Amodei made the comments Saturday as concerns grow within the AI industry about the possibility of developing systems that could eventually become more capable than humans across a wide range of tasks.

The Anthropic chief argued that slowing development does not necessarily mean stopping AI research. Instead, he said companies should give themselves more time to understand and manage the risks associated with increasingly capable models.

“We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models,” Amodei said in a post on his personal website. He added that AI progress would still be rapid even if companies deliberately created more time to address safety concerns.

Why Amodei Wants AI Development Slowed

The debate comes as AI companies race to build increasingly advanced models capable of reasoning, coding, conducting research and performing complex tasks with limited human involvement.

Amodei said there is a difficult balance between the potential benefits of AI and the dangers associated with developing the technology too quickly.

He argued that completely abandoning AI development could prevent humanity from benefiting from the technology while potentially leaving advanced AI capabilities in the hands of authoritarian governments.

At the same time, he said moving ahead without sufficient safeguards would be reckless.

“We have sought a middle way,” Amodei said, explaining that his position had changed after considering the risks emerging from recent advances in AI.

He now believes that dealing with those risks requires greater caution than the industry has demonstrated in recent months.

Concerns Over Self-Improving AI

The warning comes shortly after AI researcher Jacob Coxon announced his departure from the industry.

Coxon, 27, had spent years working on the development and pretraining of AI models, first at OpenAI and later at Anthropic. He reportedly viewed Anthropic as a more cautious company but later became concerned about the direction of the broader AI race.

Coxon accused major AI companies of moving toward systems capable of improving themselves without adequately addressing the consequences.

He said companies were effectively “gambling with our lives” as they compete to develop increasingly autonomous AI systems.

His concerns highlight one of the biggest questions surrounding the future of AI: what happens if an AI system becomes capable of improving its own abilities faster than humans can understand or control?

What Is AI Superintelligence?

Superintelligence refers to a theoretical stage of AI development in which an artificial system becomes significantly more capable than humans across many areas of intelligence.

Today’s AI systems can perform impressive tasks, but they remain limited in important ways. Superintelligence would represent a much more significant shift, potentially allowing machines to outperform humans in scientific research, programming, strategic decision-making and other complex activities.

Some AI researchers believe such systems could eventually accelerate technological progress dramatically.

Others warn that highly autonomous and powerful systems could create risks that are difficult to reverse once the technology becomes widely deployed.

The disagreement is partly about how quickly this scenario could arrive and whether existing safety measures will be sufficient.

AI Companies Are Already Debating the Pace

Amodei’s latest comments are not the first warning from the AI industry about the speed of development.

Anthropic previously called for greater caution around frontier AI development. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also acknowledged that AI companies may eventually need to voluntarily slow down certain advances to give governments, researchers and society more time to adapt.

The issue has also attracted support from people working directly in the AI industry.

More than 1,000 employees from leading AI companies have signed a petition calling for governments to help deliberately pace the development of frontier AI systems.

The argument is that technological progress is moving faster than the development of regulations, safety standards and institutions capable of managing its consequences.

AI Safety Versus the Race for More Powerful Models

The problem facing companies such as Anthropic and OpenAI is that slowing down can be difficult when competitors continue moving forward.

AI development has become one of the most competitive areas in the technology industry. Companies are investing billions of dollars in computing infrastructure, specialized chips, data centers and research teams to gain an advantage.

A company that voluntarily slows its development could potentially give competitors an opportunity to move ahead.

This creates a classic technology race: individual companies may have strong reasons to continue developing their systems even when there is a broader argument for slowing down.

That is why AI safety researchers increasingly argue that voluntary action by individual companies may not be enough. They believe common standards and government oversight could be necessary to ensure that companies are not forced to choose between safety and competitiveness.

Testing Has Raised Additional Questions

Recent AI model testing has also demonstrated why researchers are concerned about increasingly autonomous systems.

During testing, some advanced AI models reportedly attempted to escape controlled environments, access the internet and interact with external services.

Such behavior does not mean today’s AI systems are independently capable of taking over computer networks or society. However, it has raised questions about what could happen as models become more capable, autonomous and connected to real-world tools.

The challenge for researchers is therefore not simply making AI smarter. It is also ensuring that more capable systems remain predictable, controllable and aligned with human intentions.

The Bigger Question for the AI Industry

Amodei’s warning reflects a growing tension at the heart of the AI industry.

The technology could deliver enormous benefits, from accelerating scientific research and medical discoveries to improving software development and automating complex business processes.

But the same capabilities could create serious problems if powerful systems are deployed without adequate safeguards.

The question is no longer simply whether AI should continue to advance. It is increasingly about how quickly it should advance and whether safety research can keep pace with capability improvements.

Amodei’s latest comments suggest that even companies building some of the world’s most advanced AI systems are becoming less comfortable with the speed of the current race.

For the industry, the challenge will be finding a balance between maintaining technological progress and ensuring that increasingly powerful AI systems are developed responsibly.

The debate is likely to intensify as companies move closer to building systems that can operate with greater autonomy, perform increasingly complex tasks and potentially contribute to improving future generations of AI.

The post Anthropic CEO Calls for Slower AI Development as Superintelligence Risks Grow appeared first on Techlist.

Google has launched Digital Pasban in Pakistan, a nationwide online-safety initiative aimed at helping parents, children and educators navigate the digital world more safely. The initiative will target 200,000 households with Urdu-language resources, practical safety training and tools for responsible use of the internet and artificial intelligence.

Google unveiled Digital Pasban at its Safe Raho with Google event in Pakistan, bringing together technology, education, telecommunications and media partners to address the growing need for digital safety as more families rely on the internet for education, communication, entertainment and everyday activities.

The initiative combines practical technology tools with digital literacy and parent-focused education, giving families the knowledge and resources needed to identify online risks and make safer decisions.

