TLDR: Nepal has officially approved the ‘National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy 2082’ (2025), a landmark initiative aimed at creating a robust environment for AI development, expansion, and responsible use. The policy establishes comprehensive institutional, legal, and regulatory frameworks, prioritizing ethical, transparent, and inclusive AI applications across all sectors, while also addressing emerging risks such as deepfakes.
Kathmandu, Nepal – The Government of Nepal has officially approved the ‘National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy 2082’ (2025), marking a significant step towards integrating advanced technology into the nation’s development framework. The policy, approved during a Cabinet meeting in August 2025 and announced by Government Spokesperson and Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, aims to foster an ethical, transparent, and inclusive AI ecosystem across various sectors.
The policy’s vision is to achieve ethical, safe, and human-centric AI development in Nepal, with a mission to promote inclusive and sustainable socio-economic growth through the responsible use of AI. Key goals include increasing ICT’s contribution to GDP by 1% through AI, ranking Nepal among the top 50 countries in the AI Readiness Index, training 5,000 AI professionals within five years, establishing AI excellence centers in all seven provinces, and ensuring AI literacy from the school level upwards.
The National AI Policy 2082 is built upon six core pillars designed to create a comprehensive human-centric AI ecosystem. These pillars include: Ecosystem building (legal frameworks, institutional arrangements, and infrastructure), Education and research (prioritizing AI-related study, research, and skilled human resource development), Sectoral application (utilizing AI in agriculture, health, education, tourism, finance, energy, and governance), Entrepreneurship and industry support (encouraging startups, innovation, and investment), Public service delivery (making government services efficient, transparent, and citizen-friendly), and Ethics and risk management (ensuring AI use minimizes risks and upholds ethical standards).
The policy lays out a comprehensive institutional, legal, and regulatory framework to ensure AI technologies are used responsibly, emphasizing ethical standards, transparency, and accountability in all AI-related activities. It also includes crucial risk management strategies to address threats like deepfakes, ensuring the protection of citizen rights, privacy, and data security.
Expert organizations, including the Center for Cyber Security Research and Innovation (CSRI Nepal), Nepal Police Security Emergency Response Team (npCERT), and the Internet Governance Institute (IGI), provided valuable input, presenting a 10-point recommendation concept paper to Minister Gurung. Their recommendations emphasized a human-centric approach, focusing on clear prioritization of AI initiatives, defined deadlines and responsibilities, strong monitoring and evaluation, capacity development, multi-sector cooperation, and prioritizing ethics and inclusiveness. Experts believe that the policy presents a golden opportunity for Nepal, with Advocate Aryal stressing that a well-prepared policy will foster innovation and empower AI entrepreneurs.
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Furthermore, the policy promotes robust investment in AI research and development to foster innovation and support the growth of a domestic AI ecosystem, envisioning Nepal as a hub for AI solutions tailored to its unique socio-economic context. It also highlights the importance of public-private partnerships to accelerate AI adoption and innovation. The strategic objectives aim to build a reliable AI ecosystem, boost economic productivity, improve public services, and strengthen governance, positioning Nepal as an active participant in the global AI landscape while addressing local socioeconomic challenges.
