Google’s influence on Pakistan’s digital economy has been profound, with the tech giant supporting 864,600 jobs in 2023 through its suite of products, including Google Search, Google Ads, Google AdSense, Google Cloud, and YouTube. This marks a 111% increase compared to 2020, as highlighted in the “Economic Impact Report: Agay Barho: Empowering Pakistan’s Digital Economy.”
The expansion of Google Ads has unlocked new audiences, necessitating more personnel to service these customers and thereby boosting job creation. Additionally, the Android ecosystem supported 100,400 jobs in 2023, a 3% increase from 2022, within Pakistan’s app development sector.
The Android app ecosystem facilitates job creation at every stage, from development to marketing and monetization. As businesses grow, many are turning to freelancers for specialized skills and flexibility, engaging talents such as game testers, translators, copywriters, and graphic designers. These roles, often supported by digital tools like Google’s products, are typically higher-value jobs, contributing significantly to the economy.
Pakistani professionals are committed to enhancing their digital skills, with Google actively supporting these efforts. The recently launched Google AI Essentials course offers essential AI skills to individuals from any background, using practical examples to demonstrate AI’s productivity benefits.
Furthermore, the Google Career Certificates (GCC) program offers nine self-paced courses in high-demand skills such as business intelligence, data analytics, and e-commerce. In 2023, the GCC provided 44,500 scholarships, half of which were awarded to women, aiming to bridge education and inequality gaps in Pakistan. Google has pledged to offer the same number of scholarships in 2024. Over 80% of Pakistani GCC graduates have reported positive career outcomes, such as new employment or promotions, within six months of completing the program.
The mobile app industry in Pakistan has also seen remarkable growth, with locally developed apps gaining global popularity. In 2022, 65 apps from 24 local developers ranked in the global top 10 on both the Play Store and App Store, with homegrown apps achieving 4 billion downloads, making Pakistan the fastest-growing app market worldwide.
E-commerce is experiencing a surge in Pakistan, driven by increasing internet penetration—57% nationally and 48% in rural areas—and a boom in online businesses. Online platforms are enabling businesses, even in rural areas, to export easily and cost-effectively, with studies showing that businesses using these platforms are five times more likely to export than those that do not.
Google continues to nurture Pakistani talent through its Developer Groups, with eight Google Developer Groups and 82 Developer Student Clubs across the country. These groups provide courses, events, and talks on the latest technological developments, benefiting over 100,000 developers in Pakistan in 2023. Participants also gain access to Google developers and technologists, learning from their experiences and best practices.
