COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has announced a major national artificial intelligence initiative aimed at accelerating the country’s digital economic transformation and strengthening its position as a regional AI hub.
Sri Lanka AI Week 2026, jointly organised by the Ministry of Digital Economy, GovTech Sri Lanka and SLT-Mobitel, will be held from 28 September to 4 October, 2026, across multiple venues in Colombo. The week-long programme, themed “AI Amplified”, builds on the inaugural National AI Exhibition and Summit held in 2025 and is expected to bring together policymakers, global technology leaders, industry executives, researchers, innovators, students and the wider public.
The official announcement was made at a press conference attended by Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne, Ministry Secretary and Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka Chairman Waruna Sri Dhanapala, Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy and GovTech Sri Lanka Chairman Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, SLT Group Chairman Dr Mothilal de Silva, and SLT-Mobitel Chief Executive Officer Riyaaz Rasheed, along with senior officials from the ministry, GovTech and SLT-Mobitel.
As part of the launch, Deputy Minister Weeraratne officially unveiled the Sri Lanka AI Week 2026 website and delivered the keynote address. He said human progress had moved from the Stone Age through the Information Age into the present “IQ Era”, stressing that Sri Lanka must shift from being a passive consumer of global technology to an active producer of AI solutions.
He said strengthening the local IT sector with AI capabilities based on research and development would be vital to achieving the national target of US$5 billion in technology export revenue. The broader government ambition is to expand Sri Lanka’s digital economy from US$3 billion to US$15 billion by 2030.
This year’s expanded programme will include an AI Leaders Night, a two-day AI Conference, a multi-zone AI Expo and the National AI Awards. The AI Leaders Night will convene global leaders, policymakers and chief executives for an exclusive networking dinner, while the conference will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions and workshops covering AI policy, enterprise transformation and emerging technologies.
The AI Expo will be open to businesses, students and the public, showcasing practical artificial intelligence applications across major industry sectors. The National AI Awards will recognise achievement across more than 16 sectors under four categories: National Awards, Industry Excellence, Innovation & Future, and AI for Content.
Organisers said the 2026 edition has been significantly broadened with the involvement of regional and global partners. Its core focus will be on international knowledge exchange, technology exhibition and national recognition for Sri Lankan innovators and researchers.
Deputy Minister Weeraratne also outlined the ministry’s intention to democratise access to AI beyond Colombo. This effort is expected to be supported by sovereign digital infrastructure under the DIGIECON 2030 and SLUDI projects, as well as plans to establish a dedicated National AI Institute.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Mothilal de Silva said 2026 would mark the largest AI transformation in SLT’s history. He said SLT-Mobitel was fully committed to positioning Sri Lanka as a Regional AI Center by accelerating 5G rollout, modernising IP infrastructure and upgrading data centres to AI-ready status.
The launch also featured the unveiling of two AI-driven platforms by SLT-Mobitel. SMART AI, described as South Asia’s first AI tokenisation platform, will allow customers to purchase AI token credits directly through their SLT-Mobitel connectivity, with the aim of making access to leading AI tools simpler and more affordable.
The second platform, AI Hub, is being positioned as Sri Lanka’s national AI engagement platform. It is intended to connect learners, researchers, academics, industry and government through a single digital ecosystem offering training, research collaboration, career opportunities and innovation challenges.
The press conference also highlighted the importance of online safety as AI adoption expands. Theekshana Kumara, founder of Child Friendly Internet, addressed the gathering on the need to protect children and young users in the AI era, while organisers underlined the shared responsibility of creating a safer and more child-friendly internet.
For Sri Lanka’s technology professionals, entrepreneurs and diaspora communities connected to the country’s digital and start-up ecosystem, the expanded AI Week is expected to provide a fresh platform for engagement with policymakers, industry leaders and innovators shaping the island’s AI strategy.
Organisers said Sri Lanka AI Week 2026 would bring together government, academia, industry, innovators and international partners in an effort to translate the country’s artificial intelligence ambitions into measurable outcomes and establish Sri Lanka as South Asia’s premier AI technology hub.
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