Pakistani students get best AI use award
Out of more than 750 teams representing 12 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, Team GeoGemma from the Institute of Space Technology (IST), Islamabad, was awarded the Best AI Use Award. The competition's Top 10 finalists included teams from South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
GeoGemma's groundbreaking solution leverages satellite imagery and artificial intelligence through the Gemini API to deliver early warning alerts and risk assessments for disaster-prone areas. Their system holds life-saving potential by using geospatial technology. The teamcomprised of Ahmed Iqbal, Hanzila Bin Younas, Khalil Ur Rehman, and Abdullah Asifwas commended for its innovative use of geospatial technology in disaster preparedness.
Team i+1 from NUCES FAST also made Pakistan proud by securing a spot among the Top 10 finalists. Their AI-powered document classifier, also developed with Gemini tools, aims to make complex texts more accessible for neurodivergent individuals, promoting inclusivity and access to knowledge.
In celebration of their achievements, Pakistan's Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr Asima Rabbani, hosted both teams at her official residence. She also commended the role of academic mentors, institutions, and competition organisers, emphasising that such accomplishments signal Pakistan's growing potential in the global AI and innovation ecosystem.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Google faces record €525m fine in France over Gmail ads
Google is facing a potential €525 million (£443 million) fine in France after the country's data protection authority found that the company may have breached privacy laws through the way it displays personalised ads in Gmail. The fine, if imposed by the Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL), would be the largest ever levied by the French privacy regulator. The case centres on the use of tracking cookies and personalised advertising within Gmail, which are allegedly deployed without explicit user consent. Gmail users in France have long complained about the platform placing ad banners that resemble emails directly within their inboxes. While these ads are a common feature of Gmail's free model, the CNIL is investigating whether the way consent is obtained — or bypassed — violates the country's stringent data privacy laws. At a public hearing on 26 June in Paris, a CNIL official stated that Google fails to seek proper consent when users set up Gmail accounts, instead automatically deploying cookies that fuel personalised ad targeting. These ads, critics argue, compromise user privacy and create a misleading user experience. The investigation adds to wider concerns about how major tech companies handle user data across services. Google, whose business model relies heavily on advertising, has previously faced scrutiny over its data practices in Europe. The current proceedings could set a precedent for how regulators interpret consent and personalisation in digital communication platforms. The case remains ongoing. CNIL has not yet issued a final decision. Google has not responded to requests for comment. If upheld, the penalty would surpass CNIL's previous record fine of €150 million imposed on Facebook parent company Meta in 2022. This development underscores growing regulatory pressure on Big Tech firms operating in Europe, where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) continues to serve as a global benchmark for privacy enforcement.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistani students get best AI use award
The Embassy of Pakistan in Manila has announced that a student team from Pakistan have achieved prestigious honours at the 2025 Asia-Pacific (APAC) Solution Challengea premier global tech competition supported by Google and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Out of more than 750 teams representing 12 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, Team GeoGemma from the Institute of Space Technology (IST), Islamabad, was awarded the Best AI Use Award. The competition's Top 10 finalists included teams from South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia. GeoGemma's groundbreaking solution leverages satellite imagery and artificial intelligence through the Gemini API to deliver early warning alerts and risk assessments for disaster-prone areas. Their system holds life-saving potential by using geospatial technology. The teamcomprised of Ahmed Iqbal, Hanzila Bin Younas, Khalil Ur Rehman, and Abdullah Asifwas commended for its innovative use of geospatial technology in disaster preparedness. Team i+1 from NUCES FAST also made Pakistan proud by securing a spot among the Top 10 finalists. Their AI-powered document classifier, also developed with Gemini tools, aims to make complex texts more accessible for neurodivergent individuals, promoting inclusivity and access to knowledge. In celebration of their achievements, Pakistan's Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr Asima Rabbani, hosted both teams at her official residence. She also commended the role of academic mentors, institutions, and competition organisers, emphasising that such accomplishments signal Pakistan's growing potential in the global AI and innovation ecosystem.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
GeoGemma win ‘Best AI Use Case' award at 2025 APAC Solution Challenge
Pakistan's student innovation took centre stage at the 2025 APAC Digital Transformation Forum as 'GeoGemma', a student team from the Institute of Space Technology (IST) in Islamabad, was awarded with the 'Best AI Use Case' Award at the 2025 APAC Solution Challenge organised by Google Developer Groups (GDG) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The competition brought together student-led projects from across Asia-Pacific (APAC), each of which employed Google AI tools to address critical global challenges. The award celebrates the project that effectively leveraged AI technology to develop a practical solution to pressing issues that affect our communities. GeoGemma, comprising students Ahmed Iqbal and Muhammad Abdullah in their final and second years, respectively, earned this accolade for its project that integrates satellite imagery with generative AI to address pressing environmental and geospatial issues. The jury was impressed by GeoGemma for its use of AI in multiple modalities, noting its strong technology stack and the important problem being solved. The group's use of the Gemini API is not just a feature but the core of its innovative solution to a complex and critical global problem. The project's ambition to democratize access to geospatial data through a sophisticated LLM-driven framework represents the most advanced and impactful application of Gemini among the submissions. Alongside GeoGemma, another Pakistani group, (N + 1)-th Time (Fast National University (NUCES), Islamabad Campus) was also one of the top 10 finalists of the Challenge. Comprising final year students Muhammad Huzaifa Khan and Hashim Muhammad Nadeem, the team developed a solution that helps neurodivergent users create documents more easily by providing a document editor that allows users to dictate, edit, and transform text naturally. 'We are incredibly proud to see the remarkable talent from Pakistan shine at the APAC Solution Challenge,' said Farhan Qureshi, Country Director, Google Pakistan. 'The young minds of GeoGemma and (N + 1)-th Time have demonstrated exceptional innovation and dedication, tackling some of the most critical challenges facing our world with their solutions using Gemini. GeoGemma's win of the 'Best AI Use Case' is also a testament to their impactful work, and a showcase of the thriving Pakistan developer ecosystem.' 'The APAC Solution Challenge was a cornerstone of the Asia Pacific Digital Transformation Forum 2025. We saw the power of student-led innovation to address real-world challenges in healthcare, sustainability, trade, and tourism through technology and AI. The energy and creativity of the students were truly inspiring; we are seeing the future of sustainable digital transformation in the Asia Pacific region. Other award recipients at the forum included Atempo from Konkuk University, South Korea, who won the Most Societal Impact Award for their AI-powered emergency room matching platform, and the People's Choice Award, presented to Team portfolio making group 2 from Holy Angel University, Philippines, for their waste management tracking solution.
