Artificial intelligence (AI) should be integrated into institutional systems through ethical governance rather than being viewed merely as an individual productivity tool, said speakers at the launch of a series of books on AI and Technology Governance.
AI must be governed ethically, integrated at institutional level to drive development: experts
ISLAMABAD, Jul 13 (APP): Artificial intelligence (AI) should be integrated into institutional systems through ethical governance rather than being viewed merely as an individual productivity tool, said speakers at the launch of a series of books on AI and Technology Governance.
The books-launch event organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) was held here on Monday.
The books, titled as: “Artificial Intelligence Ethics: A Maturity Assessment Framework”, “Artificial Intelligence Implementation Guide: Transforming to AI Using AI4mation”, and “Artificial Intelligence and the University in the Global South: Transforming to Meet the Challenge” were authored by Azhar Zia-ur-Rehman.
Presenting his work, Azhar Zia ur Rehman said he had first introduced the concept of technology governance. He further said the European Union’s AI Act underscored the growing importance of ethics in AI because of the technology’s transformative nature. His latest work, he explained, consolidates global knowledge on AI governance and proposes a comprehensive framework consisting of 1,941 measurable governance activities.
He said organizations could translate these activities into key performance indicators and evaluate their institutional maturity using internationally recognized ISO 33001 and ISO 33002 standards. By assigning maturity scores to each activity, organizations could systematically assess and strengthen their AI governance capabilities.
His latest book outlines a detailed 16-step methodology for institutionalizing AI by reviewing organizational processes, identifying automation opportunities, assessing AI use cases and evaluating their benefits and risks. He stressed that successful AI institutionalization begins with understanding existing organizational processes before introducing automation and AI applications.
Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, SDPI Executive Director, said Azhar Zia ur Rehman is an internationally recognized researcher, consultant and expert on management systems, who had emerged as an authority on AI governance. He said the author had pioneered three high-quality books on the subject and had been assisting governments and organizations worldwide in preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and AI adoption.
Dr Suleri emphasized the responsible use of AI within think tanks and research organizations. He underlined that evidence-based policy institutions must lead by example in adopting ethical AI practices while safeguarding research integrity.
Dr. Sajid Amin Javed, SDPI Deputy Executive Director (Research), said AI was rapidly becoming the fifth and perhaps the most important pillar influencing productivity, economic policy and development outcomes. He noted that discussions in Pakistan largely revolved around how individuals use AI, whereas the more important question was whether organizations and institutions were prepared to integrate AI into their existing systems.
He stressed that the real potential of AI would be realized only when governments, industries and businesses developed institutional capacity to incorporate AI into their operations. Ethical and responsible use of AI, he said, would determine whether technology contributed positively to governance and development.
Dr. Javed added that universities and young professionals urgently needed guidance on responsible AI use, noting that educational institutions across the world were still struggling to define acceptable AI practices. He cited examples of universities discouraging AI-generated work while simultaneously recognizing that AI had become an unavoidable reality requiring clear ethical frameworks.
Dr Zafar Ullah Koreshi, Chief Executive and Director of Solved Engineering Technologies Limited, said AI represented an entirely new experience for older generations while today’s youths had grown up alongside digital technologies. Reflecting on his own career, he recalled introducing Mechatronics Engineering at Air University, whose graduates were now serving across Pakistan.
Dr. Koreshi said the author’s work appropriately began with the historical evolution of universities, including ancient learning centres such as Taxila, before explaining industrial revolutions and AI. He argued that despite rapid technological advances, human intelligence remained superior to AI.
He maintained that the principal challenge facing universities was no longer whether AI should be used, but how it should be governed in an era where information and AI-generated outputs were abundant. He praised the book’s discussion on university governance, pedagogy and institutional management in the AI era.
Dr. Koreshi warned that AI effectiveness depended heavily on sound data management and governance systems. He criticized the commercialization of higher education, saying excessive focus on profits in some private universities had compromised educational quality and values.
He further cautioned against the unchecked replacement of human decision-making with machines, highlighting risks including reinforcement of societal biases, weakening of critical thinking, creation of misleading knowledge and growing environmental pressures from energy- and water-intensive AI data centres.
Zainab Naeem, Head of Ecological Sustainability and Circular Economy at SDPI, said AI has significantly improved organizational efficiency and commended the author’s work in codifying AI ethics into a practical governance framework.
While emphasizing that AI must remain human-led, she noted that technological innovation should also promote environmental sustainability through water- and energy-efficient mechanisms as AI systems continue to expand.
Later, during the interactive session, Azhar Zia ur Rehman said AI represented a new paradigm that would fundamentally reshape expectations of students, universities, governments and industries alike. All these stakeholders, he argued, would need to redefine their roles in preparing graduates for the AI age.
He emphasized that AI should be viewed as a tool similar to earlier technological innovations such as electric typewriters and computers, rather than as a replacement for human judgment. Human oversight, he said, must remain integral to every critical AI-assisted decision.
