ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced that Pakistan would invest $1 billion in artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030, in a major step to modernize the South Asian nation’s digital economy.
Pakistan, a country of 240 million people, seeks to become a key participant in the global AI economy, amid growing interest from governments in the Global South to harness AI for productivity, skills development and innovation.
The South Asian nation has been actively developing its AI landscape and approved its National AI Policy in July last year, which was followed by the launch of the country’s sovereign AI cloud and a startup fund.
Speaking at the launch of the Indus AI Week 2026 in Islamabad, Sharif unveiled a multi-pronged roadmap intended to transform Pakistan from a provider of IT technicians into a global hub for AI expertise.
“I am pleased to announce that the Government of Pakistan is committed to invest $1 billion in AI by 2030, which will go a long way in building AI ecosystem in our country,” he told policymakers and international tech experts at Islamabad’s Jinnah Convention Center.
