Before delving into how Artificial Intelligence is used in Pakistan, it is important to first understand what exactly Artificial Intelligence (AI) is.

AI, simply put, is the ability of machines or systems to emulate human intelligence and become a suitable substitute for it. Not only do they replicate it perfectly, but they also subsequently improve themselves based on the information they collect. Examples of AI vary from chatbots that institutes use to communicate efficiently with their customers to being used to increase precision in missile technology.

Uses of AI are rapidly increasing as it is constantly evolving. Its impact is taking over all walks of life in the public and private sectors of Pakistan. Some fields where AI is rampantly rising in Pakistan are education, business, finance, law and healthcare.

AI in Enterprise

AI can create an immense amount of value addition to a company by allowing a more comprehensive understanding of the copious amounts of data available and depending on predictions to automate tasks.

It can also help by using transactional data to predict how much a customer will be willing to spend on the company, and can optimize prices based by on customer preferences and behavior.

Businesses are adopting robotic process automations to carry out repetitive tasks. Multiple enterprises are beginning to use machine learning in Pakistan to help make their processes more efficient. Machine Learning is a form of AI that uses algorithms and software applications to predict future outcomes based on historic data. Telenor Pakistan recently organized a Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence session, hoping to use AI to optimize network operations, automate customer interactions, and personalize sales and marketing campaigns.

Corporates are integrating this in their CRM platforms and incorporating chatbots into websites and multiple social media platforms to provide immediate service to customers. It is being used abundantly to detect security issues, solve technology issues, gauge internal compliance and reduce production management work. Recently a bank in Pakistan has also incorporated AI for cheque fraud detection with the help of Liquid Technologies.

AI In Education

AI is also being used in the field of education to assist in automatic grading and assessment, to enhance the teaching and learning process at a rapid pace. Over 47% management learning tools will be manifested with AI technology in the next 3 years, according to the eLearning industry. Not only does it benefit students but it also makes the lives of teachers significantly easier. It helps in administrative tasks like setting up curriculums, preparing and checking exams, and coordinating the class schedules.

Moreover, AI helps in global learning by eliminating boundaries and making education accessible 24/7 to everyone all around the world with the help of an internet connection. It also makes learning more personalized for students using AI technology as it adapts to each student’s level of progress and learning capabilities by analyzing their previous performance and tailoring the course to suit them best. It helps these students sharpen their skills and work on their weaknesses outside of the classroom. AI also finds answers to their queries in seconds through support automation, resulting in more free time for students and teachers alike.

Due to the Covid pandemic and rise in virtual learning, many schools in Pakistan are adopting AI learning to help with teaching. One such school is the City School Group which has partnered with CENTURY Tech, enabling all its students to benefit from AI tools in learning. In a country like Pakistan, where there is weak infrastructure and lack of access to good schooling for people living in far flung areas, virtual learning and the use of AI in education can be revolutionary and enable them to have an education.

AI in Defense

Many of the world’s leading militaries are using AI to run their major applications and systems. AI has the ability to improve decision making capabilities as well as reaction time and speed up learning, and to also increase discretion and accuracy under uncertain conditions. As far as their cyber security is concerned, AI protects networks, systems and computers from any cyber-attacks, ensuring that classified information remains safe. It also has the ability to analyze previous cyber-attacks and create counter attacks to protect the information.

AI has enabled drones to survey different remote terrains, identify threats, and transmit the audio and visual information back to the relevant authorities. They are also used to spot and engage with hidden targets without any support from on-ground teams.

AI has upgraded robotics technology to assist soldiers on ground in various operations. With developments in machine learning and robotics, bipedal humanoid robots can help with surgical missions and search and rescue missions both. These robots can make decisions, and are flexible and adaptive. Interestingly, they can also self-repair when needed. Under unforeseen circumstances, AI can manage each soldier’s medical history and assist in diagnosing them. It also assists in operational and strategic objectives for succeeding in war.

AI has been instrumental in missile technology, with it increasing precision and striking capability. It has upgraded radar sites, target acquisition and anti-ship missile precision strike against enemy vessels. The defense munitions system has sensors which process data and roll out information based on the target’s signatures, seismic, and magnetics modalities. Each node can estimate the target’s type- whether it is truck, a tank or a personal carrier. It can also assist with their bearing and direction of movement. This helps the system decide the ideal time to engage the target for higher efficacy.

AI also presents numerous possibilities when it comes to upgrading naval forces with future autonomous weapon systems and combat technologies, making them more responsive, adaptable, and lethal.

Pakistan’s air force in particular appreciates the impact of AI in defense and has established the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Computing (CENTAIC) at PAF’S Air University to understand, develop and adopt AI in various functions of defense.

AI in healthcare

In the healthcare sector, one of the uses of AI is to improve patient satisfaction with better and faster diagnostic machines functioning at lower costs. These systems understand multiple languages and analyze various data sources to formulate a more precise hypothesis, diagnosis, and treatment plan. AI has been a catalyst for advancements like robotic surgery, 3D image analysis as well as biosensors that permit diagnoses and relevant treatments to be handled remotely. The pandemic has also encouraged technological advancements and has resulted in the creation of “telehealth” which is the use of digital information and communication technologies like smart watches and mobile phones to access health care services from a distance and manage your health.

Pakistan as a developing country, struggles with the burden of disease, lack of trained healthcare providers, and a poor healthcare infrastructure. These conditions make it ideal for AI to become revolutionary and reduce health inequality by detecting and diagnosing diseases in their early stages, reducing overall medical expenditure, and improving the efficacy and quality of existing services.

The Aga Khan University and Hospital in Pakistan is a leading institute investing in research and use of AI in Healthcare as well as in workforce engagement, automation of tasks, supervision and effective management. They use Machine Learning to analyze data on their patients’ demographics, waiting time, billing, customer surveys, and total length of stay to gain insight on factors affecting their patients’ expectations and overall satisfaction. They also use Machine Learning to help detect abnormalities in organ growth in the fetus stage.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Artificial Intelligence is a revolutionary innovation with great potential, especially in a developing country like Pakistan, and is slowly starting to make its mark in every sector. It represents huge opportunities and capabilities that are limitless. However, there is still a long way to go before Artificial Intelligence can be adopted at a large scale and can be used to its full potential in various industries.

Written by Musfirah Tabani (Marketing at Liquid Technologies)