Future-Ready: PM Shehbaz Unveils $1bn AI Investment Plan for 2030

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially launched the Indus AI Week 2026 in Islamabad, announcing a landmark $1 billion investment to build a national artificial intelligence ecosystem by 2030. Speaking to a high-profile audience of international delegates and tech leaders, the Prime Minister declared that Pakistan is moving from “policy to action” to ensure its youth, who make up 60% of the population, lead the global digital economy.

The government’s comprehensive roadmap includes the introduction of an AI curriculum across all federal schools, including those in AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, and remote Balochistan. To bolster high-level research, the PM pledged 1,000 fully funded PhD scholarships in AI by 2030. Parallel events were held across the country, including a major showcase at NED University in Karachi, focusing on “AI for National Development.” The Sindh government specifically highlighted indigenous breakthroughs like Sindh.AI and Bhitt.AI, designed to integrate the Sindhi language into modern digital governance.

The initiative also features a massive upskilling program to transform one million non-IT professionals into AI-literate workers. Federal Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja noted that 2026 marks the “year of implementation” for the National AI Policy, aiming to embed intelligence into governance, healthcare, and agriculture.

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