Pakistani students receive the award for exemplary utilisation of artificial intelligence.
The Embassy of Pakistan in Manila has declared that a student team from Pakistan has attained distinguished accolades at the 2025 Asia-Pacific (APAC) Solution Challenge, a prominent global technology competition endorsed by Google and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Among over 750 teams from 12 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Team GeoGemma from the Institute of Space Technology (IST), Islamabad, received the Best AI Use Award. The competition’s Top 10 finalists comprised teams from South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
GeoGemma’s innovative solution utilises satellite imagery and artificial intelligence via the Gemini API to provide early warning alerts and risk assessments for disaster-prone regions.
Their system possesses life-saving capabilities through the application of geospatial technology. The team, consisting of Ahmed Iqbal, Hanzila Bin Younas, Khalil Ur Rehman, and Abdullah Asif, received commendation for its innovative application of geospatial technology in disaster preparedness.
Team i+1 from NUCES FAST has also brought pride to Pakistan by attaining a position among the Top 10 finalists. Their AI-driven document classifier, also created using Gemini tools, seeks to enhance the accessibility of complex texts for neurodivergent individuals, fostering inclusivity and knowledge acquisition.
To commemorate their accomplishments, Dr. Asima Rabbani, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Philippines, hosted both teams at her official residence. She praised the contributions of academic mentors, institutions, and competition organisers, highlighting that these achievements indicate Pakistan’s increasing potential in the global AI and innovation landscape.