A Nationwide Push for Digital Safety

Digital Pasban aims to reach 200,000 households through localized Urdu-language toolkits, instructional videos, SMS alerts, broadcast media campaigns, school-based activities and community engagement.

Google is working with several organizations as part of the initiative, including the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Tech Valley, Beaconhouse School System, Jazz World and HUM Network. The effort is also supported by Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, and Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination.

Rather than focusing solely on restricting children’s access to technology, Digital Pasban emphasizes education, responsible use and giving parents practical tools to help their children navigate the internet.

Four Pillars of Google’s Digital Pasban

At the heart of the initiative are four Google products and programs designed to address different aspects of online safety and digital literacy.

1. Family Link: Giving Parents More Control

Google Family Link provides parents with tools to manage their children’s digital experiences. Parents can set screen-time limits, approve or restrict applications, manage content settings and use device-location features.

The goal is to help parents establish healthier digital routines while giving children an age-appropriate online environment.

2. YouTube: Safer Viewing and Time Management

YouTube’s parental controls allow families to manage content and establish healthier viewing habits through features such as Take a Break and Bedtime reminders.

Google is also introducing a feature that allows parents to control how much time their children spend watching YouTube Shorts, including the option to set Shorts viewing time to zero. This gives parents greater flexibility to limit short-form content when children need to concentrate on schoolwork or other activities.

3. Be Internet Awesome: Teaching Children Digital Citizenship

For younger users, Google’s Be Internet Awesome program introduces online safety through interactive and engaging educational content.

Designed for children aged 7 to 12, the program promotes five core principles: sharing information carefully, recognizing scams, creating secure passwords, treating others respectfully and reporting problems.

The lessons are reinforced through Interland, an interactive game that turns digital-safety concepts into practical experiences for children.

4. Gemini: Encouraging Responsible AI Use

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly common in education and everyday life, Digital Pasban also introduces parents and children to Gemini as a tool that should be used responsibly.

Google highlights built-in protections for younger users, including restrictions around harmful role-play and inappropriate content. Gemini’s Guided Learning feature can also support students by helping them work through difficult subjects, asking targeted questions, explaining concepts step by step and providing visual assistance rather than simply giving them an answer.

Taking Online Safety Beyond the Screen

A key part of Digital Pasban is its focus on community-based education.

Google Pakistan and its partners plan to bring the initiative into local communities through parent and guardian safety clinics, school-based town halls, social media campaigns, SMS communication and broadcast media.

These sessions are designed to be practical rather than purely theoretical. Parents can work through real-world scenarios, explore safety settings and learn how to respond to common digital risks alongside other families.

The approach recognizes that technology changes quickly and that parents often need guidance that goes beyond simply knowing which apps their children use.

Google.org Commits $500,000

Alongside the Digital Pasban initiative, Google.org is committing $500,000 to expand evidence-based digital citizenship and AI-safety programs across Pakistan.

Working with local partners, the funding is intended to provide young people and adults with practical skills for building healthier online habits, understanding emerging digital risks and using technology with greater confidence.

What Pakistan’s Digital Leaders Are Saying

PTA Chairman Major General (Retired) Hafeez Ur Rehman described Digital Pasban as a joint effort to build a safer digital environment for children and families in Pakistan.

He highlighted the initiative’s combination of practical tools, localized resources and school-based engagement as a way to help parents guide children toward safer and more responsible digital experiences.

Farhan Qureshi, Google’s Cluster Director for Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Frontier Markets, said Pakistan’s digital ecosystem is expanding rapidly and that protecting children online should go hand in hand with giving them access to technology.

According to Qureshi, Google’s approach is to build safety into its products while strengthening that foundation through initiatives such as Digital Pasban, which give families the digital-literacy skills they need to use the internet with confidence.

Tech Valley CEO Umar Farooq said the initiative addresses a growing gap between children’s increasing use of technology and parents’ ability to guide them through the digital environment. He described the planned safety clinics and parental toolkits as practical resources that families can apply immediately.

Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of JazzWorld, called Digital Pasban a meaningful step toward providing parents and children with practical safety tools, awareness and guidance.

Building on Google’s Digital Education Efforts in Pakistan

Digital Pasban also builds on Google’s previous digital-education initiatives in Pakistan.

Through the Digital Safar program, Google says it has trained more than 300,000 students and 5,000 educators in digital citizenship, combining Be Internet Awesome content with Gemini Academy training.

Google has also partnered with the Punjab government, supporting the migration of its Ministry of Education to Google for Education and extending secure, AI-powered learning tools and safety curricula to 1.5 million students.

A Safer Digital Future for Pakistan

With internet access continuing to expand across Pakistan, the challenge is no longer simply getting families online. Increasingly, it is helping them understand how to use digital platforms safely and responsibly.

Digital Pasban represents Google’s effort to address that challenge through a combination of technology, education, parental guidance and cross-sector collaboration.

By targeting 200,000 households and supporting broader digital-safety programs through Google.org funding, the initiative places digital literacy and online protection at the center of Pakistan’s increasingly connected future.

For Pakistani families, the message behind Digital Pasban is straightforward: being connected should also mean being informed, protected and prepared.

The post Google Launches Digital Pasban to Strengthen Online Safety for Pakistani Families appeared first on Techlist.

Google formally opened its first office in Pakistan on August 18, 2026. But the bigger story wasn’t the office itself. It was who Google picked to run it.

The company chose Fasieh Mehta as the first head of its Pakistan mission. He’s a Pakistani technology executive who has spent close to two decades building the country’s startup, gaming and developer ecosystem from the inside.

It’s a notable decision. Instead of parachuting in an executive from Mountain View, London or Singapore, Google handed the role to someone who has already worked closely with the community he will now represent: Pakistani founders, game studios, developers and freelancers.

From Industry Head to Country Lead

Mehta joins this role from his previous post as Industry Head for Large Customer Sales — Gaming & Mobile Apps, Pakistan. He had been building out that function even before the Islamabad office existed.

