Meta offers support for urdu AI models as Pakistan deepens digital push
Meta presented its latest developments in AI, including the LLaMA open-source models, Generative AI tools for public sector innovation, and work on Urdu-language AI models.
The company also expressed interest in helping Pakistan build local AI capacity and expanding technical training initiatives.
Shaza Fatima reiterated the government's full commitment to a digital Pakistan, emphasizing that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally chairs weekly meetings on the country's shift toward a cashless economy.
She stressed that digital skills for youth remain a top national priority, and that public-private partnerships like this are essential to unlocking the country's future potential.
'The effective use of AI is not optional—it is foundational for Pakistan's next phase of development,' she said. 'Initiatives that enhance youth capacity and improve public service delivery are not just welcome—they're necessary.'
Both sides agreed to explore deeper collaboration in digital skilling, AI adoption in governance, and innovation-driven partnerships that can accelerate Pakistan's digital transformation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
'AI policy to bring Pakistan among developed nations'
Listen to article Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, has said that the AI policy approved by the federal cabinet is a revolutionary step aimed at placing Pakistan among the developed nations of the world. Sharing the broad contours of the policy in a televised message on Monday, she emphasised that AI is bringing major transformation not only in IT and technology, but across all walks of life, including health, education, trade, and economy. She expressed the commitment to ensuring that every person in Pakistan reaps the benefits of AI. Under the policy, she said a fund will be established to support and promote the innovative ideas of youth and their startups. She added that the policy will empower and prepare the youth for market-oriented jobs. The comprehensive policy envisages several projects to ensure that AI education reaches every individual. Shaza Fatima said the policy also focuses on the security of citizens' data and that AI will be used to further improve cybersecurity. The Minister for Information Technology said investments will also be made in AI-related infrastructure. She said Pakistan will seek partnerships with key countries to take forward its AI agenda. Earlier in the month, she met with Google's Regional AI Developer Ecosystem and Communities team to explore strategic collaboration in advancing Pakistan's artificial intelligence landscape. Read: Shaza, Google team focus on AI The Google team provided an overview of their developer ecosystem in the region, highlighting the contributions of Google Developer Groups (GDGs), community-based AI initiatives and impactful platforms like Taleemabad. The discussion focused on expanding community-driven innovation and AI adoption across Pakistan.
Express Tribune
11 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Meta to double AI investment with $72b in 2025, eyes 2026 growth
Meta will channel between $66 billion and $72 billion into AI infrastructure in 2025, nearly doubling its prior year's investment, according to its second-quarter earnings report released July 30. The spending will focus on expanding data centres and servers to fuel its artificial intelligence ambitions. The company forecasts a $30 billion increase in capital expenditure from 2024, with plans for a similar rise in 2026 to support its AI and business needs, as reported by Tech Crunch. 'Developing top-tier AI infrastructure is vital for creating leading AI models and user experiences,' said Susan Li, Meta's chief financial officer, during the earnings call. Meta intends to finance most of its AI projects independently but is exploring partnerships with financial institutions to co-develop data centres. 'We see potential for models that attract external funding for large-scale projects while maintaining flexibility,' Li noted. Today Mark shared Meta's vision for the future of personal superintelligence for everyone. Read his full letter here: — AI at Meta (@AIatMeta) July 30, 2025 The company has announced two major AI 'titan clusters': Prometheus in Ohio, expected to reach 1 gigawatt of computing power by 2026, and Hyperion in Louisiana, which could scale to 5 gigawatts over time. These energy-hungry projects have raised concerns, with a Georgia facility linked to local water shortages, as reported by the New York Times. Meta is also investing heavily in talent, recruiting AI experts for its new Superintelligence Labs. CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared plans for 'personal superintelligence,' integrating AI into smart glasses and virtual reality headsets. Read: Meta's shares climbed 10% in after-hours trading, buoyed by $47.5 billion in Q2 revenue, driven by AI-powered advertising tools like translations and video generation. The company projects $47.5 billion to $50.5 billion in Q3 revenue, though its Reality Labs division reported a $4.5 billion loss.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
No YouTube for under-16s as Australia broadens social media ban
Listen to article Australia said on Wednesday it will add YouTube to sites covered by its world-first ban on social media for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the Alphabet-owned video-sharing site and potentially setting up a legal challenge. The decision came after the internet regulator urged the government last month to overturn the YouTube carve-out, citing a survey that found 37% of minors reported harmful content on the site, the worst showing for a social media platform. "I'm calling time on it," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement highlighting that Australian children were being negatively affected by online platforms, and reminding social media of their social responsibility. "I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs." Also Read: Trump says US to impose 25% tariff on India from Aug 1 The decision broadens the ban set to take effect in December. YouTube says it is used by nearly three-quarters of Australians aged 13 to 15, and should not be classified as social media because its main activity is hosting videos. "Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It's not social media," a YouTube spokesperson said by email. Since the government said last year it would exempt YouTube due to its popularity with teachers, platforms covered by the ban, such as Meta's Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, have complained. They say YouTube has key similarities to their products, including letting users interact and recommending content through an algorithm based on activity. The ban outlaws YouTube accounts for those younger than 16, allowing parents and teachers to show videos on it to minors. Read: 8.8-magnitude quake strikes Russia's Far East "Teachers are always curators of any resource for appropriateness (and) will be judicious," said Angela Falkenberg, president of the Australian Primary Principals Association, which supports the ban. Artificial intelligence has supercharged the spread of misinformation on social media platforms such as YouTube, said Adam Marre, chief information security officer at cybersecurity firm Arctic Wolf. "The Australian government's move to regulate YouTube is an important step in pushing back against the unchecked power of big tech and protecting kids," he added in an email. The reversal sets up a fresh dispute with Alphabet, which threatened to withdraw some Google services from Australia in 2021 to avoid a law forcing it to pay news outlets for content appearing in searches. Last week, YouTube told Reuters it had written to the government urging it "to uphold the integrity of the legislative process." Australian media said YouTube threatened a court challenge, but YouTube did not confirm that. Also Read: At least 16 Palestinians, including 13 aid seekers, killed in Israeli attacks "I will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the well-being of Australian kids," Communications Minister Anika Wells told parliament on Wednesday. The law passed in November only requires "reasonable steps" by social media platforms to keep out Australians younger than 16, or face a fine of up to A$49.5 million. The government, which is due to receive a report this month on tests of age-checking products, has said those results will influence enforcement of the ban.
