President Alvi calls for adoption, facilitation of Artificial Intelligence

[Shahzaz ud din]

President Alvi calls for adoption, facilitation of Artificial Intelligence
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APP
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August 4, 2020
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ISLAMABAD: President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday said that the adoption and growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the country should be facilitated.

The president said this while addressing the inaugural session of the 1st COMSTECH Showcasing of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) Products and Services at COMSTECH headquarters Islamabad.

Over 26 businesses, industries, strategic organisations, and centers of excellence are participating in this first of its kind mega event which would conclude on August 5.

Quoting a McKinsey report, he said that disruptive technologie such as mobile internet, artificial intelligence, IoT, advanced robotics, autonomous vehicles, next generation genomics and biotechnology, 3D printing, and new energy storage are expected to add trillions of dollars into the global economy.

He said that the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the development and adaptation of many such technologies.

The president urged experts to use modern technologies like satellite imagery and robots in agriculture, health and education sectors.

He further stated that the current government has undertaken a number of initiatives to promote the deployment of modern technologies, including AI in various sectors of the country, as a fundamental tool of e-government.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry while addressing the event said that the science ministry believes that steps should be taken to translate scientific and technological developments in Pakistan into products and services.

Fawad Chaudhry assured that the science ministry would continue to support research institutions.

He said that COMSTECH, a science and technology organisation of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the most important international organisation that Pakistan hosts.

He said that the science ministry greatly values the role being played by COMSTECH in the capacity building of OIC countries through bilateral and multilateral linkages and exchanges and in presenting the best of Pakistan’s scientific and technological capabilities to the world.

“We are closely working with COMSTECH for the success of a large number of initiatives and programmes, which have been launched under the leadership of Dr Iqbal Choudhary” he said.

Fawad Chaudhry also highlighted science ministry’s “ThinkFuture” and “Made in Pakistan” programmes.

He said that Pakistan was importing Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) when the first Covid case emerged in the country on February 26. However, now the country is exporting PPEs to the world.

The minister also urged the use of mobile payments and transactions to document the economy.

He also stressed on the need for STEM education, use of 5G technology, AI programmes and development of drones.

He predicted that PayPal services in Pakistan will facilitate transactions for freelancers and people working online.

COMSTECH coordinator general while addressing the event said that the main focus of COMSTECH programmes is to develop technological skills and capacity of the youth of the OIC region.

CARE project director in his welcome address said that the impact of AI on the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to be $15.7 trillion.

“If Pakistan captures even one per cent of this market, its value will be close to $157 billion,” he said.

 

[American Pakistani]

That's the wagon to future. Hopefully we don't miss this one.

 

[Rank]

jhootay makaroon ki party hey... Court nay order daydiye kay kise Game pe koi ban nahe hey likin eek shaks parliament may nahi bola... ye awaam ko ch***** bana rahay hain jesay noonleague walay banatay rahay hain... ye sab bhuday sirf batain kartay hain ye chahtay he nahe kay Pakistan real may IT yaa tech may agaye jaye....

ye sunlo andaza hojayega

 

[Shehr Abbasi]

With most brilliant minds of Pakistan going overseas to study/research, Pakistan can never advance in these emerging technologies without having the necessary high-quality facilities.

Pakistan badly needs a “Harvard” of it’s own.

 

[FuturePAF]

With most brilliant minds of Pakistan going overseas to study/research, Pakistan can never advance in these emerging technologies without having the necessary high-quality facilities.

Pakistan badly needs a “Harvard” of it’s own.

Or at least something to come home to. There are talented people with years if not decades of experience, living abroad, that would be willing to come back and serve the nation if there was a framework and a plan of how best to use their talents. If we take, for example, the Indians that come into the US on an H1B visa and stay in the US for 3-6 years working at some high tech company, they know they have to go back. India has build the eco-system to absorb these talents and put them to use for foreign and domestic markets.

President Alvi has the right mind set of capturing a small share of the market, but we need to have a plan to recruit talent and put them to use in the diversification of our industries and the quality of our products at the most economical prices.

Considering how difficult it may soon become for people looking to immigrate, the government needs to invest in top talent by helping them partner with venture capital funding and create products that can be exported or at least form a niche part of foreign markets, such as agriculture.

A lot of these companies should be made in incubator villages in high end areas like DHA or Bahria town and the IT professionals given free accommodations as a perk and in lieu of some income, considering how high the cost of living is in the west.

even if these engineers only work for a few years in Pakistan and move abroad they will have created the ecosystem for people to come after them, and if the opportunities are attractive enough, they may be willing to come back.

considering the size of the Pakistani home market, these IT companies can get a lot of profit modernizing Pakkistan and then exporting their unique products abroad. The IT professionals also get an opportunity to make a name for themselves in Pakistan, which can also pay off socially.

This is a technique used by some countries with considerable results.

 

[Falcon26]

With most brilliant minds of Pakistan going overseas to study/research, Pakistan can never advance in these emerging technologies without having the necessary high-quality facilities.

Pakistan badly needs a “Harvard” of it’s own.

Maybe.

But more than that, Pakistan needs major initiatives to kickstart an industrial boom. For example, rather than obsess about AI without any meaningful endgame, Pakistan should initiate a public-private partnership to develop a Pakistani electric vehicle program. Pakistan should also reinvigorate it’s space program. If done right, both programs can channel local talents into economically beneficial programs and create long term employment for the Pakistani youth. This will also have a ripple effect on the overall economy.