Sri Lanka pivots to Al-driven growth

SRI Lanka yesterday signalled its intent to position itself as a regional leader in the digital economy, with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya unveiling a sweeping package of education reforms, policy initiatives, and investment opportunities at the first-ever National AI Expo and Conference 2025.

- CHARUMINI DE SILVA

From embedding Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, and climate science into school curricula and upskilling 100,000 teachers, to launching a unified cybersecurity strategy, digital payment systems, and a national Al platform, the Government pledged to align human capital development with economic modernisation.

Stressing that public-private partnerships (PPPs) would be central, Dr. Amarasuriya said the National AI Expo and Conference marks a “paradigm shift” that will connect Sri Lankan startups with global technology leaders, improve productivity, reduce costs, and open new markets, while ensuring inclusivity and ethical use of AI.

She declared that AI is no longer a distant technology, but a force already shaping lives and choices.

Dr. Amarasuriya also positioned AI as the backbone of a national strategy linking education reforms, startup ecosystems, cybersecurity, and PPPs, declaring that “Sri Lanka is ready to participate in the global digital economy.”

“AI is not only a technology of the future. It is already influencing the choices we make today,” the Prime Minister said, describing the Expo as both a showcase of technology and a statement of intent.

She stressed that AI must be understood not just in terms of capability, but in how it serves society. “Our challenge is not only to ask what AI can do, but how we want it to shape our society.”

Outlining the Government’s digital agenda, Dr. Amarasuriya announced that by 2030, Sri Lanka aims to expand its digital economy to $ 15 billion, representing 12% of GDP, with $ 5 billion in digital exports and a workforce of 200,000 skilled professionals.