ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) hosted a high-profile seminar on Pakistan’s newly launched National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy, focusing on the theme “Bridging Gaps in Pakistan’s AI Roadmap: Opportunities, Challenges and the Way Forward.” The session brought together policymakers, academics, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to deliberate on the transformative potential of AI for Pakistan’s economy, governance, and society. The panel featured distinguished speakers including Dr. Anil Salman, Chair of the Government of Pakistan’s AI Policy Committee; Dr. Najibullah, Member Science and Technology at the Planning Commission of Pakistan; Ms. Suniya Shahid, CEO & Co-founder of Techvention Ltd.; and Dr. Naveed Iftikhar, CEO of Atomcamp, who joined virtually via Zoom. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Wajid Islam, Research Economist at PIDE. Dr. Salman explained the policy’s vision as bold, ethical, and transformative, stressing inclusivity across economic, social, and technological dimensions. He highlighted that the policy was developed through extensive consultation with domestic and international stakeholders including UNESCO, ADB, and the Commonwealth. He projected that full implementation could boost GDP by 7–12% and create up to one million jobs by 2030. DNA
