Youth Skill Development Key to Leveraging AI Benefits: President
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir emphasized equipping youth with technological skills and quality education to capitalize on Artificial Intelligence while inaugurating the Bangladesh AI Business Summit 2026 on Thursday at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka. Jointly organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry under the theme ‘AI-ization for the Future Economy,’ the event convened domestic and international tech enterprises, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, and innovators.
Stating that the world is undergoing profound transformation driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, he noted that AI applications must extend beyond cost reduction to drive product and service innovation and generate employment opportunities. He observed that ensuring safe, effectively regulated, and responsible deployment is essential so that technological advancements enhance human capabilities, preserve human values, and contribute directly to public welfare.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s vast youth population as its greatest strength, the President stressed that reaping AI dividends requires targeted investments in technological literacy, skill development, and specialized training, while urging vigilance to prevent tech adoption from exacerbating unemployment. Drawing a parallel to the readymade garment sector, he stated that the AI industry holds similar potential to unlock new global frontiers through integration across healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Furthermore, he announced that the government has initiated the formulation of a human-centric National AI Policy prioritizing ethics, human rights, security, risk-based regulation, data privacy, and Bengali language-centric capabilities. The conference focuses on integrating AI in business operations, technological innovation, skilled workforce development, and fostering vital industry-academia partnerships to boost national productivity and global competitiveness.
