Hajra Naz
Pakistani tech company Data Vault has unveiled the country’s first locally developed generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) platform, Zahanat AI, marking a major milestone in Pakistan’s artificial intelligence (AI) landscape. This homegrown AI model is designed to integrate;
- Cultural
- Geopolitical
- Religious perspectives
This groundbreaking initiative ensures that future generations remain connected to their roots while using cutting-edge AI technology to drive innovation and progress across multiple sectors.
A Vision for AI with Local Identity
AI has become a global force shaping industries, education, and governance, but most AI models are developed with Western perspectives. Recognizing the need for culturally aware AI, Zahanat AI has been created to reflect Pakistan’s unique;
- Values
- Traditions
- Regional contexts.
Embedding local insights, points to giving more important and contextualized AI solutions personalized to the Pakistani audience.
According to Syed Muhammad Yahya, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Data Vault, Zahanat AI is personalized to the country’s specific challenges and opportunities. He stated at the platform’s launch in Islamabad.
“The problems and solutions it addresses are aligned with our local environment. So, you can consider it a truly local model,”
Zahanat AI 2.0: Expanding Accessibility with Local Languages
The upcoming Zahanat AI 2.0 is set to make artificial intelligence more accessible and inclusive in Pakistan. A key feature of this upgrade is its support for Urdu and regional languages, making AI interaction smoother for a wider audience. This breakthrough will bridge the digital divide, enabling non-English speakers to harness AI’s full potential for;
- Education
- Business
- Daily tasks.
Beyond language, Zahanat AI 2.0 is expected to integrate enhanced localization capabilities, allowing users to receive AI-generated insights based on Pakistan’s social, economic, and political landscape. This development positions Pakistan as a leader in culturally aligned AI, ensuring that technology serves the country’s unique needs.
Zahanat AI’s Capabilities and Differentiation
As a text-based generative AI model, Zahanat AI facilitates human-like conversations, answers queries, and assists in various fields, including;
- Healthcare
- Mathematics
- Coding
- History.
Like other large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and Meta-AI, it is trained on extensive datasets to generate accurate and contextually relevant responses.
Privately funded through friends and family, Zahanat AI is built on Meta’s Large Language Model Architecture (LLaMA), featuring 1.5 billion parameters. Its development, which took approximately six to eight months, utilized a multi-GPU setup with 12-15 GPUs, ensuring a robust AI infrastructure within Pakistan.
Government’s Commitment to AI Integration
Federal Minister for IT & Telecom, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, recently received a briefing on Zahanat AI from Mehwish Salman, CEO of the project and an official member of the Forbes Technology Council. She emphasized AI’s vital part in improving student capabilities and how it will revolutionize different businesses, from education to commerce and governance.
The government is proactively attempting to incorporate AI into education by implementing AI-powered classrooms in schools, colleges, and institutions. These cutting-edge educational settings will give students the fundamental AI capabilities they need to compete in the global labor market.
Pakistan is also on the verge of finalizing its first national AI policy, aimed at fostering local entrepreneurship and innovation through public-private partnerships. Dr Aneel Salman, who is overseeing the policy’s development, highlighted its liberal approach to supporting the local AI ecosystem. He stated.
“Our AI policy is designed to encourage local startups and innovators. We expect it to be finalized within a month,”
Addressing Security Concerns and Future Improvements
Despite its potential, concerns over cybersecurity risks posed by foreign AI models remain significant. Dr Salman warned that uploading personal data to foreign platforms could lead to privacy vulnerabilities. He explained.
“When you share information on global AI models, you don’t know how it will be processed and used,”
At the launch event, a demonstration of Zahanat AI showcased its ability to respond to queries related to;
- Healthcare
- Mathematics.
However, when asked about freelancing trainer Hisham Sarwar, the model initially provided incomplete information, later offering inaccuracies. Dr. Salman acknowledged these limitations, noting that all AI models undergo refinement over time. “When ChatGPT was first released, it had issues. Similarly, Zahanat AI will improve with newer versions like;
- Z1
- Z2
- Z3.
Zahanat AI: Pakistan’s Answer to Global AI Models
With the rapid emergence of AI tools like OpenAI’s GPT and Google’s AI solutions, Pakistan needed to develop its own AI ecosystem. Mehwish Salman, CEO of Data World, the company behind Zahanat AI, has played a pioneering role in this effort. Through her leadership, the first locally developed AI model, Zahanat AI, has been created with its very own Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) system in Pakistan.
Moreover, Zahanat AI is unlike other artificial intelligence models. It is not just a technological achievement, but a symbol of Pakistan’s vision, culture, and intellect. Zahanat AI seeks to defend rather than negate the objectives, language, and knowledge of Pakistan unlike other tools of AI that ignore cultures and regions.
Public Adoption and Industry Collaboration
For Zahanat AI to succeed, widespread public adoption and industry collaboration will be essential. Prof. Dr Yasar Ayaz, chairman of the National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI), emphasized the importance of integrating AI into daily life. He stated.
“To prevent Zahanat AI from facing the same fate as past initiatives, we must actively use its technology and collaborate with innovators in Pakistan to create groundbreaking solutions,”
As Pakistan moves forward in AI development, Zahanat AI represents a significant step toward self-sufficiency in artificial intelligence. By fostering local AI expertise, enhancing accessibility, and addressing data security concerns, Pakistan is positioning itself as a key player in the global AI landscape.
A Bright Future for AI in Pakistan
Pakistan’s government is driving AI growth. Its diverse society and visionary leaders like Mehwish Salman play a key role. The rise of AI companies strengthens its position. The country is set to lead the mid-level AI race.
Pakistan is bound to ensure that emerging tech does not turn into another case of uniformity but stays the tool for untold empowerment by embedding the diverse language, culture, and socio-economic values of the country. As identified, Zahanat AI epitomizes Zahanat Pakistan’s aspirations to lead the AI transformation superset which is globally bound to change the world.
In Pakistan, AI’s future lies in creativity, inclusion, and identity rather than merely automation. Furthermore, Pakistan’s AI adventure is just getting started, with Zahanat AI setting the standard.
