Pakistan, Aug. 24 -- Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Chief Executive Officer Mian Kashif Ashfaq has said Pakistan needed a decisive shift towards algorithmic originality and fundamental research to emerge as a leader in artificial intelligence (AI), warning that the country could otherwise remain a fast follower in the rapidly evolving technology sector.

In a statement on Sunday, he said the rapid advancement of AI had transformed the global business landscape, making innovation, research and indigenous technological capabilities essential for maintaining competitiveness.

Pakistani companies, he added, should move beyond merely adopting foreign AI tools and focus on developing original algorithms, applications and solutions tailored to...