Papua New Guinea’s state-owned broadband provider, PNG Dataco, has come on board as the platinum sponsor of the upcoming ITI AI Summit, presenting a K30,000 sponsorship package to support the event scheduled for March 6, 2026.
The cheque, valued at K20,000 in cash and K10,000 in internet capacity support, was presented yesterday afternoon at the ITI Badili campus in Port Moresby.
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ITI Chairman and Co-founder Senthil Kumaran Sentheyval thanked PNG Dataco for its continued partnership, describing the company as a long-standing supporter of the institute’s technology initiatives.
“They were the main sponsor last year and they have continued to support us. They are one of the first to come in for sponsorship again this year,” he said.
Mr. Sentheyval said the partnership goes beyond financial backing, highlighting collaboration through Oracle Academy and network connectivity support.
“They are the broadband for PNG, bringing connectivity into the country and building networks throughout the whole nation. With that speed, we can actually achieve a lot of these AI-related initiatives,” he said.
PNG Dataco Chief Executive Officer Paul Komboi said the company’s investment in the summit aligns with its mission of building digital infrastructure that enables innovation and national development.
“For Dataco, we’ve been building digital infrastructure across the country that enables platforms and applications to run. AI is advancing very, very fast, and this summit helps us understand how it is progressing,” Komboi said.
He said the company is supporting the event to promote awareness of artificial intelligence and its practical applications in professional and personal life.
“AI is a very critical tool. It can be dangerous to a certain extent, but you need to learn how to use it. This event will help people become more aware so they can use it to their advantage,” he said.
Mr Komboi also encouraged key stakeholders, particularly the Government, to participate in the summit to better understand how AI can improve service delivery.
“We want to see them come in and understand what AI can bring in terms of improving how we provide services to our people,” he said.
He revealed that PNG Dataco is in the process of finalizing a draft AI policy for the organization, noting that institutions must begin developing governance frameworks and policies around emerging technologies.
“If you come in too late, then we miss out on how we can properly incorporate it into our development journey and take advantage of it,” he said.
The ITI AI Summit, now in its second year, will bring together industry leaders, legal experts and technology practitioners to discuss the opportunities, risks and regulatory frameworks surrounding artificial intelligence in Papua New Guinea.