Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced the mandatory use of artificial intelligence in schools across the province, positioning AI as a core pillar of education reform and modern governance in Pakistan’s most populous province.
Calling artificial intelligence essential for evidence-based policymaking, institutional reform and improved public service delivery, the chief minister said Punjab could not afford to lag behind as governments worldwide adopt data-driven and AI-enabled systems.
As part of the initiative, the Punjab government will set up a Google Tech Valley Digital Transformation Advisory Board to steer digital reforms, governance innovation and the integration of advanced technologies across provincial departments. Officials said the board would provide strategic guidance on AI adoption, digital infrastructure and skills development.
In a first for Pakistan, provincial cabinet ministers have undergone formal AI training, attending a workshop titled “Empowering Punjab with AI”, inaugurated in Lahore. During the sessions, ministers were introduced to Google Gemini and other AI tools designed to support governance, policy analysis, decision-making and administrative efficiency. Experts from Google for Education also shared international best practices on AI-powered learning and digital transformation.
The education department briefed participants on the scale of ongoing digitalisation. More than 300,000 student IDs have been created under the School Education Department, while 200,000 students and 2,000 teachers have already received digital training. A further 3,000 teachers are currently enrolled in advanced capacity-building programmes.
In a related move to strengthen the digital ecosystem, the Punjab government also announced 1,000 scholarships for digital journalism, signalling an effort to align media, education and governance with emerging technologies.
Officials said the AI push reflects Punjab’s broader ambition to embed technology into classrooms and government alike, aiming to build a skilled workforce and modernise public institutions for the digital age.