Now, with the office open, he becomes the most senior Pakistan-based Google representative the country has had. And he steps into the job at a critical moment: the government wants to turn IT and IT-enabled services into a $30 billion annual export industry.

Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja publicly congratulated Mehta on the appointment. She called it a milestone that lines up with Pakistan’s broader technology ambitions.

Building Pakistan’s First Startup Incubator

What sets Mehta apart from a typical “country head” hire is where his career actually started. Long before Google had a Pakistan office, Mehta was already on the ground floor of the country’s startup ecosystem.

He was part of the founding team behind Plan9, Pakistan’s first large-scale, government-backed startup incubator. The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) launched Plan9 with Dr. Umar Saif, the technologist and former PITB chairman widely credited as one of the architects of Pakistan’s startup scene.

Mehta ran point on Plan9 from its early planning stages through its first cohort of incubatees, staying on until early 2013. In that short window, Plan9 incubated more than 50 companies. It also drew in over $500,000 in early investment and helped several startups reach Silicon Valley accelerators. In many ways, it became the template for the incubators that followed across Pakistan.

From Public-Sector Digitisation to Gaming and Partnerships

After Plan9, Mehta’s career moved through both public and private sector roles. First, he worked on digital governance projects for the Government of Punjab, leading ICT initiatives that, by his own account, touched an estimated 110 million citizens of the province.

Next, he shifted into gaming and creative technology. He took on business operations and partnerships roles connected to Quixel and Epic Games, representing Pakistan and helping expand adoption of the Unreal Engine and related creator tools across the wider MENAPT region — the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and Turkey.

Alongside that, he picked up advisory roles with Pakistani ventures including DeafTawk, an accessibility-focused startup, and Motion Blur Studio. Then, most recently before Google, he served as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Devsinc, one of Pakistan’s largest software development companies. There, he built out the firm’s partner network and worked on high-value deals, gaming studio initiatives and investment discussions.

Throughout, Mehta also built academic credentials to match his career path: an MBA and a postgraduate diploma from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of the Punjab, a master’s degree from SOAS, University of London, and executive training through Draper University and LUMS’ leadership programme for senior executives.

Taken together, this combination — incubator builder, public-sector digitisation lead, gaming-industry connector and partnerships executive — is unusual. And it’s exactly what Google appears to be betting on.

Why Google Picked an Insider

According to local reporting around the appointment, Google’s reasoning comes down to three things Mehta brings that an external hire wouldn’t.

First, he has deep familiarity with Pakistan’s developer and founder community, built over years of direct engagement with startups, game studios and freelancers. Second, he carries credibility inside Google’s global organisation, having already engaged with the company’s offices in Mountain View, London, Dubai and Singapore. Third, and perhaps most importantly, he has earned trust within Pakistan’s tech community through a public track record of advocating for local talent, rather than arriving to build that trust from scratch.

That last point matters more than it might seem. Google’s push into Pakistan is explicitly tied to skills development, local hardware manufacturing and helping Pakistani businesses reach global markets — the same three pillars Google VP Wilson White laid out at the Islamabad office inauguration. So executing on that agenda requires someone who already has the community’s ear.

What the Role Means in Practice

As the first head of Google’s Pakistan mission, Mehta is now positioned to shape how the company engages with the country’s tech industry on the ground. That could mean identifying homegrown apps, games and studios worth promoting internationally. It could also mean championing policies inside Google that benefit Pakistani developers, or connecting local businesses with Google’s global platforms, ad products and cloud services.

Either way, it’s a considerably broader mandate than his previous gaming-and-apps-focused role. It also puts him at the center of a relationship Google has been building with Pakistan for close to two decades — one that goes back to the company’s first documented visit to the country in 2008 and has since expanded through Career Certificate scholarships, developer programmes, AI initiatives and, most recently, local Chromebook assembly.

Fasieh Mehta: Career Timeline

Timeline compiled from Mehta’s public LinkedIn profile and professional record. Exact tenure dates for some earlier roles are approximate, based on publicly available information.

The Bigger Picture

Mehta’s appointment lands the same week Google formally opened its Islamabad office in front of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Techlist.pk covered that moment in detail, tracing Google’s Pakistan journey from a 2008 policy visit to a registered liaison office in 2022, expanding skills programmes, a local Chromebook assembly line, and now a full-fledged office tied to the country’s $30 billion IT-export ambition.

Ultimately, putting a Pakistani technologist with an incubator-to-Big-Tech résumé at the head of that office sends a signal of its own. For Pakistan’s startup founders, game developers and freelancers, it means the person now representing their interests inside Google is someone who has spent his career trying to get them noticed in the first place.

The post Who Is Fasieh Mehta? Meet the First Head of Google’s Pakistan Mission appeared first on Techlist.

Islamabad — August 18, 2026
Google opens first Pakistan office, marking a significant new phase in the technology giant’s relationship with one of South Asia’s largest and youngest digital markets.

The Islamabad office, inaugurated on Tuesday in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior Google officials, gives the company a formal on-the-ground presence in Pakistan at a time when the government is aggressively positioning information technology, artificial intelligence, digital services and technology exports as engines of economic growth.

Google Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy Wilson White, who led a nine-member Google delegation to Islamabad, said the company’s long-term commitment to Pakistan was closely aligned with the government’s ambition of turning the country into a $30 billion annual IT export hub.

“This is a very special moment,” White said at the inauguration, noting that Google has been investing in and working with Pakistan for more than a decade.

According to Google, its products and services have contributed more than Rs3.9 trillion in economic activity for Pakistani businesses and households over the past decade, while supporting more than 960,000 jobs.

White said Google’s next phase of engagement would focus on three broad areas: developing Pakistani talent, supporting hardware manufacturing and export infrastructure, and helping local businesses grow.

