Owing to the global headwinds made by Artificial Intelligence, on the 10th September, Telenor Pakistan hosted its AI Day at its 345 Headquarters in Islamabad, as part of a global initiative led by Telenor Group.
The event underscored the company’s commitment to becoming an AI-First organization—an approach where artificial intelligence (AI) is seamlessly integrated across all operations, services, and customer interactions. This ambitious shift reflects not just a technological upgrade, but a broader cultural and operational transformation aimed at future-proofing the company in an increasingly AI-driven world.
But what does “AI-First” really mean? In simple terms, being AI-First goes beyond just adopting AI tools—it involves embedding AI into the core of an organization’s culture and business processes. It’s about using AI not only for automation but to transform how a business operates, how services are delivered, and how customers engage with the brand. For Telenor, this means using AI to improve decision-making, optimise operations, and offer more personalised, efficient services to customers.
The day’s events included keynote speeches from leadership, panel discussions, and the showcase of local AI innovations, giving attendees an in-depth look at how AI is already shaping Telenor Pakistan’s services. The event kicked off with a keynote from CEO Telenor Pakistan Fridtjof Rusten, who spoke about the company’s journey toward AI adoption and its vision for the future. Rusten emphasized that AI is not just a tool for Telenor, but a core enabler of its strategic objectives.
One of the event’s key highlights was a panel discussion on AI adoption in Pakistan, where industry leaders and experts explored the opportunities and challenges that local businesses face in adopting AI. The discussion touched upon the regulatory hurdles, the opportunities AI presents in terms of market expansion, and the ways Pakistan can leverage AI for economic growth. It was clear that while AI promises immense potential, there are still barriers to overcome, particularly in terms of regulation and awareness.
Adding a global dimension, the event was connected to Telenor Group’s live stream from Fornebu, Norway, where the winners of Telenor’s global AI Awards and Hackathon were announced. This connection symbolized the company’s unified global approach to AI, while also celebrating local efforts with Telenor Pakistan’s own AI Expo.
The Expo itself featured a range of innovative projects by local teams, demonstrating how AI is being applied to improve everything from customer service to network operations.
Talking about what the integration of AI means for the consumers, Ahsan Maykan, CMO of Telenor Pakistan stated that, “When we say AI for Everyone, from a brand’s perspective it means removing customers’ pain points – no waiting in lines, no delays, just seamless service that makes every interaction simpler, faster, and more personalised. AI is changing the way we connect with people: giving us deeper understanding of behaviors, helping us anticipate needs, and creating more meaningful conversations.
Through products like the MyTelenor App, we are building experiences around real customer behavior, not assumptions, while giving people more control to manage their needs the way they want.”
A key feature of the event was the launch of the AI Verse learning path by Areej Khan, CPO, Telenor Pakistan. Designed to equip Telenor’s workforce with the skills to leverage AI effectively, the AI Verse program aims to create a culture of continuous learning.
Employees were also given hands-on exposure to AI through an interactive session on prompt engineering, where they learned how AI can be used in their everyday tasks, making them more efficient and informed.
Throughout the day, the tone remained focused on Telenor’s commitment to making AI accessible not only to customers but to its employees as well. Awais Vohra, CTO, Telenor Pakistan, highlighted AI’s transformative potential, not just for improving customer service but for enabling smarter, more efficient telecommunications networks. “AI is a paradigm shift as it moves beyond a specialized tool to general purpose technology which has far reaching impact across various industries and society. AI provides the brain for automated system, services and decision making. We believe in ethical use of AI, that is transparent, in line with human values, society and is inherently secure protecting privacy. AI day is a step forward in fostering a culture where our people can learn, experiment and apply AI responsibly contributing to a sustainable future.” expounded Vohra.
Telenor Pakistan, a subsidiary of the global telecommunications giant Telenor Group, has long been at the forefront of innovation in Pakistan’s telecom industry. With a commitment to making digital services more accessible and efficient, Telenor has expanded its portfolio over the years to include mobile, broadband, and digital services. By embracing AI, Telenor aims to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, positioning itself as a leader in both customer service and technological innovation in Pakistan’s telecommunications sector.
