Govt declares Rs1m grants for AI projects

August 25, 2025 (MLN): The government has decided to extend financial support of up to Rs1 million for every Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiative that progresses to the prototype stage.

As outlined in official documents of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoIT) on Monday, the program will be executed through the newly proposed Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, which has been mandated to connect academic research with industrial applications.

The plan targets the funding of around 400 AI projects each year from both universities and the private sector, with priority given to those that address socio-economic issues and focus areas defined in the National AI Policy.

In addition to financial aid, the selected projects will receive mentorship, incubation facilities and regulatory guidance to ensure alignment with international standards.

The Centre will also play a role in linking innovators with potential investors, thereby increasing the likelihood of prototypes evolving into market-ready products.

The policy further allocates grants of up to Rs200,000 for at least 200 AI research undertakings annually, particularly academic theses and scholarly studies.

These projects will be required to publish their findings in well-recognized international journals and platforms to strengthen Pakistan’s footprint in the global AI landscape.

To ensure accountability, a monitoring and evaluation system will measure the results of the supported projects, focusing on their commercial feasibility, societal benefit and overall contribution to the AI economy.

Commenting on the initiative, Zakir Syed, Director of Internet Governance at MoIT, described it as a major step toward reducing dependency on imported technologies while promoting indigenous innovation.

He added that by fostering applied research and nurturing emerging talent across academia and industry, the government envisions positioning Pakistan as a regional center for AI-led innovation by 2035.

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