Who is the father of AI?

The father of artificial intelligence (AI) is considered to be American computer scientist John McCarthy. He was the first to formally introduce the term artificial intelligence in 1955 and founded the field of AI research at the DartSouth Conference in 1956.

Additionally, the contributions of scientists like Alan Turing, Geoffrey Hilton, and Yann LeCun to the development of modern AI and deep learning technologies are undeniable.

Our location:

AI seems very new in our country. However, AI was discovered in 1955. A long time has passed. But we have started to learn something about AI since 2024. The use of AI in our education and work life is very limited.

The use of artificial intelligence or AI has created a stir around the world. It is rapidly changing the landscape of our workplace. Although our pace is quite slow compared to developed countries, Bangladesh has been hit by the wind of change. Various organizations in the country are turning to the use of AI-based technology to increase the speed of work and reduce costs. As a result, on the one hand, the risks of some traditional jobs are increasing,

On the other hand, the demand for completely new types of professions and skills is increasing. Especially in the information technology, creative sectors, content-based customer service and manufacturing sectors, the discussion on the impact of AI is at the forefront. In such a time of transformation, the question is which sectors in Bangladesh are facing the most changes? And what kind of preparation do professionals need to survive in this changing market?

Scope of AI:

The use of AI in Bangladesh is most visible in the banking sector, telecommunications, media and customer service. This technology is mainly being used for complex data analysis, shortening the recruitment process, fraud detection, chatbot management, quality control and content creation. Apart from this, the use of this technology in the education and health sectors is increasing day by day.

Use of AI in Bangladesh:

Among the AI ​​tools, ‘ChatGPT’ is the most popular. It is gaining popularity in our country as well. It is used for various purposes, starting from content writing, institutional research, translation, coding. Along with this tool, the use of visual tools like Canva AI feature, Adobe Firefly and Midjourney in the design and marketing sector is increasing day by day. However, the use of AI is still experimental in most domestic organizations. Everyone believes that its use will become widespread in the next few years. The impact of AI in our country is generally more needed in ‘white collar’ or office jobs. Its use in the technical or manufacturing sector is still quite low. However, new jobs will be created due to AI. Our main focus should be on increasing various new skills, including technical ones, then the fear of AI will be completely eliminated.

New Opportunity Creation vs. Risk:

There is a fear of job losses due to artificial intelligence all over the world. Many people think that the arrival of AI will reduce employment. Old people will lose their jobs. However, studies by various international organizations have shown that even though traditional jobs will decrease, the number of new technology-based jobs will increase. New jobs will be created. In the current situation, professions such as data entry and clerical work, basic customer service or telecaller, and general graphic design and transcription are at the highest risk. On the other hand, sectors such as data science, AI engineering, cybersecurity, automation management, and strategic decision-making and highly creative work are considered relatively safe and emerging.

Rather than increasing or decreasing employment, AI is changing the nature of work. According to a report by the US media outlet CNN, work that was previously done by a single person is now being done partly by AI, partly by humans, and the rest by humans and new technology-based tools.

This wind of change in the world should be taken as a positive. AI is now an inevitable reality. It cannot be feared, but rather some efforts should be made to acquire strategies on how to use it in one’s own work. The skills of people in different professions should be enhanced. Nationally, our

Initiatives need to be taken. The government needs to take more strategic, policy-based cooperative programs in this regard.

Skill acquisition at workplace:

To survive in the workplace of the future, a mere formal degree or specific technical education is not enough. Knowledge and use of AI have become essential in almost all professions. In the future market, along with data analysis, programming, cybersecurity and digital marketing, some human qualities will be valued much more. Among these, critical thinking, the ability to solve complex problems, effective communication and teamwork skills, and the ability to make creative decisions will become the main driving forces of career.

The ability to regularly learn new skills and adapt quickly to changing technology will be the most important qualifications in the future job market.

Status of our universities:

With the increasing demand for AI, our country’s government universities are lagging behind. No university has been able to officially launch a separate department. In some government universities, various courses related to AI are being taught in the departments of Computer Science and Information Technology. That too is very insignificant.

In this regard, private universities are far ahead. The current North South University and BRAC University have launched AI departments. Many universities, especially Eastern University, have launched some courses. Eastern University will launch AI departments. Due to the expensive labs and lack of skilled teachers, not everyone is able to launch AI departments. Due to the lack of skilled teachers in government universities, it can be said that AI is not practiced. Creating skilled teachers is now the need of the hour.

What to do now:

1. Our country’s universities are lagging behind in market-oriented education plans. Especially public universities. However, BUET, Dhaka University and Shabiprabi Universities are somewhat ahead. All universities need to make major changes in the curriculum. We should work quickly to revise the curriculum and give utmost importance to AI subjects.

2. Seminars and symposiums on the concept and necessity of AI should be held frequently. Although AI was introduced around the world in 1955, AI is still unknown in our country. The government must come forward in this regard. Every government and private university must provide financial assistance to set up AI labs. Urgent steps must be taken for teacher training. All Bangladeshi teachers abroad must be given the opportunity to teach about AI in the country.

