پاکستان میں مصنوعی ذہانت کے سماجی و ثقافتی مضمرات: مواقع اور چیلنجز کا تنقیدی جائزہ

Socio-Cultural Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Pakistan: A Critical Review of Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

The paper critically analyses the socio-cultural effects of Artificial Intelligence in Pakistan, highlighting both opportunities and challenges within the country’s unique socio-economic and cultural landscape. Drawing on national policy documents, international reports and human rights perspectives, the article situates AI as a transformative force with profound impacts on education, economy, cultural preservation, governance and social justice. On the one hand, AI offers unprecedented opportunities: personalized learning pathways, improved workforce skills, enhanced productivity through digital services and the preservation of local languages and cultural heritage through intelligent digitization. In addition, AI-driven governance models can foster transparency and efficiency in public services, while innovative data-driven solutions may support healthcare, agriculture and urban planning. On the other hand, AI also presents significant challenges. These include the displacement of workers in traditional sectors due to automation, the reproduction of social biases embedded in algorithmic decision-making, and threats to privacy and civil liberties through mass surveillance. Furthermore, reliance on global AI models risks cultural homogenization and the marginalization of local languages and narratives. Policy gaps, weak institutional capacity and ethical concerns further complicate the sustainable integration of AI into Pakistani society. The article concludes that maximizing AI’s benefits requires immediate, medium-term and long-term strategies: transparent governance, robust data protection frameworks, inclusive workforce retraining, investment in local AI research and an independent oversight body for ethical compliance. Only through such comprehensive initiatives AI can lead to equitable progress, cultural security and everlasting growth in Pakistan.