ECP notifies establishment of AI Wing

Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the formation of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Wing at its Secretariat, aimed at bolstering its institutional capabilities. The AI Wing went into operation "with immediate effect and until further orders," according to a recently released ECP notification. The purpose is to effectively adopt, integrate, and utilize Artificial Intelligence technologies for the public good.

The notification, issued on October 1, designated the ECP’s Director General (Information Technology-Policy and Planning), Khizer Aziz, as the Administrative In-Charge of the new AI Wing. He will oversee its operations "until the necessary personnel are in place and an official organizational structure is put in place."

On September 7, the ECP convened a meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, with senior ECP management in attendance. The meeting decided to establish both the AI Wing and the Digital Office/E-Office. Following the meeting, a press release stated that the AI Wing would provide technical assistance to various ECP departments to "digitize their capabilities."

Moreover, the CEC ordered that all personnel in ECP wings associated with the Digital Office or E-Office complete their training by October 15 to launch a "full digital system" of the E-Office by the end of December. Additionally, the meeting approved the creation of the ECP's new "dynamic, colorful, interactive, and public-friendly website" to maximize benefits for stakeholders.