AI offers Pakistan historic chance to catch up with developed world

August 07, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan must rapidly strengthen its capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies to take advantage of a global technological transformation and bridge the gap with developed countries, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal said on Friday.

Addressing the 1st International Dental Conference organised by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, he said the world was undergoing an unprecedented shift driven by knowledge, innovation, the digital revolution and artificial intelligence, describing AI as a technological breakthrough greater than the invention of the internet, according to APP.

The minister said major technological transitions create opportunities for countries that adapt quickly, while those that fail to build new capabilities are left behind. He added that the ongoing AI revolution offered Pakistan a historic chance to recover lost ground by embracing emerging technologies.

He said artificial intelligence would transform education, healthcare, industry and society, stressing that higher education institutions should reposition themselves as centres of innovation instead of remaining focused on conventional teaching and research.

Referring to advancements in dentistry, he said artificial intelligence, regenerative medicine, advanced materials and 3D printing were rapidly changing the profession, making interdisciplinary knowledge increasingly important.

He added that future dentists would require expertise extending beyond their traditional field as the boundaries between medicine, engineering, data science and AI continued to disappear.

The minister also urged universities to prioritise applied research that addresses national challenges rather than focusing solely on improving journal impact factor rankings. He said innovations should directly improve people's lives and contribute to Pakistan's development.

Highlighting the importance of preventive healthcare, he described oral health as a key component of overall human health and invited the Dental College and the Pakistan Association for Dental Research to prepare a comprehensive national oral health policy, assuring that the government would process and implement it on a priority basis.

Recalling the establishment of the university's dental facilities, Ahsan Iqbal said he had laid the foundation stone of the project in 2016 with the vision of creating a state-of-the-art institution that would set national standards in dental education.

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