Google opens Pakistan office, announces free Gemini for students

ISLAMABAD, August 18: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday welcomed Google Vice President Wilson White and inaugurated the company’s office in Pakistan, as White said Google had been investing in and committed to the country for more than a decade.

Addressing the meeting with White, alongside US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker, PM Sharif welcomed the Google team and said the company’s presence came at a time when Pakistan was undergoing a major digital transformation in several areas of governance.

“It’s very interesting and sheer coincidence that you are here at a time when Pakistan is going through a major digital transformation in many areas of our governance,” Sharif added.

The prime minister said Pakistan had a “youth bulge” and could “really turn around Pakistan’s fortunes”, adding that the country was doing a lot but more remained to be done.

White thanked the prime minister for hosting the Google delegation, describing his first visit to Pakistan and the opening of the local office as a “big milestone” and the culmination of “a very long time coming”.

“Google has been investing in and committed to Pakistan for over a decade, and to be able to reach this milestone where we’re opening a local office, I think, is a very special moment,” White said.

White said PM Sharif’s ambition of making Pakistan a $30 billion IT export hub aligned with Google’s goals.

He said Google had contributed more than 3.9 trillion rupees in economic activity for local Pakistani businesses and households over the past 10 years, contributing to more than 960,000 jobs, adding that this is just the beginning.

He said Google was furthering Pakistan’s $30 billion IT export ambition in three ways: investing in Pakistani people, investing in manufacturing and infrastructure around hardware exports, and investing in local businesses.

White said Pakistan’s digital transformation would only be successful in achieving the country’s ambitious goal if there was proper investment in its people.

He said Google had contributed to the upskilling of more than one million Pakistanis through career certificates and by working with schools and teachers to prepare Pakistanis for the digital economy.

White also said Google would announce later in the week that it would make Google Gemini subscriptions free for one year for all students.