The government is preparing to introduce financial incentives, including subsidies and tax exemptions, to accelerate the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and support the digital transformation of industries in Pakistan.
State-run news agency reported, citing Ministry of Information Technology documents, that this initiative is part of a comprehensive roadmap being developed by IT boards in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence (COE-AI).
The proposed subsidies and tax exemptions will primarily target locally developed AI solutions, giving them preference over imported alternatives. The overall market impact and influence of these measures will also be assessed.
Priority sectors for AI adoption include education, healthcare, record digitisation, governance, agriculture, manufacturing, energy management, climate change mitigation, and the preservation of Pakistan’s cultural heritage.
The roadmap, scheduled for rollout between 2025 and 2026, aims to expedite structural reforms and enhance competencies across multiple sectors, focusing particularly on public institutions.
In the industrial domain, a network model approach will provide full life-cycle support, fostering AI-driven innovation, automation, and predictive solutions.
Simultaneously, intellectual property rights protections will be strengthened to help innovators, researchers, and companies secure copyrights, patents, and trademarks for AI-based developments.
The documents also outline plans for promoting the integration of AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) in industries to enhance productivity, energy efficiency, enable predictive maintenance, and improve quality control. Awareness campaigns, workshops, and specialized training programs will be launched to encourage AI adoption.
In parallel, sector-specific training courses and certification programs will be designed by IT boards for launch in 2026, aimed at equipping the workforce with AI-related skills. By that time, an AI maturity model and project management guidelines will be implemented in at least 50 institutions to ensure compliance with international accountability and auditing standards.
A Ranking Management System (RMS) will also be introduced to evaluate AI solutions and guide users in selecting appropriate technologies. The RMS will be overseen by a government body to ensure transparency, regular updates, and an annual trust index survey.
The documents revealed that, to support broader adoption in both public and private sectors, the COE-AI and AI Directorate will provide technical, regulatory, computational, and financial assistance.
The National Artificial Intelligence Fund (NAIF) will be used to advance research and innovation, embedding AI into Pakistan’s industrial and economic framework.
The combination of subsidies, tax incentives, local solution prioritization, and workforce training is expected to build a sustainable AI ecosystem in Pakistan, positioning domestic industries at the forefront of digital transformation, the documents concluded.
