Pakistan can move past software services with industrial AI, LUMS lab says
Pakistan's chance to move beyond traditional software services lies in industrial AI, according to researchers at Lahore University of Management Sciences, where a new industry-backed laboratory is being built to train engineering and technology graduates in the skills factories are starting to demand.
The MSAI–LUMS Industry 5.0 and EdgeAI IoT Innovation Lab and Skills Accelerator will give students practical exposure to industrial sensing, connected equipment and computing technologies, said Dr Hamad Alizai, an associate professor of computer science at LUMS. He told Token Times that universities teach broadly while industry needs graduates who can work with particular tools, and that the gap is widening as AI reshapes employers' expectations. The lab's equipment will first enter university courses, then course and capstone projects, with more advanced research to follow.
The pitch rests on predictive maintenance: sensors and AI models that flag a failing motor or a deteriorating robot battery before production stops. Dr Naveed Anwar Bhatti said early detection matters because replacing equipment takes time, and that industrial EdgeAI could let Pakistan build expertise beyond software services. He compared the shift to the move from radio to television, arguing new industries emerge even as demand for some work falls. "The competition will not simply be about who is best, but also about who moves first," he said.
Cost is part of the argument. Dr Alizai said AI can let businesses use cheaper sensors where 95 per cent accuracy is enough, though he cautioned this depends on the application and is no universal replacement for specialised equipment. He also said export performance depends on government policy, institutional support and wider economic conditions, and that universities cannot fully replicate industrial environments without industry partners willing to invest.
Over three years the lab aims to produce graduates who need less post-hiring training, build a pipeline to employers and work with industry on practical problems. Dr Alizai said the model could extend to agriculture, water management and energy, but its success depends on finding credible partners who understand future technological needs and will invest before those skills become urgent.
