Elevating AI: The Imperative of Governance

The rapid growth of technology, particularly the swift rise and widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), has taken many developing nations by surprise.

These nations, already grappling with basic digital transformation challenges, now face the daunting task of adapting to the disruptive impact of AI. This swiftly changing tech environment led UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to host the inaugural Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in February, emphasizing that the world “may not even be prepared for the present, much less the future.”

Pakistan has a significant journey ahead to ensure equitable digital access for its nearly 250 million citizens, half of whom are women. Even amid the nation’s socio-economic hurdles, its citizens are making remarkable strides in technology.

Pakistan ranks as the fourth-largest freelance market worldwide. The National Center of Artificial Intelligence Labs at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) in Islamabad has developed innovative AI-driven healthcare solutions, successfully identifying 98% of tuberculosis cases and 91% of brain tumors.

Recently, Mahrose Zufran, a 16-year-old student at Rehan Allahwala AI School in Karachi, garnered attention for leveraging AI to develop a Sindhi calculator in just three days, aimed at assisting Sindhi-speaking businesspeople without formal education. These instances showcase the potential of targeted technological investments to empower individuals.

This month, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pakistan will celebrate a year since the launch of its National Human Development Report (NHDR) titled ‘Doing Digital for Development’. The first edition of this year’s Development Advocate Pakistan (DAP), UNDP Pakistan’s flagship quarterly report, will commemorate this achievement by examining the AI landscape in the country.

The NHDR 2024 highlights that Pakistan’s deeply entrenched wealth inequalities have exacerbated the digital divide, with half of the country’s districts falling behind in digital development. Additionally, around half of the population still lacks access to smartphones, internet services, and computers. The report concludes that without significant advancements in digital development, human development indicators in Pakistan will remain low. This is reflected in Pakistan’s current Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) ranking, where only 19% of the country’s targets are on track. A positive finding from the NHDR was that 61% of women in Pakistan are utilizing mobile wallets as their primary banking method.

In this DAP, many contributors agree that while the world is working through the complexities and opportunities presented by AI, the digital environment in Pakistan is far from a level playing field. To promote equity, Pakistan needs to bridge the digital divide, ensuring that digital policies actively work to reduce inequality and foster more collaboration.

At the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024, a Global Digital Compact was agreed upon by member states, including Pakistan. This critical framework aims to guide the governance of digital technologies and AI, with three core objectives for inclusive digital futures: closing digital gaps to foster an inclusive digital economy; creating a secure and open digital environment; and enhancing international data governance while managing AI for the benefit of humanity.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications has formulated a National AI Policy for 2024, which intends to incorporate AI into national education standards and provide financial support to startups and small to medium enterprises. However, such policies must be paired with a commitment to universal internet access to truly leverage AI’s advantages. This entails introducing affordable technology solutions and encouraging investment in dependable digital infrastructure, particularly in rural and underrepresented areas.

Moreover, Pakistan must address its ongoing challenges in education and employment to prepare for the demands brought on by AI automation. While AI will create new job opportunities, they will be primarily for a highly skilled workforce. At the same time, some existing jobs, particularly routine positions like clerks and machine operators—currently held by 42% of Pakistanis—may become obsolete due to automation. Therefore, there is an urgent need for Pakistan to focus on reskilling, ensuring basic digital literacy for the underprivileged, and reforming education to prioritize Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

How can we ensure success in these endeavors? By making AI a priority in governance. Building on the 2024 NHDR’s framework of the 4As—Access, Adopt, Anticipate, and Accelerate—the UNDP’s pilot initiatives will enhance governance aligned with SDG through the integration of AI-informed data systems in yearly planning, budgeting, real-time assessment, and decision-making processes.

With just five years remaining until the completion of Agenda 2030, Pakistan must quickly advance toward the AI goal, fueled by unparalleled ambition and potential; 2025 can be a pivotal year for achieving both.

The author is the resident representative of UNDP Pakistan.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Geo.tv.

Originally published in The News