What’s the AI plan?

The cabinet this week approved the country’s first National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy 2025, a comprehensive document that lays out an ambitious roadmap for developing an AI ecosystem in the country. The policy envisions training one million AI professionals by 2030, developing 1,000 indigenous AI products, supporting 1,000 research projects, launching 50,000 civic AI initiatives and awarding 3,000 scholarships annually. It also pledges to create a more inclusive and secure digital space by supporting women and differently-abled individuals, aligning national standards with international regulations and boosting cybersecurity. All this looks and sounds promising. But let’s not forget where we are: a country known less for policy execution and more for policy proliferation. Without a clear implementation roadmap and a strong foundation in digital infrastructure, even the best-crafted policy risks becoming yet another document shelved in the name of reform.

The government says an AI Council will oversee implementation, while innovation and venture funds will be created to draw in private-sector participation. But beyond these statements, the actual mechanics of how these ambitious goals will be achieved remain frustratingly vague. How, for example, will one million professionals be trained over the next five years? What institutions will take the lead? How will people already in the workforce be equipped to integrate AI tools into their existing skillsets? Will public-private partnerships support this goal? None of these questions has been adequately addressed. There is also a larger problem that policymakers appear to be sidestepping: the state of Pakistan’s internet and digital infrastructure. As of early 2025, internet penetration in the country stood at just 45.7 per cent, with 116 million users out of a population of over 240 million. According to global speed rankings, Pakistan is 96th in mobile internet speeds and 143rd in fixed broadband. These are not numbers befitting a country trying to leap into the AI age.

Compounding this are the frequent disruptions in internet services, often politically motivated and imposed without explanation. Just last year, the government’s testing of a so-called ‘national firewall’ led to severe slowdowns, outages and censorship. Messaging apps were intermittently blocked, e-commerce businesses suffered major losses and the overall environment for IT-based industries became increasingly uncertain. Without reliable internet access and digital freedom, no amount of AI ambition can be realised. To be clear, the problem is not with the policy’s aspirations. AI does have the potential to reshape economies, transform public services and elevate human capital. But using it as a buzzword to mask systemic deficiencies is disingenuous. Pakistan needs more than moonshot targets. It needs grounded, detailed planning, a willingness to accept constructive criticism and a commitment to improving the digital environment at a basic level. The AI revolution is moving at lightning speed. If Pakistan wants to be a part of it, it must match that speed not just with big ideas, but with real-world, practical actions. Shall we start with faster, uncensored internet – and a plan that actually works?