NEW YORK: Minister of State and Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal Bin Saqib met OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Thursday on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, with discussions focusing on Pakistan’s potential role in the global artificial intelligence economy.
According to Saqib, the meeting covered AI infrastructure, education, skills development and talent, as well as opportunities for deeper engagement between Pakistan and OpenAI.
In a post on X, the PVARA chairman said the discussion also explored how Pakistan could expand its participation in the global AI economy by leveraging its young workforce, digital capacity and other resources.
Focus on AI infrastructure and talent
The meeting comes as Pakistan seeks to expand its digital economy and develop skills in emerging technologies.
Saqib and Altman discussed areas that could support greater participation by Pakistani talent in the rapidly developing AI sector, including infrastructure, education and skills development.
The discussions also highlighted the potential for deeper engagement with OpenAI, although no specific partnership or agreement was announced.
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Saqib highlights AI and tokenisation
A day earlier, Saqib delivered a keynote address at the Social Business, Youth and Technology Forum during the UN General Assembly session.
He discussed the choices facing emerging economies as global financial systems continue to evolve, arguing that artificial intelligence and tokenisation could provide significant opportunities for financial inclusion in developing countries.
Saqib stressed the importance of making emerging technologies accessible to people who remain outside traditional financial systems.
He argued that the key challenge was increasingly shifting from access to technology toward the development of the infrastructure, regulatory frameworks and systems needed to make new technologies broadly accessible.
The meeting with Altman was part of Saqib’s engagements on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where technology, digital finance and economic opportunities for developing countries have featured among discussions involving Pakistani officials.
