AI to drive 10–12% of Sri Lanka’s digital economy by 2030 – PM

September 29, 2025 at 12:53 PM

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said the National AI Expo and Conference is set to become a regular fixture in Sri Lanka’s technology event calendar, underscoring the government’s commitment to building a robust digital economy.

Speaking at the inaugural event in Colombo, organized by the Ministry of Digital Economy and SLT-Mobitel, the Prime Minister said Sri Lanka’s goals were “ambitious but essential.”

By 2030, Sri Lanka aims to grow its digital economy to USD 15 billion — equivalent to 12% of GDP — with USD 5 billion in digital exports and a workforce of 200,000 skilled professionals, Prime Minister Amarasuriya said.

“AI is projected to contribute 10 to 12% of our digital economy growth by 2030. We want to show every citizen that digital tools can improve daily life and create more opportunities,” she said. “Technology must have a human face. It has to be about people, which is why technology and education must go hand in hand.”

“The value of technology lies in how we use it to solve problems, to create opportunity. I have often been described by friends, that I am late to technology and skeptical of adapting to technology. But I think skeptics are also needed, because we insist on making sure that technology is used for humans users, for human problems and not just as a fad or fashion,” she added. (Newswire)