Newly-appointed Federal Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal Wednesday visited the National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at NUST to review its progress, along with other national centers focusing on robotics, cyber-security, big data, and cloud computing established by the minister.
\nAhsan Iqbal underscored the pivotal role of these centers in driving economic growth through product commercialization and digital exports, stressing the significance of technological advancement in the modern global economy.
\nDuring his interaction with stakeholders, Professor Iqbal highlighted the importance of investing in AI and technology, noting its transformative potential across various sectors.
\n He advocated for the integration of AI into governance processes, emphasizing its role in facilitating good governance and fostering economic development.
\nThe minister urged for collaborative efforts between academia and industry to accelerate the commercialization of technological innovations. He emphasized the need for curriculum reforms, accreditation, and standardization processes to ensure the quality and relevance of educational programs.
\nAddressing issues of sustainability, Professor Iqbal directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to revisit existing decisions and expedite the approval of proposed policies aimed at sustaining the efforts of the national centers. He emphasized the importance of operational plans focused on commercialization and industry collaboration to enable the centers to thrive.
\nMoreover, Professor Iqbal instructed HEC to expedite the release of promised funds and address delays in salary revisions, demonstrating his commitment to supporting technological initiatives. He stressed the crucial role of technology in driving Pakistan\u2019s economic growth and urged for swift resolution of pending issues.
\nEarlier, the minister was comprehensively briefed on NCAI progress and on collaborative initiatives with international partners, such as the Memorandum of Agreement with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), showcasing Pakistan\u2019s commitment to global collaboration in the field of technology.
\nHe was also briefed on the National Center of Robotics and Automation (NCRA) and showcased its achievements in agriculture, healthcare collaborations, and advanced robotics for industries.
\nThe National Center of Cyber Security (NCCS) highlighted the launch of over 50 products, international partnerships with Saudi Arabia, and its role in improving Pakistan\u2019s global ranking.
\nThe center\u2019s initiatives include cyber audits for over 30 national bodies, launching degree programs, and contributing to the security evaluation of cyber and non-cyber products under the Common Criteria Lab framework.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Newly-appointed Federal Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal Wednesday visited the National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at NUST to review its progress, along with other national centers focusing on robotics, cyber-security, big data, and cloud computing established by the minister. Ahsan Iqbal underscored the pivotal role of these centers in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":393442,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1074],"class_list":{"0":"post-393433","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national","8":"tag-ahsan-iqbal"},"yoast_head":"\n