ISLAMABAD – Google Vice President Wilson White has announced plans to provide all students in Pakistan with a free subscription to Google Gemini for one year.
The formal announcement regarding the offer is expected later this week.
White said Google’s objectives are aligned with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s goal of turning Pakistan into a hub for information technology exports, with a target of reaching $30 billion in IT exports.
Highlighting Google’s contribution to Pakistan’s economy, White said the company had contributed to more than Rs3.9 trillion in economic activity for local businesses and households over the past decade.
He added that this economic activity had supported more than 960,000 jobs in the country.
White described the latest developments as only the beginning, saying, “This is just the beginning.”
Earlier, the Prime Minister, Wilson White, Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, and other dignitaries jointly unveiled a plaque to mark the inauguration of Google’s office in Pakistan.
A 9-member delegation of Google, led by White, Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Tuesday.
Welcoming the delegation, the prime minister said Pakistan is undergoing a major digital transformation of governance, including the digitization of the economy. He shared the government’s vision of “Digital Nation Pakistan” and informed the delegation that several initiatives to develop the national digital ecosystem are at an advanced stage of implementation.
The prime minister reiterated the government’s commitment to upgrading IT infrastructure and briefed the delegation on ongoing programs for training youth in IT and Artificial Intelligence. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with a global technology leader like Google in achieving these objectives.
He welcomed Google’s decision to open an office in Pakistan, noting that it would further strengthen the country’s partnership with the company. He appreciated Google’s role in advancing Pakistan’s digital economy and lauded its initiatives that have enabled thousands of Pakistani youth to secure productive employment. Highlighting the potential of Pakistan’s youth in the digital space, the Prime Minister expressed hope that Google would further expand its footprint to upskilling and empowering them. He added that with Google’s local presence now established, high-impact programs could be scaled up further.
