Digital Media Foundation

Government receives AI summit report, stakeholders stress need for collaboration

A comprehensive report of the National Summit on Artificial Intelligence 2025 has been formally submitted to the Government of Nepal, marking a key outcome of a multistakeholder policy dialogue aimed at shaping the country’s AI and digital technology future.

A delegation representing the summit’s organizing committee handed over the report to Secretary at the Ministry of Communication, Information and Technology, Laxmi Kumari Basnet, amid a brief ceremony held at Ministry on Monday, March 23, 2026.
Receiving the report, Secretary Basnet appreciated the effort to convene a national-level platform that brought together voices from government, private sector, academia, civil society and international organizations. She said the government would take the findings and recommendations seriously.

Basnet introduced recently established an AI center within the ministry as initial step in implementing National AI Policy commenced last year. “We are on the way in implementing every visions outlined in the policy. Contributions from stakeholders are critical in this phase,” she said, expressing the ministry’s openness to continued collaboration in sharing knowledge and expertise.
The report follows the second National AI Summit held in Kathmandu on September 6, 2025, which gathered a wide range of stakeholders to deliberate on opportunities, risks and governance challenges of artificial intelligence in Nepal’s national context.

The summit emphasised AI as a tool for development, inclusion and public service delivery, while also raising concerns around challenges such as misinformation, regulation and digital divide.
Prabesh Subedi, chair of the organising committee and president of Digital Media Foundation, said the summit evolved into a “truly national dialogue” through engagement and contributions made by diverse partners. He added that the discussions helped generate forward-looking conclusions on Nepal’s AI future.

Santosh Babu Sigdel, founding president of Digital Rights Nepal, stressed that meaningful engagement across sectors is essential to respond to the challenges posed by rapidly evolving technologies. He cautioned against restrictive approaches, urging policymakers to prioritise innovation-friendly frameworks over regressive regulation.

Similarly, Bikash Gurung, president of the Robotics Association of Nepal, reaffirmed the AI community’s readiness to support the government in building a progressive and people-centric digital ecosystem.

The report consolidates key discussions, insights and recommendations from various sessions of the summit, covering areas such as governance, public service delivery, media, finance, and emerging risks of AI. The document is expected to serve as a reference for policymakers and stakeholders as Nepal advances its AI agenda.

Open Internet Nepal(ISOC Nepal) is proud to co-host the 2nd National Summit on Artificial Intelligence.

📅 6 September 2025
📍 Hotel Himalaya, Lalitpur
🎯 Theme: AI and Development – Bridging Gaps, Building Opportunities

Join 300+ experts, policymakers, and innovators for keynotes, panels, and an AI exhibition.

🔗 Register here: ai.dmf.org.np

We are pleased to introduce our panel members and moderator for the upcoming session:
Breaking the Barriers: AI to Facilitate High-Quality Health Services in Low-Resource Setups
Join us for an insightful discussion with our esteemed panelists and moderator, who are at the forefront of AI and healthcare in Nepal.
Panel Members:
-Dr. Yagya Raj Pandeya, Head, Department of Artificial Intelligence at Kathmandu University
-Mr. Ashish Lamichhane, Programme Analyst, Data at UNFPA Nepal
-Mr. Mahesh Shakya, Research Associate, NAAMI
-Er. Sudarshan Sharma, IT Consultant, Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC)
Moderator:
-Mr. Rabiraj Baral, Founder/Editor, Media Kurakani
Stay tuned for the session date and time. We look forward to seeing you there! Nepal UNESCO Office in Kathmandu Robotics Association of Nepal [RAN] Ncell Business NABIL BANK Muktinath Bikas Bank Ltd. NABIL BANK Prabhu Bank and DishHome

We're thrilled to introduce the esteemed panelists and moderator for our upcoming session, Money and More: AI for Financial Transformation in Nepal.
Meet our distinguished speakers who will be sharing their expertise and insights:

-Hon. Mr. Yogesh Bhattarai, Member of Federal Parliament and Former Minister
-Mr. Manoj Gyawali, CEO, Nabil Bank Limited
-Mr. Manoj KC, Chief Information Officer, DishHome
-Ms. Astha Bhatta, Program Specialist at Institute for Integrated Development Studies
-Moderator is Mr. Sanjib S***a, Founder of Kathmandu Fintek.

Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting event!
Thanks to UNDP Nepal UNESCO Office in Kathmandu Robotics Association of Nepal [RAN] Ncell Business NABIL BANK Muktinath Bikas Bank Ltd. Rastriya Banijya Bank Prabhu Bank and DishHome

🌍💡 How can developing nations keep pace in the global AI race? Hear from international and national experts at the National AI Summit 2025 this Saturday, Sept 6, at Hotel Himalaya!
For registration and details:
https://ai.dmf.org.np

This Saturday! Let’s sit together for a meaningful conversation on the most critical topics of our time!