The Federal Cabinet’s approval of the National AI Policy 2025 is a defining moment, signaling Pakistan’s official entry into the global race for technological supremacy. Far from being a mere statement of intent, this policy—which aims to train one million individuals in AI by 2030, establish an AI Innovation Fund, and position Pakistan as an AI hub by 2035—is a crucial roadmap for leveraging artificial intelligence to overhaul the economy, governance, and essential services. The vision is ambitious and necessary: using AI in health for remote diagnostics, in agriculture for precision farming, and in public services for enhanced efficiency, such as improving the country’s famously challenging tax collection system. This focus on human capital development and nurturing a local innovation ecosystem provides a solid foundation for Pakistan’s digitally native youth.
However, the chasm between policy aspiration and practical implementation remains vast. The primary threat to this national vision is not a lack of talent, but the deepening of the existing digital divide. Even as the government plans a national compute grid and centralized data repositories, the stark reality is that internet access, reliable electricity, and digital device ownership are highly unequal. In rural areas, only a fraction of students have access to the AI tools that their urban counterparts take for granted. This disparity is further complicated by severe gender barriers, with women often excluded from technical training and daily internet use. Without urgent, targeted investment in foundational, last-mile infrastructure, the National AI Policy risks becoming an engine of inequality, benefiting only the urban, educated elite while further marginalizing the already underserved.
Equally critical is the challenge of institutional readiness and ethical governance. While AI promises to streamline Pakistan’s slow and layered bureaucracy, there is a natural institutional resistance to change and a widespread fear of job displacement. With an estimated 60% of the workforce vulnerable to automation in routine tasks, the government must prioritize large-scale, accessible upskilling programs over theoretical scholarships. The policy’s success hinges on quickly developing robust frameworks for data governance, ethics, and accountability—systems that instill public trust and prevent algorithmic bias. The ink on the policy document is dry, but the hard work of execution is only just beginning.
Pakistan has the intellectual roadmap to transform its socio-economic landscape using AI. The National AI Policy 2025 provides the blueprint to modernize public services and unlock economic growth. To ensure this future is truly national and inclusive, the focus must now shift fiercely to equity. Every rupee from the AI Innovation Fund and every watt of power for the compute grid must be prioritized for bridging the digital divide, ensuring that AI becomes a tool for collective prosperity, not just a luxury for the privileged few. The time for cautious planning is over; the time for equitable, ethical, and aggressive execution is now.