Industry experts urge a move away from low-cost labour toward high-value products and artificial intelligence capabilities to strengthen global competitiveness.
Image: PhoneWorld
Pakistan’s information technology sector is setting ambitious targets to build a stronger position in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence market, as the country’s tech exports have crossed $4.6 billion.
Industry leaders say the milestone reflects steady growth in software services, freelancing and digital exports, but they argue that future success will depend on moving beyond the traditional low-cost labour model.
Experts are calling for greater investment in AI research, cloud infrastructure, specialised training and high-value digital products, including enterprise software, cybersecurity solutions, data analytics and automation technologies.
They warn that relying primarily on outsourcing and inexpensive manpower may limit Pakistan’s ability to compete with countries that are rapidly developing advanced AI ecosystems and innovation-driven technology industries.
Analysts believe that with the right policies, investment incentives and skills development programmes, Pakistan could use its large pool of technology professionals to capture a greater share of the global market for AI-enabled products and services.
