Pakistan targets 1m AI-skilled youth, global market eyes $5tr

At the Margalla Dialogue on Wednesday, Federal IT and Telecommunication Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja outlined a five-year goal to equip one million young people with AI capabilities and train at least 10,000 doctoral specialists. Mettis Global reported that the initiative comes as the worldwide AI economy is forecast to total $4.8 trillion by 2033. Khawaja said the technology is likely to reshape work, while people who use AI could be substantially more productive than peers with comparable skills.

The government is building digital capacity alongside skills development: internet speeds have risen 60% in two and a half years, and live internet capacity is about seven terabits per second. The minister cited new international submarine cables, expanded fibre connections and almost 1.8 million 5G subscribers. A National Digital Master Plan is being prepared, while a data governance policy and national data exchange layer are also in development. She said a $1bn AI investment announced by the prime minister would support infrastructure, skills, innovation and connectivity, with a seven-layer framework intended to serve public bodies, businesses and innovators.