KARACHI: Alibaba Cloud, in collaboration with Alkhidmat Foundation, recently organised its first AI Hackathon in Pakistan at the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP), Karachi.
As many as 430 shortlisted teams presented and demonstrated their AI-powered solutions before expert jury panels representing technology, banking, healthcare, industry and academia. The teams were selected from 16,000 applications.
The competition focused on developing working AI products rather than merely presenting ideas. Participants received structured training, mentorship and access to AI development tools.
Speaking on the initiative, Shahid Iqbal, Chief Executive Officer of Bano Qabil Pakistan, said the hackathon marked an important step towards enabling Pakistani youth to move from being users of AI technologies to becoming builders of solutions addressing local and global challenges.
He said Bano Qabil’s objective was not only to provide young people with technical skills, but also to create opportunities where they could apply those skills, receive mentorship and connect with the wider technology ecosystem.
Yilan Zhuang, Head of Marketing for Middle East, Türkiye and Africa at Alibaba Cloud, highlighted the importance of providing emerging talent with access to international technology, expertise and platforms.
He said the hackathon provided participants with access to cloud resources, AI development tools, expert mentorship, technical guidance and opportunities for national recognition. The programme was designed to help promising teams transform their ideas into practical and scalable AI solutions, he added.
Keynote speaker and Hexalyze Chief Executive Officer Saad Shah said the emergence of Artificial Intelligence in the technology sector had created both challenges and opportunities, and Pakistan must equip its youth with the necessary skills to benefit from the rapidly evolving technology.
He said Pakistan’s future progress would depend on how effectively it prepared its graduates and young people for the AI-driven economy.
“If we properly equip our graduates and youth for the AI universe, not only will our IT exports grow, but the entire IT ecosystem will transform, paving the way for a technology-driven society,” he said.
Shah emphasised the need to introduce AI education and applications from an early age, saying greater exposure to the technology would help increase its adoption and promote its constructive and innovative use across society.
The initiative is part of a broader partnership between Alibaba Cloud and Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan aimed at equipping young Pakistanis with globally relevant skills in AI and cloud computing.
Under the partnership, dedicated Alibaba Cloud training centres are being established through the Bano Qabil network in Karachi and Lahore, offering AI and cloud computing training aligned with Alibaba Cloud’s international curriculum.
