The much-celebrated rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is often portrayed as a technological utopia that will revolutionize every aspect of human life. However, history warns us that euphoric technological moments, from the advent of the internet to the promises of the digital economy, have frequently turned into disillusionment when societies were unprepared to absorb change. Unless approached with foresight, AI may follow the same trajectory, particularly in developing societies such as Pakistan. At present, Pakistan is at the entry stage of AI adoption, and the consequences are already visible. Traditional systems in education, healthcare, and employment are being disrupted, yet no sustainable replacement models are being built through modern technology. Unfortunately, many Eastern societies, including Pakistan, have lagged behind in contributing to global scientific innovation. Instead of producing original research, they largely import technologies developed in the West. These technologies are housed, owned, and controlled by developed nations, making dependent countries perpetually vulnerable to external manipulation.
A major barrier to meaningful progress lies in Pakistan’s education system. The curriculum remains largely theoretical and outdated, emphasizing rote learning rather than practical application. As a result, graduates emerge with degrees but without employable skills. For instance, while universities annually produce thousands of computer science graduates, few are equipped with hands-on expertise in data analytics, machine learning, or robotics. This mismatch has created a paradox: a growing demand for AI-related jobs, but a workforce lacking the competencies to fill them. The risks of AI disruption are not only particularly stark in education, but also in healthcare, and engineering, the backbone of modern societies. AI-powered diagnostic tools, automated teaching systems, and engineering design software are likely to reduce traditional employment opportunities in these fields. Yet Pakistan’s infrastructure, policy frameworks, and institutions are ill-prepared to manage this transition. Worse still, the proliferation of private universities, often degree mills selling qualifications for profit, has produced a deluge of graduates who may demand jobs in AI sectors, precisely at a time when AI itself is automating those very professions.
To avert this looming crisis, Pakistan requires a two-pronged strategy by building AI professionals and infrastructure and by securing non-AI sectors. Pakistan must train a generation of professionals who can not only use AI but also develop and maintain it. This means producing engineers and scientists capable of building the physical infrastructure (data centers, servers, and energy systems) on which AI depends. Countries such as India and China have already invested heavily in AI research hubs and cloud infrastructures. Pakistan cannot afford to remain a passive consumer of AI technology.
Even if Pakistan becomes an AI-equipped nation, basic needs such as food security cannot be automated away. Investment in modern agriculture, food processing, and preservation is essential. Countries like Israel have shown how technology-driven agriculture can transform limited resources into food security. Pakistan, with its agrarian base, must adopt similar innovations. At the same time, AI must not be seen merely as an economic opportunity but as a potential tool of neo-colonial control. Without indigenous capability, Pakistan risks becoming digitally colonized, dependent on global corporations for algorithms, cloud storage, and even its national data. To counter this, Pakistan needs locally built data centers, AI research institutions, and training facilities for the next generation of tech workers.
Most importantly, long-term planning is essential. Policymakers must look at least 50 years ahead. Curriculum design should align with the evolving job market: what skills will be needed in 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years? Without synchronization between higher education and industry demands, unemployment will only worsen. For example, while there is global demand for cybersecurity experts, data scientists, and AI ethicists, Pakistani universities continue to overproduce graduates in outdated fields. A practical short-term solution lies in vocational and technical training. Instead of producing unemployed degree holders, Pakistan should expand one-to-two-year diploma programs in AI-related trades such as robotics maintenance, cloud computing support, and data labeling. Countries like South Korea and Singapore transformed their youth employment by investing in such market-driven technical skills.
In conclusion, AI is not inherently utopian or dystopian—it is a tool. For Pakistan, it can either become a pathway to empowerment or a nightmare of dependency. If policymakers act decisively—by reforming education, investing in infrastructure, and synchronizing skills with the market—AI can be an opportunity. But if ignored, the current euphoria may collapse into mass unemployment, economic instability, and renewed digital colonization. The choice, and the future, rests on the urgency of today’s reforms.
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