AI is coming to Nepal either way. The real question is who’s in charge

Last month, Nepal took government systems offline to patch two critical PHP flaws, a reminder that sovereignty starts with knowing what we run and being able to change it. The stakes extend well beyond government servers. Technological advancements have reshaped how we live, interact and communicate.

The most pervasive technology of our times is AI, which is now integral to business, administration, innovation, and almost all human function. Its importance can be gauged from the fact that today the question for countries worldwide is not whether to implement AI but to implement in a way to serve national interests without compromising autonomy and sovereignty. AI in Nepal can be a gateway to progress and prosperity, ensuring equitable access to education and enabling businesses, specifically small and mid-sized enterprises, to compete in the global market.

This said, technology needs to be implemented responsibly in a way that the country retains its sovereignty and doesn’t become subservient to foreign-controlled data and systems.