AI adoption drives Pakistan’s call centre exports beyond $300mn

Pakistan’s call centre and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry has emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments of the country’s IT exports, with foreign exchange earnings surpassing $300 million in the first eleven months of the fiscal year 2025-26, reflecting growing international demand and increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered customer support services.

Latest data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) showed that export earnings from call centres reached $322 million during July-May FY2025-26, compared to $269 million in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. The increase of $53 million, or 19% year-on-year, highlights the sector’s sustained expansion despite challenging global economic conditions.

Industry experts attribute much of this growth to technological transformation, particularly the integration of artificial intelligence into customer support operations. AI-powered tools are increasingly enabling companies to automate routine tasks, improve response times, analyse customer behaviour, and provide round-the-clock multilingual support, making Pakistani service providers more competitive in international markets.

Dr Munawar Javed Ahmad, an AI integration researcher, said AI-driven solutions are reshaping the global outsourcing industry by improving efficiency, reducing operational costs, and enhancing service quality.

“The integration of artificial intelligence is transforming businesses across multiple sectors, including call centres and BPOs,” he said. “Investment in AI is not only helping address the shortage of skilled human resources, but is also increasing productivity and generating higher export revenues for the country.”

He noted that global clients are increasingly seeking technology-enabled outsourcing partners capable of delivering high-quality services through intelligent automation, data analytics, and AI-assisted customer engagement.

According to Dr Ahmad, Pakistan now has an opportunity to strengthen its position as a preferred outsourcing destination by accelerating investment in digital infrastructure, workforce training, and AI adoption.

He urged the government, regulators, and the IT industry to formulate a comprehensive strategy aimed at attracting both local and foreign investment into the call centre and BPO sector. Such a strategy, he said, should encourage companies to deploy advanced AI technologies in line with evolving global client requirements.

Dr Munawar Javed Ahmad also observed that Pakistan’s standing as an outsourcing destination has improved in recent years due to its expanding IT talent pool, competitive operating costs, and improving digital infrastructure. With an aggressive international marketing campaign, he said, the country could attract a larger share of the global outsourcing market, particularly at a time when Pakistan’s diplomatic role has enhanced its international visibility.

According to the Call Centre Association of Pakistan, nearly 90% of Pakistani call centres and BPO companies primarily serve overseas clients, while the remaining firms provide customer support and business services to multinational corporations and utility companies operating within the country.

Pakistan currently has more than 1,000 call centres registered with the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), while an estimated 500 additional medium and large call centres operate independently across major cities. Hundreds of smaller customer support operations also function as part of software houses, digital marketing agencies, e-commerce businesses, and technology startups.

Dr Noman Ahmed Said, CEO of SI Global Solutions, said: “The future of outsourcing belongs to countries that successfully combine skilled human capital with artificial intelligence. Pakistan has both the talent and the entrepreneurial spirit to become a leading AI-enabled BPO destination. With the right policy support and continued investment in digital infrastructure and workforce development, this sector can contribute billions of dollars in exports while creating thousands of high-value jobs for our youth”.

He pointed out that sustaining the present momentum will require continued policy support, including reliable internet connectivity, uninterrupted power supply, investment in AI skills, simplified tax procedures, and easier international payment mechanisms.

“Encouraging startups and SMEs in the BPO ecosystem can also accelerate employment generation and increase foreign exchange earnings. The future belongs to AI-assisted professionals, not AI replacing professionals. Countries with large, trainable workforces stand to benefit the most from this transformation.”

With global enterprises increasingly outsourcing customer support and back-office operations to cost-effective destinations, industry observers believe Pakistan’s call centre and BPO sector has considerable room for further expansion. Continued investment in AI, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, language training, and digital skills could enable the country to capture a larger share of the multi-billion-dollar global outsourcing market, while further strengthening its IT export earnings.