The AI Festival 2025, a flagship two-day event organized by the Society 5.0 Initiative in collaboration with Supreme Technocrafts Aviation Services (STAS), concluded at the Silk Road Cultural Centre, Islamabad. The event brought together leading voices from government, academia, and industry to accelerate Pakistan’s transformation into an AI-powered, knowledge-driven economy.
RCCI President Champions Collective Innovation
Mr. Usman Shaukat, President of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), attended the AI Festival 2025 as the guest of honor. In his keynote address, he emphasized the transformative potential of AI and called for collaborative efforts across academia, government, and the private sector.
“Pakistan today stands at a pivotal moment in its innovation journey. Artificial Intelligence is not just a tool of the future — it is the heartbeat of our present,” Mr. Shaukat remarked.
He was warmly received by Mr. Noman Waseem, CEO of STAS, along with RCCI SVP Mr. Khalid Farooq Qazi and VP Mr. Fahd Barlas. Later, Mr. Muhammad Bin Ahmad, Co-founder of The Society 5.0 Initiative, presented Mr. Shaukat with a token of appreciation for RCCI’s role in promoting innovation-led ecosystems.
NIC Startups Showcase Homegrown Innovation
Startups incubated at Pakistan’s premier National Incubation Centre, Islamabad (NIC Islamabad), also participated in the event, showcasing cutting-edge AI products and solutions. Their presence highlighted the growing strength of Pakistan’s startup ecosystem and its readiness to contribute to the country’s digital economy.
These startups exhibited at dedicated booths in the Innovation Showcase, presenting AI-driven tools for education, agriculture, logistics, and healthcare. Their active engagement drew attention from investors, mentors, and policymakers alike.
PEF Delegation Strengthens Strategic Partnerships
Members of the Pakistani Executive Forum (PEF) also attended the event in full force. As an official partner of the festival, PEF played a key role in fostering dialogue between senior executives, policymakers, and innovators. Their presence reinforced the need for strategic leadership in driving AI adoption across public and private sectors.
Women Leaders’ Summit: Driving Inclusion in AI
The Women Leaders’ Summit, held on Day 1, stood out as a flagship feature of the festival. It brought together inspiring women from Pakistan’s tech and business sectors to share stories, challenges, and solutions for promoting gender equity in innovation.
- A high-level Leadership Panel featuring women pioneers in AI and entrepreneurship
- Women-Led Startup Showcase highlighted impactful ventures from female founders
- A Mentorship Program was officially launched to guide young women aspiring to enter Pakistan’s tech landscape
This summit not only spotlighted trailblazing voices but also established a pathway for more inclusive AI-driven growth.
Academic Insight from COMSATS University
Dr. Sohail Asghar, Dean and Campus In-Charge at COMSATS University Islamabad, contributed to key panel discussions, offering powerful insights on academia-industry collaboration. His participation highlighted the essential role of higher education institutions in Pakistan’s AI ecosystem development.
Cutting-Edge Competitions Ignite Creativity
The festival hosted multiple interactive competitions aimed at nurturing young talent and solving real-world problems:
• AI Hackathon 2025: A 32-hour challenge to design AI-based solutions to national issues
• Startup Pitch Competition: A live competition connecting top startups with investors
• Robotics Competition: Live demos of intelligent automation solutions by students and innovators
• Innovation Showcase: Featuring final-year student projects and tech prototypes
Session on AI Integration in Industry Highlights Policy, Innovation, and Collaboration
During the session on “AI Integration in Industry” at AI Festival 2025, prominent industrialists and policy advocates came together to explore the role of artificial intelligence in transforming Pakistan’s economic and manufacturing landscape. The session was attended by key stakeholders, including Mr. Imtiaz Rastgar, Mr. Noman Waseem, Mr. Ejaz Bhatti, and Mr. Zahid Mirza, as well as representatives from the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI). The speakers shared insightful perspectives on the importance of structured AI adoption, the need for regulatory frameworks, and the critical role of industry-academia linkages in driving sustainable innovation. Emphasis was placed on developing local capabilities, encouraging tech startups, and fostering a policy environment conducive to AI-led industrial growth.
Building Strategic Frameworks and Talent Pipelines
The event served as a national platform to shape the ethical and legal foundation of AI in Pakistan through the development of an AI Governance Framework. Other sessions focused on:
• Future of Work Symposium
• Industry Transformation Panel
• Research Symposium
• Grand Debate on the societal implications of AI
Open Discussion Explores AI’s Role and Responsibility in Modern Life
An open discussion titled “AI and the Future of Humanity: Liability or Leverage?” was held on Day 2 of the AI Festival 2025, just before the closing ceremony. The panel featured diverse voices from academia, industry, and civil society, all engaged in a critical dialogue on the ethical and societal implications of artificial intelligence. Panelists debated whether AI is becoming a liability due to rising concerns over surveillance, misinformation, and job displacement—or if it remains one of the greatest tools for progress when harnessed responsibly. The discussion emphasized the urgent need for inclusive policies, AI literacy, and human-centric innovation to ensure that AI serves as a force for good in modern society.
Closing Ceremony and Awards
The festival concluded with a high-energy closing ceremony featuring award presentations for Hackathon, Robotics, and Startup Pitch winners. The event closed with a keynote titled “Pakistan’s AI Roadmap” and a national call to action to scale AI adoption with responsibility and inclusivity.