3. AI subjects should be introduced at the school level and college level. The government should play a special role in this regard. AI education should be introduced in English medium schools and colleges. In the meantime, the introduction of AI department has been made mandatory in the mistakes made in the IB curriculum.

4. The government will take up the project of creating textbooks on AI subjects at school, college and university levels. Beautiful, simple textbooks are very important. If the textbooks contain the necessary subjects in simple language, it will be difficult to introduce AI in schools, colleges and universities.

Above all, we have to move forward in line with the needs of the world. AI has now become essential in every aspect of life. More knowledge and practice about AI will make our economy and life easier.

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The present government has been putting its efforts for last several years to build Bangladesh as a developed and resourceful country and has been trying to go forward with this mission with various plans in hand. The government has taken up the year 2041 in special consideration with the resolution to build Bangladesh as Sonar Bangla (Bengal of gold) as was dreamt during the war of liberation. Already Governments’ long-term development plan called Vision- 2041 has been approved by the National Economic Council (NEC). The Planning Commission of Bangladesh has approved it at a meeting of the Commission entitled: Translating the ‘Vision-2041’ into reality held on 25 February, 2020.

We have already stepped into the year 2021, but so far no significant discussion was held on this gigantic plan during the last one year. This important issue remained unobserved to all mainly due to Covid-19 pandemic situation in 2020. Ample discussions, seminar, symposium, workshop and so on will certainly follow on the issue in future through which this gigantic plan will go through thorough changes and revisions. Its strengths, weaknesses and potentials will be highlighted through presentation of new information and insights. We, too, however, make attempts to understand the trends of Bangladesh economy and we can also through discussion try to realize the 198 page planning document and its contents: what is there in it and how have those have been presented in it.

Two main themes have been laid at the foundation of the Vision- 2041 as its corner stones: first, Bangladesh will be a developed country with more than $12,500 per capita income and second, Bangladesh will become the Bengal of Gold where poverty will be a forgotten history, a long past memory. On the way to translating these dreams into reality, there will be a lot of changes during the forthcoming two decades in the style and working pattern in agriculture, industry, trade and commerce, education, health, transportation and communication and so on. Emphasis has been given on this matter that benefits of these changes taking place serially shall be distributed among all strata of the society. The Vision-2021 Context Document has been detailed in 12 chapters. The first chapter of this Vision- 2041 contains a title: “Towards a high income economy. In Chapter I under title: Beginning with Enthusiasm, to build a poverty and hunger free, corruption and exploitation free rich country Bangladesh which was the dream of the Father of the Nation throughout his life as the target to begin with. In order to translate this dream into reality, the target to be achieved for average growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country has been fixed at the rate of 9.02% per annum over the coming two decades. As a result of growth at this rate, Bangladesh will become an upper middle income country by 2031 with national per capita income of $3,271. The population of Bangladesh in 2041 will be 210.3 million (21 crore 3 lakh) with an annual per capita income of $12,500. Population under extreme poverty with $ 2.16 daily income will be reduced to only 0.68%. On the other hand, poor population with $3.20 income per day will be only 2.59%. This may be described as an incident which is like making impossible possible. In order to achieve this target, commitment has been expressed to work on strategic activities including developing export oriented industrialisation, increasing agricultural productivity, expansion of urbanisation, skilled petroleum and infrastructure management and skilled manpower development and so on.

Chapter II of the Vision-2041 includes commitment for ensuring institutional foundation and good governance. This plan is dependent upon four fundamental pillars including: good governance, democratisation, decentralisation and capacity building. Improving the qualitative standard of the political institutions is being looked after with care. In the Vision-2041, firm resolution has been expressed to develop financial institutions just as in the much talked of book entitled: Why Nations Fail the need for inclusive financial institutions has been mentioned repeatedly. In regard to judicial system, it has been said that one has to carry out one’s duties independently with honesty and competence adding that only then it will be possible to establish good governance and bring about development without discrimination in the country.

Chapter III has been entitled: Structure of collective economy for accelerating inclusive growth towards a high income economy. In this chapter, specific year-wise targets have been fixed for achieving over the coming two decades for collective economy related issues and factors including real sectors (such as financial sectors like GDP, inflation, investment, population); financial sectors (revenue collection, development expenditure); debt related (internal and foreign debt flow); external economy (remittance flow, import-export, exchange rate, current account balance); currency related (broad money, neat asset). For instance, it can be said that at present contribution of direct tax in revenue income is 30% only which will hit 50% by 2041. It has been mentioned that digital technology based revenue administration will be developed. Investment profile will be 46.88% which is currently 32.76% only. By the year 2041, export income will increase to as high as $300 b from present $50 b per annum. In an interview Dr. Akbar Ali khan said, over the last 49 years, ‘Many an indicators of poverty have been missing from Bangladesh’.
In continuity of this trend, firm resolution has been expressed towards building a poverty free Bangladesh by the year 2041 in Chapter IV of Vision-2041. The SDG principles have been taken as source of inspiration, not as a means to overtake others. We have to understand that tomorrow’s labor market will be skill based. That’s why to ensure access of the poor community in the future changing labor market, they will be developed as skilled manpower. With a view to reducing income discrimination/gap in the society, one of the future state machinery’s important jobs will be to improve debt market, ensure equitable distribution of wealth/ resource, and expansion of social security belt for the poor community.

