Minister of State and Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal Bin Saqib met OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at the United Nations on Thursday and discussed how Pakistan could take a larger role in the global artificial intelligence economy.
Saqib said the conversation focused on how Pakistan can use its young population, energy resources and growing digital capacity to establish a meaningful position in the global AI landscape.
“Great meeting Sam Altman at the United Nations today,” Saqib said in a LinkedIn post.
He said Pakistan’s goal should extend beyond bringing AI tools into the country and using them across existing sectors.
“Our ambition must be bigger than AI adoption,” he said, adding that Pakistan should “help build the Intelligence Age.”
The meeting comes as AI has become a major topic at the United Nations, with Altman addressing the UN Security Council on Wednesday about the opportunities and risks associated with increasingly powerful AI systems.
Altman told the Security Council that governments need to play a role in shaping the future of AI and that the technology should remain under human control while delivering broad benefits.
For Pakistan, Saqib’s meeting highlights an effort to position the country as more than a market for foreign technology. His comments point toward using local talent, infrastructure and digital capacity to participate in the development of the AI economy.
Saqib has repeatedly emphasized the need for Pakistan and other developing countries to move from simply adopting new technologies toward helping shape the systems and standards around them. His recent public comments have also focused on AI, digital infrastructure, skills and opportunities for young people.
The PVARA chairman did not announce any specific investment, partnership or agreement with OpenAI following the meeting.
The discussion nevertheless comes at a significant moment for global AI policy, with governments and technology companies increasingly debating how AI infrastructure, skills, safety standards and economic opportunities should be developed and distributed internationally.
