As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries globally, Telenor Pakistan is ensuring its transition to an ‘AI-First’ future starts with its people. The company recently celebrated AI Day, part of Telenor Group’s worldwide celebration, by showcasing how it is embedding AI into skills, culture, and daily ways of working.
Building an AI-First Culture For Telenor Pakistan, becoming AI-First is about more than just technology. According to Areej Khan, the Chief People Officer, it’s a people-driven journey. Every employee, from software engineers to customer care agents, is encouraged to apply AI responsibly in their roles. The goal is to make AI a natural extension of how people think and work, embedding it into everyday learning and decision-making.
AI Verse: A Pathway for Everyone A key highlight of AI Day was the launch of AI Verse, a new learning pathway designed for everyone, regardless of their technical background. Unlike past training programs that were often role-specific, AI Verse is for all employees, from human resources to finance, marketing to operations. It introduces skills like prompt engineering and data-driven decision-making, making the subject accessible to all.
What makes AI Verse unique is its direct link to real projects within the company. Employees can see how concepts they learn translate directly into initiatives like AI Service Monitoring or Smart Energy Management, ensuring that the learning is practical and immediately valuable.
From Fear to Curiosity Telenor Pakistan has seen significant enthusiasm for AI. A testament to this is the Telenor Group-wide AI Hackathon, which saw over 100 teams from Pakistan participate—one of the highest numbers across the Group.
While new technology can bring apprehension, Areej Khan acknowledges these concerns and emphasizes transparent communication. She states that when employees see AI augmenting their work and making services more reliable, they not only adopt it but also advocate for it. This cultural shift from fear to curiosity is vital for successful AI integration.
AI in Action: Demonstrating Innovation The company’s AI Expo demonstrated how AI is already being applied in Pakistan with projects such as:
- AI-based service monitoring: An operational system that detects faults and reduces outage times.
- Smart energy management: An AI solution that predicts grid unavailability, leading to cost savings and supporting sustainability goals.
- AI virtual agent: A conversational system in the design phase aimed at transforming customer service and improving efficiency.
- AI HR assistant chatbot: A tool that gives employees instant access to HR policies, streamlining processes and enhancing the workplace experience.
Preparing for Growth For Khan, the ultimate goal of AI Verse is employee growth. She explains that “AI is not replacing people; it is augmenting their expertise.” By combining new skills with practical project exposure, employees gain confidence and develop leadership capabilities for an AI-enabled future. This continuous upskilling strategy ensures that employees’ skills remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.
