Pakistan is enhancing its digital transformation agenda by proposing to set up a National Artificial Intelligence Fund (NAIF). The initiative is one of the initiatives of the country National AI Policy and helps to speed up the development of AI research, innovation, and adoption in various sectors.
The government will also allocate 30 percent of the Research and Development funds of Ignite to NAIF permanently providing a steady flow of funding towards AI projects. This is a funding mechanism that is supported by the Telecommunication Reorganization Act, 1996 (amended 2006).
The fund will also finance universities, industries, IT spin-offs, and startups to scale AI solutions, test pilot projects, and commercialize innovations, as stated by officials. Another aspect of the policy is the increased cooperation between the academic field and the business world to solve real-life problems using AI-based tools.
The plan will see the launch of a network of Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (CoE-AI) in key cities. The main hubs will be established in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore and regional hubs in Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad and Hyderabad. These hubs will offer access to new computing facilities, AI laboratories, and test-beds, and will encourage environmentally friendly solutions.
The centers will also collaborate with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the provincial education departments to incubate AI startups and to integrate AI curriculum into schools, colleges, and universities.
Experts are of the view that through establishment of NAIF and a network of AI hubs across the country, Pakistan is aiming to join the race in artificial intelligence, which can open new avenues in healthcare, agriculture, education, and smart governance.