AI Is Coming for Pakistan’s Jobs: And No One Is Ready
Artificial Intelligence isn’t a future threat. It is already here, automating jobs, disrupting industries, and reshaping economies at a pace few imagined. In the United States, Europe, and even parts of Asia, governments are scrambling to respond with reskilling programs, AI-specific labor protections, and forward-looking policies. But in Pakistan, there is an eerie silence — a kind of collective denial — as a major economic transformation unfolds right under our feet.
In call centers across Karachi, AI-powered voice agents are beginning to replace human operators. In Lahore’s advertising firms, junior copywriters now find their assignments handed to tools like ChatGPT. Even the country’s prized freelancers, once a source of national pride for their contributions to the gig economy, are watching clients opt for automated design, coding, and content solutions that are cheaper, faster, and always available. AI is not just another wave of innovation; it is a tsunami, and Pakistan is standing on the shore without a plan.
The irony is that we keep celebrating digital transformation in official speeches, tech expos, and online discussions. Yet there is little public recognition of what this transformation actually means for the workforce. The very same automation we applaud for its efficiency is poised to displace tens of thousands of jobs across business process outsourcing, education, media, and even agriculture. Experts estimate that up to 30 percent of Pakistan’s digital jobs could be impacted by AI in the next five years. That is not just disruption — that is devastation for a country already grappling with high unemployment and an undereducated population.
The education system offers no relief. While tech giants abroad are funding AI bootcamps and integrating machine learning into school curricula, Pakistan is still teaching outdated computer basics. In most public institutions, AI literacy is nonexistent. Few universities offer degrees in data science, and even fewer have faculty trained to teach cutting-edge AI development. Meanwhile, our vocational training centers are preparing students for jobs that may no longer exist by the end of the decade.
What has the state done to prepare? Aside from a vague national AI policy draft and a handful of bureaucratic task forces, there has been little meaningful action. No large-scale reskilling programs. No financial support for AI startups with local relevance. No policies to support workers transitioning out of AI-displaced roles. Meanwhile, neighboring countries such as India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam are racing ahead, pouring resources into AI readiness while Pakistan remains stuck debating broadband access and social media bans.
There is a dangerous gap opening between our ambitions and our preparation. We talk about becoming a tech-driven economy, yet we fail to protect the very workers who built our digital ecosystem. We envision smart cities, but we leave factory workers, office clerks, and freelancers out of the conversation. Without urgent intervention — including reskilling initiatives, education reform, startup support, and serious AI policy — Pakistan will not just lag behind. It will be left behind.
The most troubling part is that this is not a crisis of capability. It is a crisis of political will and public imagination. Pakistan has the talent. What it lacks is the vision to channel that talent into the jobs of the future.
Artificial intelligence will either make Pakistan smarter, stronger, and more competitive, or it will deepen inequality, unemployment, and disillusionment. The choice is still ours. But time is running out.v