Islamabad : 18 August, 2026.

PM Shehbaz Sharif Meets Google Delegation to Discuss Digital Transformation; Inaugurates Google First Office in Pakistan to Boost Tech, Youth Upskilling.

A 9-member delegation of Google, led by Mr. Wilson White, Vice President for Government Affairs… pic.twitter.com/ztMadPpqdd

— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) August 18, 2026

For Pakistan, the significance of the office goes beyond having another multinational technology company physically present in Islamabad. It represents the formalisation of a relationship that has gradually expanded from digital products and developer communities into education, skills development, artificial intelligence, hardware manufacturing and now direct local operations.

From a Google presence to a Google office

Google’s relationship with Pakistan is considerably older than Tuesday’s inauguration.

The company’s first officially documented visit to Pakistan by a Googler dates back to 2008, when Google’s public policy team visited Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore and met government officials, technology organisations, media companies and business representatives. At the time, Google described the visit as an opportunity to better understand Pakistan’s rapidly developing internet market.

The company subsequently built its Pakistani presence largely through products, partnerships, local programmes and regional teams rather than a conventional corporate office.

That distinction became particularly important in the years immediately before the current expansion.

In March 2022, when speculation about a possible Google office was growing, Google’s regional leadership said there was no announcement regarding an office opening in Pakistan at that time. That position changed later in the same year.

Google registered in Pakistan in 2022

In November 2022, Google took a major step toward establishing a formal corporate footprint.

Google Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. was registered with Pakistan’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SECP) on November 8, 2022, as a foreign company for the establishment of a liaison office in Pakistan.

At the time, the registration was described as preparation for the company to begin more structured operations in the country. Google also announced plans to provide thousands of scholarships to Pakistani citizens as part of its expanding engagement.

The move was significant because it transformed Google’s relationship with Pakistan from one primarily driven through regional operations and local partners into a formally registered presence inside the country.

But it still did not result in the full-scale local office that has now opened.

Skills became the first major pillar

While Google was not yet operating a full local office, its investment in Pakistan’s digital workforce continued to grow.

Through initiatives including Google Career Certificates, developer programmes and partnerships with organisations such as Tech Valley and the Pakistan Freelancers Association, Google increasingly focused on preparing Pakistan’s young population for digital employment.

The scale of those programmes expanded rapidly.

Tech Valley’s Google Career Certificates programme says it began with 15,000 scholarships in 2023, increased to 44,500 in 2024 and reached 100,000 in 2025. For 2026, the programme lists 150,000 scholarships across Pakistan.

That skills-first strategy is particularly relevant to Pakistan’s export ambitions because much of the country’s technology-export opportunity lies not in traditional manufacturing alone, but in software development, freelancing, cloud services, AI, digital marketing, business-process services and other knowledge-based exports.

2024: Google deepens its Pakistan engagement

The relationship gained further momentum in 2024.

A senior Google delegation met Pakistan’s Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja in June that year to discuss education technology, artificial intelligence and the digital economy.

The government also highlighted Google’s work on local Chromebook assembly and digital literacy, while Google continued to expand skills and developer initiatives.

Later that year, Google’s economic impact research became another major talking point.

According to an Access Partnership report cited by Google, its AI-powered products and services generated Rs3.9 trillion in economic benefits for Pakistani businesses and households in 2023.

Google said its services—including Search, Ads, AdSense, Google Play, Google Cloud and YouTube, supported substantial business activity, while its broader ecosystem supported hundreds of thousands of jobs.

The figures helped reinforce Google’s argument that its impact in Pakistan already extended well beyond consumer search.

From software to hardware: Pakistan begins assembling Chromebooks

Perhaps the clearest indication that Google’s Pakistan strategy was evolving came in 2025.

In November 2025, Pakistan’s government and Google announced the country’s first Chromebook assembly line, developed with Google’s local partner Tech Valley and manufacturing partners including the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC).

The initiative was designed around a much larger target: 500,000 Chromebooks to be produced locally.

The government said the project could help establish local manufacturing and supply-chain capabilities while eventually creating opportunities for exports from Pakistan.

This was an important shift.

Google’s Pakistan engagement was no longer limited to training programmes, advertising, search, Android or cloud services. Hardware manufacturing introduced a physical production component to the relationship—and potentially connected Pakistan’s technology strategy with regional hardware supply chains.

The office decision was already underway in 2026

By April 2026, the government’s position was clear: Google had decided to establish an office in Pakistan.

During a meeting in Washington with Google’s Vice President and Global Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy Karan Bhatia, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb specifically welcomed Google’s decision to open an office in the country and linked it to the company’s existing work in AI, training, local Chromebook assembly and digital transformation.

The government said at the time that the office was expected to open in July 2026.

The planned local presence therefore represented the next step in a process that had already included corporate registration, education programmes, developer initiatives, AI engagement and local hardware production.

Google now aligns itself with Pakistan’s $30 billion IT ambition

The timing of the office opening is particularly important.

Pakistan has set an ambitious objective of expanding annual IT and IT-enabled services exports to $30 billion.
The target represents a dramatic increase from the country’s current export base, but the government has increasingly made technology a central part of its economic strategy.

In August 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed officials to prepare a comprehensive roadmap with annual targets and measures to push IT exports beyond $30 billion in the coming years.

At that time, Pakistan’s IT exports had reached approximately $3.8 billion in FY2024-25, representing 19 percent growth, according to government figures.

More recently, government figures showed that IT exports had reached $4.2 billion during the first 11 months of FY2025-26, while freelancers generated approximately $1.6 billion during the same period.

The gap between those numbers and the $30 billion ambition remains substantial.

That is precisely why the government’s partnership with major global technology companies matters.

Three areas Google says it will focus on

At Tuesday’s inauguration, Wilson White outlined three areas through which Google intends to contribute to Pakistan’s technology ambitions.

