According to a press release issued on Sunday, Alibaba Cloud officials expressed appreciation for Punjab’s initiatives to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into governance.
The meeting discussed potential applications of AI in agriculture, healthcare, socio-economic programmes and climate forecasting. The two sides also considered establishing a strategic partnership to expand the use of AI in public services.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said Punjab was integrating AI into its governance system and promoting the use of emerging technologies across government institutions.
“We are pursuing a policy of using artificial intelligence and other technologies today rather than tomorrow,” she said.
The chief minister said the provincial government was also working to establish what she described as the world’s largest public-sector cancer hospital.
She said Punjab had become the first province in Pakistan to introduce an AI policy. According to Ms Nawaz, the initiative to introduce AI education in government schools was inspired by her observations of students in Beijing.
She said Punjab welcomed cooperation from China in AI and other information technology fields.
Ms Nawaz said Punjab had one of the country’s largest pools of young and skilled workers and was among the leading provinces in terms of its digital economy.
She added that AI training had been provided not only to government officials but also to members of the provincial cabinet.
Alibaba Cloud Senior Vice President Li Jiaping briefed the chief minister on the company’s operations and activities. The meeting also covered matters concerning small and medium-sized enterprises for overseas Pakistanis.
