Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Ullah Tarar emphasized the necessity of an ethical framework to ensure the fair and sustainable application of artificial intelligence (AI) during a panel discussion at the International Strategic Communication Summit 2024 (Stratcom) in Istanbul.
The panel, titled "AI in National Strategy: Governmental Perspectives on Digital Transformation and Strategic Communication," included prominent figures, such as Laurence Ndong, Minister of Communication and Media of Gabon; Ziad Makary, Minister of Information of Lebanon; Dejan Ristic, Minister of Information and Telecommunications of Serbia; and Yawa Ahofa Kouigan, Minister of Communication, Media, and Culture of Togo.
In his remarks, Minister Tarar highlighted both the opportunities AI presents and the challenges it poses. He stressed the importance of integrating AI in ways that uphold truth, foster social justice, adhere to ethical standards, and combat disinformation.
Tarar outlined his country’s Digital Pakistan Vision, which seeks to transform the nation into a knowledge-based economy. He announced an ambitious plan to provide IT training to one million students by 2025 to help them harness AI technologies effectively. Additionally, he highlighted the Pakistan Digital Dialogue project as an example of using generative AI and large language models (LLMs) to craft communication strategies based on public feedback and anticipated needs.
He further discussed the potential of AI to drive innovation in sectors such as agriculture (AgriTech), healthcare (HealthTech), education (EdTech), governance (GovTech), and finance (FinTech), emphasizing its role in improving the economy and public welfare.
Addressing the risks of AI misuse, Tarar pointed to its role in spreading disinformation, particularly during humanitarian crises like those in Gaza and the censorship of Kashmir-related topics on social media.
"While promoting AI investment, we must prioritize addressing the risks of misinformation," he said.
The Stratcom Summit 2024, themed "AI in Communication: Trends, Traps, and Transition," organized by the Presidential Communications Directorate, is taking place from Dec. 13-14 in Istanbul, bringing together global leaders to explore the evolving role of AI in strategic communication.