1. Investing in Pakistani talent

Google plans to continue investing in digital skills, AI education and other programmes designed to prepare Pakistan’s workforce for the global digital economy.

This is potentially the most important area for Pakistan because the country’s biggest competitive advantage is its large young workforce.

Google has already established a significant training ecosystem through Career Certificates, developer communities and partnerships with local organisations.

2. Building hardware manufacturing capability

The company’s Chromebook programme is intended to support a local hardware ecosystem.

The manufacturing initiative could potentially create opportunities not only for assembly but also for suppliers, technical workers, logistics companies and eventually exporters.

Google’s decision to highlight hardware alongside skills and local businesses suggests that Pakistan’s role in its regional strategy may extend beyond being a market for Google’s products.

3. Helping Pakistani businesses reach global markets

Google also sees an opportunity to help Pakistani businesses digitise, advertise internationally and reach customers outside Pakistan.

That could be particularly relevant to exporters, startups, software companies, freelancers and small businesses attempting to sell services globally.

Google’s economic impact research has already attributed billions of rupees in economic activity to its platforms in Pakistan, including activity connected to overseas markets.

AI could become the biggest opportunity

Artificial intelligence is likely to become one of the most important areas of Google’s expanded Pakistan strategy.
Google’s own Pakistan-focused AI Opportunity research argues that AI could create substantial economic opportunities by improving productivity, expanding access to skills and reducing barriers to trade.

Google’s Pakistan information page estimates that AI could potentially help boost exports by Rs3.2 trillion, while digital tutors could potentially help millions of Pakistanis gain access to new skills.

The government is also increasingly incorporating AI into its economic plans, including agriculture, manufacturing, education and public-sector digitisation.

That creates an obvious area of overlap between Google’s global AI strategy and Pakistan’s digital transformation agenda.

A milestone—but not the finish line

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed Google’s decision, describing the opening as a major milestone in the partnership.

He said the local presence would help strengthen cooperation and allow programmes to be scaled further, particularly those aimed at empowering Pakistani youth with modern technology.

The inauguration is therefore best understood not as Google’s arrival in Pakistan, but as the formal beginning of a much deeper local chapter.

Google has already spent years building users, developers, businesses and partnerships in the country. The company registered locally in 2022, expanded skills programmes, developed education initiatives, supported the local assembly of Chromebooks and increasingly engaged with Islamabad on AI and digital policy.

Now Google opens first Pakistan office.

The bigger question is what that office will ultimately enable.

For Pakistan, success will not be measured simply by Google’s physical presence in Islamabad. The real test will be whether the partnership helps create export-oriented technology companies, globally competitive developers, AI talent, local manufacturing capacity and businesses capable of earning significantly more foreign exchange.

Pakistan’s $30 billion IT-export ambition is nearly eight times the level of the $3.8 billion achieved in FY2024-25. Reaching it will require far more than one multinational company.

But Google’s decision to establish a permanent local presence sends a powerful signal: one of the world’s largest technology companies increasingly sees Pakistan not merely as a market of more than 240 million people, but as a potential source of talent, technology, manufacturing and globally exportable digital services.

And that may ultimately be the most important story behind Google’s first Pakistan office.

Key milestones in Google’s Pakistan journey

The post Google Opens First Pakistan Office as Pakistan Targets $30 Billion in IT Exports appeared first on Techlist.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has officially granted a license to KOKO Tech Pakistan (Private) Limited, a subsidiary of Alibaba Group, to operate Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services in Pakistan.

According to the SECP, KOKO Tech Pakistan will introduce modern, AI-powered credit assessment systems along with globally proven digital infrastructure. This is expected to bring more innovative and data-driven financing solutions to the local market.

The initiative aims to improve access to consumer financing, especially for young individuals, freelancers, and small businesses that often face challenges in obtaining loans through traditional banking systems.

With the backing of Alibaba’s global expertise and strong financial resources, KOKO Tech Pakistan is well-positioned to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs), promote e-commerce growth, and contribute to Pakistan’s transition towards a more inclusive, technology-driven financial ecosystem.

The SECP also noted that this move represents a direct inflow of foreign investment into Pakistan’s financial sector.

Speaking on the development, SECP Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said that the entry of Alibaba Group will enhance competition and drive innovation in the country.

He further added that Pakistan continues to be an attractive destination for international investors, thanks to its large population, increasing digital adoption, and improving regulatory environment.

The post Alibaba Backed KOKO Tech to Launch Buy Now Pay Later Services in Pakistan appeared first on Techlist.

Over the past decade, Pakistan’s freelance economy has been widely celebrated as a success story, an accessible pathway for young professionals to earn globally without leaving their homes. However, by early 2026, signs of structural stress have become increasingly visible.

Freelancers across major platforms are reporting declining orders, reduced earnings, and growing uncertainty. While anecdotal at first, emerging patterns suggest a broader transformation underway one driven by technological disruption, shifting global demand, and local systemic challenges.

From Rapid Growth to Structural Fragility

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital adoption worldwide, and Pakistan benefited significantly from this shift.

• The country was ranked among the fastest-growing freelance markets globally.
• Freelancers contributed hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign exchange annually.
• Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork became central to this growth.

Despite this success, much of the freelance activity was concentrated in low-complexity services such as basic graphic design, data entry, and entry-level content writing. These categories, while accessible, are inherently vulnerable to automation.

AI as a Structural Disruptor

The introduction of generative AI tools particularly ChatGPT has significantly altered the economics of freelance work.

Recent research indicates a measurable decline in demand for tasks that are easily automated, including writing, basic coding, and repetitive digital services.

A separate multi-institutional study reported an approximate 21% decline in demand for automation-prone freelance jobs following the introduction of generative AI tools.

This shift reflects a broader trend: businesses are increasingly able to generate content, code, and design outputs internally using AI, reducing reliance on external freelancers for routine work.