According to UNDP’s Report 2019, with a human development indicator score at 0.614, Bangladesh’s position is 135th in the world. Needless to say, it’s an urgent and important task to bring about improvement on this indicator.

In Chapter V entitled: ‘Earning human development and geometric dividend through quality education’ the work plan for establishment of knowledge based economic structure has been discussed. Decisions have been taken to increase expenditure in health and education sectors for expansion of universal healthcare services, technical and vocational education etc. In education and health sectors, the amount of expenditure in public sector had been 2.0% and 0.75% of GDP only in 2019 respectively which will be increased to 4.0% and 2.o% respectively.
In the developed countries of the world, contribution of service sector does comprise usually 70-80% in GDP, but in our country contribution of service sector was 51.82% only in 2019. On the way to development, the transformation of our economy will take place from agriculture to industry sector. This will necessitate, among others, coordinated application of interrelated trade and industrial policies.

To this end, in Chapter VII entitled: ‘Industrialization, export diversification and employment generation in the world order’ commitment has been made toward elimination of infrastructural barriers, improvement of skill standard of the labor force, conducting innovative research at every stage of production, improving trade environment, financing through public-private-partnership (PPP), and ensuring climate resilience. At present, power and petroleum sectors have marked considerable improvement. 5,823 megawatt power generation in 2010 has reached to 18,961 megawatt in 2019. In the coming years demand for power and petroleum will no doubt increase considerably. By the year 2041, demand for power in Bangladesh is likely to increase to 51,000 megawatt.

Chapter VIII entitled: ‘Sustainable Power and petroleum for a high income country’ explains how Bangladesh will gain the capacity to produce 56,734 megawatt power by 2041, according to strategies detailed in this chapter. During this period, nuclear technology will add to the power sector. In 2041, arrangement for fuel will be like: gas-35%, coal-35%, nuclear-12%, liquid oil-1%, vapour-1% while the rest 16% shall have to be imported. In this chapter, plan has been drawn to create an innovative economy for Bangladesh through nourishing an ICT and scientific research by 2041. It has been committed in this chapter that existing 35.7% ICT accessibility of the people will be increased to 85% in 2041, thus enabling Bangladesh to acquire 20th position in the world.
Chapter X has been entitled: ‘Construction of transport and communication infrastructure for continued speedy growth’. In this chapter, slow pace of project implementation has been identified as the biggest challenge. In the coming days, to enrich export storehouse, import of heavy machinery and required raw materials will be needed. Speedy and timely inflow of products as well as external communication will also be necessary for Bangladesh. Other needed actions will include: MRT and metro rail connection, inter-city communication, increasing existing 25-30 km/h speed at highway corridor to 80-100 km/h, upgrading all rail lines to broad gauze system and setting up modern traffic signal system, upgrading shipping anchor day and gang shift, upgrading navigability by improving through dredging, river training and construction of embankment; setting up additional run way and taxi way at the airports, gradually realizing levies/service charge etc from the users of the highways in coming two decades.

Urbanization and development are very deeply and positively related to each other. Due to high density economy the urban areas will function as the main driving force of growth. Like the developed countries, 80% of Bangladesh’s total population will live in urban areas by the year 2041. That’s why chapter XI contains this matter under title: ‘System of urban changeability in a high income economy’. Already government is advancing with “My village my Town” policy under which work is going on to expand all urban facilities to the village. Commitment has been expressed to carry on with urban development plans centering round each district in place of Dhaka centric development. Large-scale public and private investment will be increased to improve urban air quality, public transport, and sewer and drainage systems.

In chapter XII, efforts for climate resilience issue has been detailed under the title: ‘Uncovering a dynamic lively deltaic land, ensuring sustainable environment development and development of a climate resilient nation and the potentials of a Suneelorthoneeti (Blue/Ocean economy)’. It has been mentioned that swelling of tidal surge, salinity, flooding, river erosion, and sea tidal surges have been the order of the day in Bangladesh since long which are a barrier to our development. Under the formulated delta plan-2100, priority has been given on accumulation of blue ocean economic resources (fish, sea-weed, mineral resources etc) in this Vision-2041.

Context Planning is undoubtedly a well written ambitious development document. Maybe, to the conscious mind, some incompatibilities might be found as well. Twenty years from today, some hopes and aspirations might remain unachieved. Honorable economists will, probably, come forward with some criticisms, questions and even self-criticisms in various ways. In the limited scope of this article I don’t want to deal with such issues. On the contrary, let us be self-confident, especially by viewing the past success stories, especially, the Padma Bridge, Metro rail, Karnaphuli tunnel, and nuclear reactor/power station that highly strengthens our self-confidence.

The Context Planning 2021-2041 is basically a strategic statement of development vision, objectives and goals of the government toward achieving an enriched and prosperous Bangladesh within a period of two decades only and these will serve as guide/pathway blueprint to implementing the same. And following this guideline, we will gain a developed, enriched and prosperous country Bangladesh by the year 2041.

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