HARIPUR, Pakistan: The Sino-Pak Center for Artificial Intelligence (SPCAI) organized the National Artificial Intelligence Forum (NAIF) 2021 at Pak-Austria Fachhochschule: Institute of Applied Sciences & Technology (PAF-IAST) on Thursday.
The forum was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), Government of Pakistan, and Pak-Austria Fachhochschule: Institute of Applied Sciences & Technology (PAF-IAST).
While welcoming the participants, the Managing Director SPCAI Dr. Atif Shakoor shared the background, objectives, and importance of AI forum. The forum was inaugurated by the Chairman Prime Minister Task Force on Science and Technology Professor Dr. Atta Ur Rehman.
Dr. Atif Shakoor highlighted the importance of artificial intelligence and said that our youth should be equipped with modern knowledge and required skills to lead the country as an innovation driving economies.
The Rector PAF-IAST Dr. Muhammad Mujahid emphasized over skills orientation, focused and relevant research towards solving the problems, and effective academic-industry linkages. He also congratulated organizers over the successful event.
The NAIF was the first of its kind convention in the history of Pakistan, with an aim to gather policymakers, regulators, practitioners, experts, innovators, end-users, investor groups, researchers, educators, entrepreneurs, interested public, and representatives from various industries from Pakistan and abroad under one roof to initiate a grand National discourse about the importance and effectiveness of AI in socioeconomic settings.
The forum is an effort to develop an awareness of the role and impact of AI in Pakistani society and industry, as well as industrial processes, social fabric, and economic growth.
The CEO Care (PVT) Ltd. Dr. Shoaib, the Vice-Chairperson United Nation Commission on Science and Technology for Development Dr. A Min Tjoa, the Managing Director SPCAI Dr. Atif Mashkoor, and other National and International experts joined the event as panelists.
More than 20 experts from a various academic and industrial background, participated in the event as guest speakers.
The cohort of speakers was also included internationally acclaimed experts currently serving in world-renowned educational institutes and AI-related companies.
Other than guest speakers, more than 150 professionals from different walks of life attended the event as participants.
Apart from the conference, the SPCAI has also arranged an educational expo, where 28 groups of students presented their academic projects relevant to the field of AI and various industries also set-up their stalls to showcase their latest AI-related products and services.
The growing field of AI is set to revolutionize the industrial processes, societal fabrics, and economic settings all over the world. Against this backdrop, the NAIF promised to kick start this revolution in Pakistan, thereby disrupting the local industry, society, and the lives of common people in a myriad of positive ways.