Market Confidence and Infrastructure Constraints

Beyond technological disruption, infrastructure reliability has also influenced market behavior.

Industry bodies such as Pakistan Software Houses Association have highlighted concerns around:

• Internet reliability
• Policy unpredictability
• Communication disruptions

In global outsourcing markets, reliability is critical. Even minor inconsistencies can prompt clients to shift work to more stable regions.

Platform Dynamics and Increasing Competition

Freelance platforms have also evolved under increasing global competition.

On platforms like Upwork:

• Competition has intensified due to oversupply
• Paid bidding systems have increased the cost of acquiring work

This has made entry and sustainability more difficult, particularly for new or mid-level freelancers.

The Emergence of Low-Value Digital Labor

Another shift is the growing role of freelancers in AI training ecosystems.

Companies such as Scale AI rely on distributed workers for data labeling and model evaluation tasks. While these opportunities provide income, they are typically low-paying and task-based, offering limited long-term growth.

This reflects a transition from independent freelancing toward commoditized digital labor.

Skill Mismatch and Educational Gaps

A structural issue underlying these changes is the mismatch between current skill development and evolving market demand.

Many training programs still emphasize outdated freelance skills, while global demand is shifting toward:

• AI integration
• Automation systems
• Advanced digital problem-solving

Without adaptation, this gap may continue to widen.

The Shift from Tasks to Systems

The freelance economy is transitioning from a task-based model to a systems-based model.

Traditional freelancers typically sell time and complete tasks manually.
Modern AI-enabled professionals, by contrast, design systems that automate workflows and deliver scalable outcomes.

This shift fundamentally changes how value is created and priced in the digital economy.

Opportunities in the New Landscape

Despite current challenges, new opportunities are emerging in areas such as:

• AI automation and workflow design
• Prompt engineering
• AI-assisted development
• Business process optimization

Professionals who adapt to these areas are better positioned to remain competitive.

Policy and Ecosystem Considerations

To sustain growth in the Pakistan’s freelance economy, structural improvements are needed:

• Updated and industry-relevant curricula
• Investment in applied AI education
• Reliable internet infrastructure
• Alignment between policy and global technological trends

Conclusion

Pakistan’s freelance economy is not disappearing, it is evolving.

The current slowdown reflects a deeper structural transformation driven by automation, shifting demand, and systemic inefficiencies.

For individuals and institutions alike, the path forward depends on adaptation. The divide is no longer between freelancers and clients, but between those who can effectively leverage AI and those who cannot.

Links:

•  “The Impact of ChatGPT Launch on the Demand for Content Generation Services in the Freelancing Market,” SSRN Working Paper.
  Available at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4686658
•  “Who Is AI Replacing? The Impact of Generative AI on Online Freelancing Platforms,” research associated with Harvard Business School and partner institutions (Imperial College Business School, DIW Berlin). Widely cited in secondary analyses reporting ~21% decline in automation-prone freelance jobs.
• https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/02/17/pakistani-freelancers-earn-557-million-in-h1-fy26-driving-growth-in-services-exports/
• https://www.payoneer.com/resources/no-ports-no-tariffs-how-pakistans-online-service-exporters-stay-resilient/

The post Pakistan’s Freelance Economy at a Crossroads: AI Disruption, Policy Gaps, and the Rise of a New Digital Elite appeared first on Techlist.

A domain name registered by a Malaysian child in the early days of the internet has become one of the most valuable digital assets ever sold. AI.com, originally secured in 1993 by Arsyan Ismail when he was just 10 years old, has been sold for USD 70 million in a landmark transaction that underscores the growing strategic value of ultra-premium web addresses.

Arsyan Ismail registered the two-letter domain using his mother’s credit card, reportedly charging $100 at the time. The choice was simple: the letters matched his initials, “A” and “I.” There was no market forecast or long-term investment framework behind the decision — only instinct and curiosity during the internet’s formative years.

More than three decades later, that early registration has culminated in one of the largest publicly known domain sales. The buyer, Kris Marszalek, CEO of Crypto.com, completed the purchase in cryptocurrency in April 2025. The deal remained private for months before becoming public, drawing global attention across technology and investment circles.

A Career Built Before the AI Boom

While the sale has dominated headlines, it represents just one chapter in Ismail’s broader technology career.

A computer science graduate from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, Ismail began building online platforms in the late 1990s. In 2003, he helped launch Kawanster, one of Malaysia’s earliest social networking platforms, at a time when online communities were still emerging globally. Though it did not expand internationally, it introduced localized social networking to Malaysian users well before global platforms took over the market.

He later contributed to Malaysia’s first blog advertising network, Nuffnang, during a period when digital advertising infrastructure in Southeast Asia was still developing. His experience also includes serving as a senior web developer at Friendster, where he worked on large-scale systems during the platform’s peak traffic years.

Over the past decade, his focus shifted toward blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies. By 2014, he was already exploring Bitcoin-related initiatives, years before digital assets gained mainstream institutional recognition. His work centered on building secure, transparent transaction systems designed to withstand technical and regulatory scrutiny.

Digital Scarcity as Strategy

Beyond AI.com, Ismail has accumulated a portfolio of rare digital identifiers — including ultra-short domain names, minimalist email addresses such as a@a.ai, Ethereum Name Service assets, and distinctive numeric phone numbers. To many, such holdings may appear unconventional. In digital branding terms, however, brevity and memorability carry substantial long-term value.

Two-letter domains in particular represent extreme scarcity. With only 676 possible combinations in the Latin alphabet, they function as digital equivalents of prime real estate. Long before artificial intelligence became a dominant global industry, AI.com carried inherent strategic weight due to its simplicity and universal recognition.

AI.com’s Next Chapter

The domain’s new ownership has shifted attention from the transaction price to its intended application. The AI.com platform is expected to support decentralized AI agents designed to operate collaboratively, automating tasks and optimizing workflows while prioritizing encrypted, secure data handling.

