Pakistani Youth honored for AI Innovation at WIC

aPakistani Youth honored for AI Innovation at WIC, Wuzhen Summit as they showcased their skillfulness at the event.

Farah Gul Rahuja, a young woman from Dadu district in Sindh, Pakistan, has been honored as a Global Youth Leader at the 2024 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit, held in Wuzhen, China, from November 19 to 22. This year’s event, with a theme centered on artificial intelligence (AI), attracted participants from over 130 countries and regions, focusing on “Embracing a Digital Future That Puts People First and Promotes Intelligent Goodness – Jointly Building a Cyberspace Community with a Shared Future.”

Rahuja was one of 18 young leaders from 17 countries, including China, the UK, Brazil, and Egypt, chosen after a competitive evaluation of applicants from 61 countries spanning six continents. “I am deeply honored to be recognized alongside such talented peers worldwide,” Rahuja said, highlighting her and her team’s commitment to AI and machine learning.

A graduate in bioinformatics from COMSATS University Islamabad, Rahuja has made notable advancements in AI, including co-developing PakGPT, a chatbot aimed at providing crucial information and enhancing rural skills. “PakGPT is more than just a tech innovation; it’s a transformative tool designed to provide localized and accessible information, even to Pakistan’s remotest communities,” she explained.

Recognizing the challenges of unequal digital access in Pakistan—where rural areas often rely on 2G connectivity—PakGPT was tailored to function effectively on low-bandwidth networks. It also supports local languages, overcoming linguistic barriers to make vital resources accessible to all. Rahuja emphasized its impact, particularly in empowering women and rural youth in her hometown of Dadu to make informed decisions and improve their livelihoods.

Rahuja collaborated with the Pakistan Information Security Association to integrate cybersecurity into her work and demonstrated PakGPT’s capabilities to rural girls, enabling them to access information, skills, and job opportunities.

Moreover, at the Wuzhen Summit, Rahuja engaged with global leaders and fellow youth participants, gaining insights into leveraging technology for social and economic progress, digital inclusion, and cybersecurity. “The conference provided an invaluable platform to showcase my work and discuss how technology can advance societal development,” she remarked.

Further moving ahead, Rahuja plans to expand her contributions beyond PakGPT. She is also currently collaborating with Aspire Pakistan to host a hackathon on generative AI (GenAI), aiming to strengthen Pakistan’s startup ecosystem and inspire youth to address real-world challenges through AI.