‘AI is more than a trend,’ PM Shehbaz says as he addresses investment moot in Riyadh

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday underscored the importance of artificial intelligence (AI), saying “AI is more than a trend” and it could play a key role in “revolutionising economies, societies, and industries”.

His remarks came as he addressed the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, scheduled for October 29-30.

PM Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to participate in the investment moot with his key cabinet members.

The FII serves as an important platform for countries to showcase economic strength, draw foreign investments, and engage in dialogue to shape a sustainable future.

“AI is more than a trend; it’s a force revolutionising economies, societies, and industries,” he said. “At this critical juncture, Pakistan is not just embracing AI, we are committed to excelling in it.”

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He further said Pakistan would encourage young minds to “redefine the boundaries of AI”, and provide trading to engineers and data scientists to make them “backbone of the country’s AI growth.

“Along with Saudi Arabia and like-minded global partners, Pakistan envisions AI as a force for good, free from biases,” he said.

PM Shehbaz said Pakistan’s youth could unleash AI’s potential not merely to compete, but to uplift efforts for agriculture, climate resilience, and the fight against misinformation.

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“Our aspirations in AI and beyond are deeply rooted in a solid educational foundation. Through educational reforms, vocational trainings, and digital literacy, we aim to build a skilled, tech-savvy generation,” he said.

PM Shehbaz links peace, end to bloodshed in Gaza with global progress

Meanwhile, the prime minister in his speech said the global dream of progress and prosperity would never be fulfilled and transformed into action unless peace was restored in Gaza and bloodshed immediately stopped over there.

Israeli aggression in Gaza has killed more than 43,000 Palestinians in a year, while more than 100,000 are wounded due to continuous Israeli air and ground operations against Palestinians.

Moreover, the Middle East has reached on the verge of a regional war as Israeli has expanded its aggression to Lebanon, where more than 2,000 people have already been killed.

In his address at the 8th meeting of the FII in Riyadh, the prime minister observed that without peace and immediate end to bloodshed there, the world would not progress.

PM appreciates Saudi support for Pakistan’s economic revival

PM Shehbaz also met Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday on the sidelines of the investment summit.

During the meeting, PM Shehbaz hailed Saudi Arabia’s “valuable support” to Pakistan in securing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

Last month, the IMF’s Executive Board approved a 37-month, $7-billion Extended Fund Facility for Pakistan, which had been subject to timely confirmation of necessary financing assurances from Pakistan’s development and bilateral partners including Saudi Arabia.

“Pakistan’s ties with Saudi Arabia are historical and time-tested,” PM Shehbaz said in a post on X after the meeting.

“During our very productive talks we reviewed the progress in Pakistan-KSA relations across multiple sectors and reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in areas such as trade and investment, culture, innovation, technology, and beyond,” he said.