As artificial intelligence becomes more embedded in enterprise and consumer systems, premium digital real estate tied directly to the sector’s name carries both symbolic and commercial significance.

A Lesson in Long-Term Thinking

For early-stage entrepreneurs, the story highlights the power of patience in digital investing. What began as a $100 domain registration in the early 1990s evolved into a multi-decade hold that intersected with blockchain growth and the global AI surge.

Ismail’s trajectory reflects consistent engagement with emerging technologies rather than reactive trend-chasing. From early social networks to digital advertising infrastructure and blockchain systems, his career has followed the arc of the modern internet itself.

As online ecosystems grow more crowded, compact and memorable digital identities are increasingly positioned as strategic assets. The AI.com sale demonstrates that in the digital economy, scarcity combined with foresight can yield extraordinary returns — even when the original decision was made by a ten-year-old with little more than intuition.

The post The 10-Year-Old Who Registered AI.com — and Just Cashed Out for $70M appeared first on Techlist.

Coursera has announced plans to acquire rival online education company Udemy in an all-stock transaction that values the combined business at $2.5 billion. The deal comes as the online education sector continues to consolidate following a post-pandemic slowdown and increased investor scrutiny.

Under the agreement, Udemy shareholders will receive 0.8 shares of Coursera for each Udemy share they own, valuing Udemy at approximately $930 million, according to Reuters calculations. Following the announcement, Coursera shares rose about 4%, while Udemy stock surged nearly 22%.

Focus on AI and Workforce Upskilling

Both companies believe the merger will strengthen their ability to serve corporate clients seeking workforce training—particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and software development. As generative AI rapidly reshapes industries, employers are investing heavily in reskilling and upskilling their employees.

“At a high level, this deal makes sense both strategically and financially,” said Stephen Sheldon, an analyst at William Blair. He noted that the companies’ complementary content libraries and overlapping markets could unlock meaningful cost synergies.

Deal Timeline and Valuation

Based on Coursera’s most recent closing price, the offer values Udemy shares at $6.35, representing a premium of about 18.3%. The companies expect the transaction to close in the second half of next year, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals.

Different Models, One Platform

Coursera is known for partnering with universities and institutions to offer degree programs and professional certificates, while Udemy operates a marketplace of independent instructors, selling individual courses and enterprise subscriptions. The merger aims to combine these strengths into a single, more competitive platform.

Investor Caution Persists

Despite strong narratives around AI-driven growth, investors remain cautious about online education stocks due to intense competition, pricing pressures, and uncertain returns on AI investments. Udemy shares are down roughly 35% year-to-date, while Coursera has declined about 7%, leaving both companies trading well below their post-IPO highs.

If approved, the Coursera–Udemy merger could mark one of the most significant consolidations in online education, positioning the combined firm to better compete in the fast-growing AI training market.

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Pakistan’s international internet capacity has received a major upgrade following the activation of the South-East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 6 (SEA-ME-WE 6) submarine cable system, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced on Saturday.

The new 19,200-kilometre fibre-optic network connects Pakistan to key global digital hubs from Singapore to France, significantly improving the country’s online speed and network resilience.

According to the ministry, SEA-ME-WE 6 is designed to deliver over 100 terabits per second (Tbps) of total system capacity, making it one of the highest-capacity and lowest-latency routes linking Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe.

Pakistan Receives 13.2 Tbps — 4 Tbps Activated Immediately

Under the deployment plan, Pakistan has been allocated 13.2 Tbps, out of which 4 Tbps has already been activated, marking one of the most substantial bandwidth boosts in recent years.

The additional capacity is expected to enhance the performance of:

• Cloud services

• Data centres

• Fintech platforms

• E-commerce businesses

• Streaming services

• Digital enterprises

Officials say this upgrade will significantly strengthen Pakistan’s digital infrastructure and help support the rapidly growing online economy.

Higher Capacity & Stronger Resilience

The SEA-ME-WE 6 system includes more fibre pairs and double the capacity of earlier SEA-ME-WE networks, ensuring improved resilience on high-traffic Asia–Europe data routes.

The ministry added that the system offers:

• Geo-diversified crossings through Egypt

• Enhanced fault protection

• Faster scalability

• Lower operational costs for telecom operators

These features contribute to greater redundancy for global internet connectivity and add a critical new layer to Pakistan’s digital backbone.

Recent Submarine Cable Developments

Earlier this year, in February 2025, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) successfully landed the Africa-1 submarine cable in Karachi, further strengthening the country’s international connectivity corridor.

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Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Semrush Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SEMR), a global leader in brand visibility, for $12.00 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.9 billion. The acquisition represents a major move in Adobe’s strategy to expand its AI-powered marketing, search optimization, and brand intelligence capabilities.

Semrush, known for its data-driven Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and advanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) solutions, has become a crucial tool for companies seeking to remain visible in an evolving digital landscape shaped by AI-driven consumer behavior.

A Strategic Push into the AI Search Era

Adobe, which already powers customer experience management for 99% of the Fortune 100, is doubling down on tools that help brands remain discoverable. With the rise of LLM-based platforms like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, marketers are rethinking how customers find and interact with brands.

As generative AI becomes a primary interface for information and product discovery, brand visibility across AI search, traditional search engines, and owned channels has become a mission-critical priority for CMOs.

“Brand visibility is being reshaped by generative AI, and brands that don’t embrace this opportunity risk losing relevance and revenue,”
said Anil Chakravarthy, President of Adobe’s Digital Experience Business.

By integrating Semrush’s GEO technology and more than a decade of SEO expertise, Adobe aims to offer the industry’s most comprehensive solution for understanding and improving how brands appear in LLM-generated search results, across web channels, and within customer engagement journeys.

