Islamabad: Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications has decided to launch a nationwide Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness Assessment in April, a move officials say will play a key role in implementing the country’s National AI Policy and advancing the Digital Pakistan agenda.
According to sources in the IT ministry, the assessment will provide a comprehensive review of Pakistan’s preparedness to adopt and scale artificial intelligence across public and private sectors. The exercise will examine the country’s digital infrastructure, data availability and institutional capacity to support AI-driven development.
Officials said the assessment would also include a detailed review of the regulatory framework and cybersecurity capabilities, areas seen as critical for the safe and responsible deployment of AI technologies.
The AI readiness review will cover institutional preparedness across both public and private sectors, with a particular focus on key areas such as education, health and agriculture. These sectors are viewed as high-impact domains where AI could improve service delivery, efficiency and productivity.
Sources said provincial governments and sector regulators would be asked to provide relevant data for the assessment, while input and recommendations would also be sought from academia, startups and technology companies to ensure a broad-based and inclusive approach.
The findings of the AI readiness assessment will be used to develop sector-specific action plans aimed at accelerating AI adoption in line with national priorities. Officials said the results would also help identify gaps in skills, infrastructure and governance, guiding future investments and capacity-building efforts.
“The assessment will help determine investment priorities, training needs and research funding directions,” a senior official said, adding that the goal was to align Pakistan’s AI development with global standards and best practices.
The initiative comes as Pakistan seeks to strengthen its digital economy and reduce structural weaknesses in connectivity, skills and technology governance. Policymakers believe a structured assessment of AI readiness is essential to ensure that digitalisation efforts translate into sustainable economic growth.
Experts say that without clear data on preparedness and institutional capacity, AI initiatives risk remaining fragmented and uneven. A coordinated national assessment, they argue, could help Pakistan better position itself in the global digital economy and attract investment in emerging technologies.
As part of the broader Digital Pakistan vision, the AI readiness assessment is expected to shape long-term policy decisions, support innovation ecosystems and help integrate artificial intelligence into Pakistan’s development strategy.
