COLOMBO, SRI LANKA – Sri Lanka will host its first-ever National AI Expo & Conference on September 29–30, 2025, marking a milestone in the country’s technological journey. The Ministry of Digital Economy confirmed that the event will unveil the nation’s comprehensive AI roadmap — a blueprint aimed at positioning Sri Lanka as a leading AI hub in the Asia-Pacific region.
The initiative aligns with the government’s ambition to grow the digital economy from an estimated US$3.5 billion in 2025 to US$15 billion by 2030, with artificial intelligence projected to contribute up to 12% of that growth.
The expo is the result of a tri-party collaboration between the Ministry of Digital Economy, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), and SLT-MOBITEL, with SLASSCOM serving as Ecosystem Partner. Officials describe it as a unified national push to accelerate AI adoption across every economic sector — from agriculture to advanced manufacturing.
“This programme reaffirms the Government’s commitment to transforming Sri Lanka into a digitally empowered nation where artificial intelligence becomes a catalyst for innovation, economic growth, and better quality of life,” said Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eng. Eranga Weeraratne.
The two-day event will feature global tech leaders, including Huawei’s Li Shi on AI infrastructure and 5G integration, and Meta executives Sandya Devanathan and Kim-Leng Hoeu, who will showcase AI applications in social platforms and business transformation.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is expected to inaugurate the event, launch a National AI Fund, and announce the creation of a Centre for AI Excellence.
Conference themes will cover responsible AI governance, ethics, sector-specific applications in healthcare, finance, education, and small-business scaling, as well as localization challenges such as Sinhala and Tamil language processing. Hands-on workshops, exhibitions, and networking sessions will connect startups, investors, academia, and industry.
Phase 2 of the programme, running from November 2025 to May 2026, will expand AI literacy and adoption to regional hubs in Jaffna, Anuradhapura, Kandy, and Matara, ensuring no community is left behind.
“It will be our legacy contribution to building a digitally inclusive and prosperous Sri Lanka,” said SLT-MOBITEL Chairman Dr. Mothilal De Silva, citing the company’s own AI tools, Hello AI and AI Pazz, as examples of practical innovation.
The event will also honour local talent through Presidential Awards for AI Innovation and aims to create an ecosystem where Sri Lankan ideas can compete globally.
More details are available at AIEXPO.LK.
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