Pakistan’s diversified conglomerate Engro and Chinese technology giant Baidu have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore collaboration in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, research, talent development and industrial applications, the companies announced.

As per the agreement, it aims to advance AI capabilities across the region by leveraging Baidu’s full-stack AI technologies and Engro’s growing focus on digital infrastructure and technology-enabled solutions, according to Gwadar Pro.

Under the partnership, the two sides will examine opportunities to accelerate the practical adoption of AI across industries, including manufacturing, finance and operations.

“Technology is rapidly becoming a defining source of industrial competitiveness,” said Hussain Dawood, Chairman of Engro. “Organizations and economies that build the right capabilities today will be better positioned to create value, adapt to change and compete globally.”

He said the collaboration would help explore opportunities to strengthen AI capabilities, develop talent and support the adoption of practical solutions that contribute to long-term economic growth and industrial advancement across the region.

The cooperation will be advanced through PaddlePaddle, Baidu’s deep-learning framework, and will focus on four initial areas.

These include the establishment of industrial research centers equipped with a full AI technology stack to support localized and regional research and development, as well as intelligent industry workshops aimed at exploring practical AI applications across industrial and manufacturing value chains.

The partnership also plans to promote talent and innovation training through licensed AI education programs and certifications approved by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

In addition, operations and service centers will be explored to support the integration of AI into financial, industrial and operational processes.

Baidu, founded in 2000, has transformed from a leading internet company into an AI-focused technology enterprise.

The company serves more than 655 million monthly active users and has expanded its AI ecosystem across enterprise and consumer applications.

“Our AI applications continued to gain traction across enterprises and individuals alike, further validating the commercial potential of our AI innovations,” a Baidu representative said.

The companies said the planned initiatives are intended to combine skill development, industrial applications and research capabilities to support practical AI adoption and regional technological advancement.

Engro operates businesses across telecommunications infrastructure, food and agriculture, energy and allied infrastructure, petrochemicals and international trading. Its parent company, Engro Holdings, is listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange under the ticker ENGROH.

Founded in 2000, Baidu’s mission is to make the complicated world simpler through technology. Baidu is a leading AI company with strong internet foundation, trading on the NASDAQ under “BIDU” and HKEX under “9888.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China