Islamabad – UNESCO, in collaboration with Data Vault, convened a multi-stakeholder dialogue titled “AI for Humanity: Ethical and Inclusive AI in Pakistan,” bringing together more than 25 representatives from the private sector, civil society, academia, and technology institutions to discuss Pakistan’s National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy.
The event forms part of UNESCO’s wider technical engagement series to unpack the six strategic pillars of the policy and promote an inclusive, rights-based approach to AI governance. UNESCO’s Pakistan Country Representative, Fuad Pashayev, highlighted the envisioned AI Council as a potential cornerstone for embedding human rights and ethical safeguards in the national AI ecosystem.
Policy expert Dr. Aneel Salman emphasized the urgency of building AI skills, warning that Pakistan’s demographic advantage would remain untapped without proper capacity development. “AI will not transform Pakistan until Pakistanis are ready to shape it,” he said.
Data Vault CEO and Zahanat AI Co-Founder, Mehwish Salman Ali, underscored the importance of inclusivity, noting that equitable access to skills, data, and computing power is essential to shaping an AI-driven future that benefits all citizens.
Discussions centered on institutional readiness, digital infrastructure, and global best practices such as UNESCO’s capacity-building programme and the AI Competency Framework. The dialogue concluded with insights to feed into ongoing consultations, reinforcing Pakistan’s efforts to align AI innovation with ethical standards, human dignity, and sustainable progress.
