Pakistan has taken a structured step toward building a nationally coordinated artificial intelligence talent pipeline with the signing of a landmark memorandum of understanding at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad. The agreement formally establishes the ACT AI initiative, which stands for Awareness, Competency and Tools, a programme designed to deliver free, structured AI training to 6,000 students per cycle across approximately 100 universities nationwide. The MoU was signed in the presence of Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, bringing together the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission, and the Higher Education Commission with AI Skill-Bridge, a subsidiary of AXI Technologies, in what officials have described as the country’s first nationally coordinated, university-level AI skills programme.
The initiative is structured as an eight-week, competency-based training programme built around four core pillars: foundations of AI, sectoral applications, economic empowerment, and national preparedness. The curriculum covers practical areas including generative AI, agentic systems, automation tools, and sector-specific use cases, with the deliberate intent of preparing participants for employment, freelancing, and entrepreneurship in AI-driven fields rather than purely academic knowledge. Training will be delivered through synchronized live sessions broadcast from Islamabad via the Higher Education Commission’s Smart Classroom network, a delivery model designed to ensure standardized instruction quality across all participating universities regardless of their geographic location. The programme spans all four provinces as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, with a stated target of 50 percent female participation, reflecting a commitment to inclusive access from the outset.
Under the terms of the agreement, NAVTTC will serve as the national endorsement body, aligning the initiative with federal skills development priorities, while HEC will facilitate access through its university network. AI Skill-Bridge will handle implementation, covering curriculum design, training delivery, digital infrastructure, and nationwide outreach. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan described Pakistan’s youth as the country’s greatest strength and framed artificial intelligence as the defining domain of future economic competitiveness. He said the programme aimed to build a talent pipeline capable of driving innovation and contributing directly to the national economy. The initiative is aligned with Pakistan’s National AI Policy 2025, and with university focal persons already activated and student registrations underway through an official online portal, the programme has entered its operational phase. Subsequent training cycles are planned on a two-month rotation to steadily expand reach across the country.
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