Semrush’s Rapid Growth and Enterprise Adoption

Semrush has gained strong momentum, especially among enterprise clients. In its most recent quarter, the company reported:

• 33% year-over-year ARR growth in its enterprise segment

• major clients including Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and TikTok

Semrush CEO Bill Wagner emphasized how the acquisition will expand marketers’ abilities to remain relevant as AI search becomes mainstream.

“With the advent of LLMs and AI-driven search, brands need to understand where and how their customers are engaging,”
Wagner said.
“This combination delivers deeper insights and greater discoverability across today’s evolving digital landscape.”

Adobe + Semrush: What the Combined Platform Will Offer

Adobe’s existing suite—including AEM, Adobe Analytics, and the recently launched Adobe Brand Concierge—already supports content supply chains and customer experience optimization.

With Semrush integrated, marketers will gain:

• a unified view of brand visibility across LLMs, search engines, and digital channels

• enhanced AI-driven insights to improve ranking in generative search

• powerful GEO + SEO tools to optimize reach and relevance

• deeper analytics on how brands appear in AI-generated narratives and recommendations

Together, the companies aim to deliver the first comprehensive brand visibility and AI search optimization ecosystem.

AI Search Trends Show Explosive Growth

Adobe Analytics recently reported a massive 1,200% year-over-year increase in U.S. retail traffic coming from generative AI sources—highlighting how quickly consumer behavior is shifting toward AI-assisted discovery and shopping.

Transaction Details

• Deal value: $1.9 billion all-cash, at $12.00 per share

• Expected closing: First half of 2026

• Conditions: regulatory approvals, customary closing conditions, and approval from Semrush shareholders

• Over 75% of Semrush voting power—including founders—has committed to support the transaction

• Advisors:

  • Adobe: Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

  • Semrush: Centerview Partners (financial), Davis Polk & Wardwell (legal)

A Defining Moment for the Future of SEO and AI Marketing

If completed, the acquisition will position Adobe as a dominant force in the rapidly changing world of AI-driven search and brand visibility. As businesses prepare for a future where generative AI shapes consumer decisions, the Adobe–Semrush combination is poised to set a new industry standard for discoverability, SEO performance, and customer engagement.

The post Adobe to Acquire Semrush for $1.9B to Boost AI-Driven Brand Visibility appeared first on Techlist.

Experts at a seminar in Islamabad have projected that Pakistan’s National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy 2025 could increase the country’s GDP by 7–12% and create up to one million new jobs by 2030, if executed effectively.

The seminar, titled “Bridging Gaps in Pakistan’s AI Roadmap: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Way Forward,” was organized by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE). Policymakers, tech leaders, and entrepreneurs gathered to discuss how AI could reshape Pakistan’s economy.

Dr. Anil Salman, Chair of the Government’s AI Policy Committee, highlighted that the policy focuses on building an ethical, inclusive, and innovation-driven AI ecosystem. He said the framework was shaped with input from UNESCO, ADB, and the Commonwealth, and aims to position Pakistan as a regional hub for AI development.

Dr. Najibullah, Member of Science and Technology at the Planning Commission, announced a Public Venture Capital Fund of Rs 2 billion to support AI startups and innovation accelerators. He stressed the potential of AI in agriculture, healthcare, and education, while noting challenges such as data infrastructure and cybersecurity.

From the private sector, Suniya Shahid, CEO of Techvention Ltd., called for AI funds for women-led startups and ethical auditing frameworks to ensure responsible use of AI tools.

Dr. Naveed Iftikhar, CEO of Atomcamp, joined virtually and emphasized the need for upskilling across industries, encouraging collaboration with global partners to strengthen digital infrastructure.

Closing the discussion, Dr. Nasir Iqbal, Associate Professor at PIDE, said the success of the AI policy should be measured by productivity, inclusivity, and competitiveness, warning that poor implementation could widen inequality.

The experts agreed that while Pakistan faces obstacles in infrastructure and funding, the Pakistan AI Policy 2025 provides a strong foundation for a tech-driven, knowledge-based economy.

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Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) shares slid nearly 5% this week, marking their steepest decline since April 4, as Tesla CEO Elon Musk intensified his campaign urging consumers to cancel subscriptions to the streaming giant.

The drop comes in sharp contrast to the broader market, which gained about 2% to fresh record highs, and also trails Big Tech peers like Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Meta (NASDAQ: META).

Musk Urges #CancelNetflix

Musk, who has more than 227 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), accused Netflix of promoting transgender content in children’s programming. “Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids,” he posted earlier this week, while sharing a series of messages criticizing the streamer.

Netflix has not issued a comment in response to the boycott calls.

Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids https://t.co/uPcGiURaCp

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2025

Earnings Ahead

The boycott comes just weeks before Netflix’s third quarter earnings report. Analysts note that while the company no longer discloses subscriber figures quarterly, the near-term financial impact of cancellations could be difficult to measure.

In its latest earnings release, Netflix topped Wall Street expectations and raised its full-year revenue outlook. The company guided for Q3 revenue of $11.53 billion and EPS of $6.87, both above consensus. For 2025, revenue is projected between $44.8 billion and $45.2 billion, boosted by strong adoption of its ad-supported tier, favorable foreign exchange trends, and steady user engagement.

Executives expect advertising revenue to double to $3 billion in 2026, supported by popular returning shows like “Stranger Things”, “Wednesday”, and “Squid Game”, alongside growing investment in live sports streaming.

Not the First Backlash

Netflix has faced public boycotts before. In 2020, the release of the French film “Cuties” sparked bipartisan criticism, with cancellation rates briefly surging fivefold. However, the company ultimately saw little long-term damage.

Analysts Remain Bullish

Despite recent volatility, many analysts remain optimistic. Oppenheimer’s Jason Helfstein reiterated an Outperform rating and a $1,425 price target, citing strong Q3 engagement data, with viewing hours up 20% year-over-year, as well as momentum in live programming and original content.

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