Sri Lanka's Ministry of Digital Economy and SLT-MOBITEL have officially launched the national AI Week 2026, scheduled for late September through early October, as part of efforts to establish the country as a regional artificial intelligence centre.
The official launch of Sri Lanka AI Week 2026 took place on August 5, with the initiative organised by the Ministry of Digital Economy and telecommunications company SLT-MOBITEL. The week-long event, running from September 28 to October 4 under the theme "AI Amplified," aims to bring together key stakeholders including government officials, business leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs and students to strengthen the nation's AI development framework.
Building on momentum from the country's inaugural National AI Expo and Conference held in 2025, this year's programme will feature four main components: AI Leaders Night, AI Conference, AI Expo, and the National AI Awards. The awards initiative will recognise excellence across more than 16 economic sectors, spanning categories such as National Awards, Industry Excellence, Innovation & Future, and AI for Content.
According to Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne at the launch, Sri Lanka should transition from being a consumer of foreign technology services to developing its own AI-powered solutions. He highlighted that strengthening domestic AI capabilities and research efforts would be essential for advancing the country's export sector. SLT Group Chairman Mothilal de Silva announced the company is undertaking significant AI transformation initiatives this year, including 5G network expansion and upgrades to AI data centres.
Two new platforms were introduced during the launch: SMART AI, described as South Asia's first AI tokenisation platform, and AI Hub, a digital engagement platform intended to connect learners, academia, industry and government institutions. The launch event drew participation from senior government officials and industry representatives.
