ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s public sector will take time to adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI), experts said at the workshop “AI Shaping Pakistan’s Digital Future.” Specialists noted AI can improve governance and services, but its full integration into government work is slow. China’s digital sector makes over 50% of its GDP, while Pakistan’s share is low, showing an urgent need for AI adoption. The workshop, held at Huawei Pakistan’s head office, stressed the importance of local cloud services for data sovereignty and national security. Kashif Iqbal, a Huawei technical expert, noted Pakistan has a strong IT workforce with many Pakistanis working at Huawei. Over 20,000 students join Huawei's global contests yearly, often ranking in the top three worldwide. Ahmed Bilal Masood, CEO of Huawei Pakistan’s AI and Cloud Business, said, “AI is the right direction for transforming the public sector, but it will take time for senior executives and government officials to fully understand and effectively use these technologies.” He added, “Data sovereignty and AI sovereignty are becoming matters of national security globally, which is why a strong local cloud presence is essential.” Masood highlighted AI’s role in modernizing traffic management, hospitals, and schools, but warned that success also hinges on cyber laws and data protection. Faisal Ameer Malik, Huawei’s CTO for the Middle East and Central Asia, traced AI’s history from 1956 and Google’s 2011 breakthrough. He said AI grew after Covid and that Pakistan approved its National AI Policy in 2025. The experts agreed digitalizing data and building capacity are vital for AI’s future in Pakistan’s public sector.