 billion in Pakistan’s artificial intelligence (AI) sector by 2030, aiming to build a future-ready digital economy and empower the country’s youth.
Addressing the inaugural session of Indus AI Week, the prime minister said the planned investment would help establish a strong and inclusive AI ecosystem across Pakistan.
He announced that artificial intelligence would be introduced into the curriculum of all federally run schools, while 1,000 fully funded PhD scholarships in AI would be offered to students nationwide by 2030.
The prime minister further revealed that the government would launch a nationwide programme to train one million non-IT professionals in AI-related skills, with the goal of enhancing productivity and improving livelihoods across various sectors.
“We are recovering lost revenues through technology and providing quality training to our young men and women in agriculture, commerce, and trade,” Shehbaz Sharif said.
Highlighting ongoing digital reforms, the prime minister referred to initiatives including the laptop distribution programme for high-performing students in Punjab, the establishment of e-libraries in remote areas, the introduction of e-stamp papers, and the digitisation of land records in collaboration with the World Bank. He noted that these measures had played a key role in curbing corruption.
Shehbaz Sharif also recalled that Pakistan’s first Safe City project and the country’s first IT university were established in Lahore, adding that lessons from past experiences had prepared Pakistan to actively participate in global AI-driven advancements.
Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja, speaking on the occasion, said Indus AI Week aimed to strengthen collaboration among universities, government institutions, and international technology companies, reflecting Pakistan’s strong commitment to a digital revolution.
She added that the Pakistan Digital Authority was working on a nationwide digital master plan to guide future transformation.
Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said the world had entered an era where intelligence itself had become a key factor of production, with nations now competing on ideas, talent, data, and technology rather than traditional commodities.
He described artificial intelligence as a disruption greater than electricity or the internet, noting that Pakistan’s engagement with technology began more than two decades ago through early IT policies, the establishment of NADRA, and sustained investment in advanced human capital.
