Source: Samakal
First Published: August 14, 2025
Worldwide, artificial intelligence (AI) is not just a step in technological progress, but the driving force of the biggest transformation since the industrial revolution. From healthcare to finance, agriculture to manufacturing—AI’s impact is evident in every sector. However, the biggest barrier to adopting this technology is a shortage of skilled personnel. According to a recent survey, 76% of major organizations globally have admitted to lacking experienced AI specialists, and 93% believe that AI will be an ‘essential’ technology for survival in the future.
This shortage of experts is a global phenomenon. Even in large tech markets like India, it is estimated that only half of the upcoming AI demand can be met in the next 5–10 years. World Economic Forum data indicates that in the past year alone, demand for AI-related skills has increased fivefold. The advent of generative AI (such as ChatGPT) has accelerated this trend further. Many organizations are now creating new roles like ‘Prompt Engineer’ or ‘AI Specialist’, positions that were unimaginable just a few years ago.
This skills gap is rapidly boosting the trend of outsourcing services. Since hiring AI specialists is costly, many organizations now rely on external service providers. Nearly 90% of major entrepreneurs say they need outside training or experts to prepare their workforce for AI.
This is where opportunity opens for Bangladesh. The country has a large youth workforce rapidly acquiring digital skills. Over the past decade, the IT and outsourcing sectors have seen significant expansion. By 2025, Bangladesh’s IT sector could reach a market value of $4.8 billion, with many general software development services also gaining importance. Currently, the BPO industry generates around $850 million in annual revenue and creates employment for over 80,000 people.
It’s crucial to direct this growth toward AI and data science services. Already, some of our companies have started employing AI in areas like customer service automation, financial analytics, and marketing data analysis. To capitalize on this opportunity, a well-organized roadmap is needed. Strategically, in the first phase—within the next 1–2 years—we should leverage existing capabilities to launch small but significant AI-related services. For example, data labeling and annotation, which are essential for training AI models. Likewise, by automating customer service with chatbots and voicebots, we can build an ‘AI-ready’ reputation in the international market. Additionally, by adding machine learning–based predictive analytics, the value of existing data analytics services can be significantly enhanced.
As part of this preparation, prioritizing training and skills development for employees is essential. Bangladesh’s strategy cannot ignore regional competition. Bengaluru in India, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, and Manila in the Philippines have already established strong positions in AI-driven service exports. However, our comparatively lower costs, English language proficiency, and large young population provide us with distinct advantages. Through proper market positioning, we can stay ahead in this competition. In the longer term—within 3 to 5 years—our goal should be to create industry-specific specialized AI solutions. Using local expertise, it is possible to develop world-class solutions for sectors like garments, agriculture, banking and mobile finance, healthcare, and transportation. Examples include defect detection with machine vision in garments, disease diagnosis models in agriculture, or X-ray/MRI analysis in healthcare—these are not only exportable, but can become distinctive strengths for Bangladesh.
At the same time, transitioning from project-based services to product-based models is important. Developing AI platforms would allow many clients to use them via subscription, creating scalable and sustainable revenue streams. For this, investment in research and development is crucial. Bangladeshi AI experts abroad can play a significant role in this journey. By building a ‘Global Bangladesh AI Network’, local skills can be enhanced through remote mentoring, training, and joint projects.
For local startups and SME entrepreneurs, specialized funds should be established to provide access to AI data servers, mentorship, and international market connections. AI development must be made inclusive. Only then will it truly mark the beginning of technology-driven economic transformation.
Dr. Mashiur Rahman:
Engineering Manager, Omron Healthcare Singapore
[email protected]
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