Pakistan to invest $1bn in AI by 2030, PM announces nationwide push
“PM Shehbaz Sharif announced Pakistan will invest $1 billion in artificial intelligence by 2030 and roll out nationwide programmes for education, training and research.”
Key points
- PM Shehbaz Sharif announced Pakistan will invest $1 billion in artificial intelligence by 2030 and roll out nationwide programmes for education, training and research.
- The plan includes AI curricula expansion, 1,000 funded AI PhDs, and training for one million non-IT professionals, with focus on agriculture, minerals and youth empowerment.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a national plan to build Pakistan’s artificial intelligence ecosystem, including a commitment to invest $1 billion in AI by 2030.
Speaking at the inauguration of Indus AI Week 2026 in Islamabad, the prime minister said the government aims to accelerate AI adoption across key sectors and prepare the workforce for rapid technological change. The event was attended by federal ministers and international delegations, including representatives from Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
As part of the roadmap, the prime minister said AI coursework would be introduced in federally run schools and extended to institutions in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and remote parts of Balochistan. He also announced plans to provide 1,000 fully funded PhD scholarships in AI by 2030 to strengthen research capacity and develop advanced national research centres.
The government, he added, intends to launch a programme to train one million non-IT professionals in AI skills, positioning them to improve productivity and earnings. He identified agriculture, mines and minerals, and youth development as priority areas for AI deployment, arguing that Pakistan’s predominantly young population must be equipped for the digital economy.
Addressing concerns in the tech sector, the prime minister sought to reassure startups and IT professionals that government initiatives would help them transition into AI-focused roles. He said AI-driven gains could improve agricultural output and efficiency and support innovation across wider segments of the economy.
He also cited broader digitisation efforts, including reforms at the Federal Board of Revenue and the use of modern tools at ports to curb smuggling and recover revenue lost to tax evasion. Concluding his remarks, he said Pakistan would pursue its technology agenda through collaboration with international partners despite the challenges ahead.
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