Bridging the digital divide: Darshan Parajuli’s journey to leading AI innovation in Nepal

Darshan Parajuli, from Hetuada, started his education at Nepal Police School. He pursued management for his higher education. His interest then shifted to development studies, which he pursued at the Asian College of Journalism. This marked a significant turning point in his career.

His exposure to development, business, and economics during his studies, coupled with his involvement in organizing events and motivational seminars, cemented his interest in entrepreneurship. It ultimately led to the founding of Offering Happiness in 2017.

In 2020, Parajuli traveled to the US to attend the UN Youth Assembly. He got a chance to explore various parts of the country and observe the advancements in development and technology. As a student with a background in social studies, he pondered how these innovations could impact society, especially considering the digital divide between Nepal and the US. During his visit, he toured renowned tech companies such as Apple, Google, and Facebook, gaining firsthand experience in cutting-edge AI technology. It sparked his curiosity in the field.

“It was an incredible opportunity to experience something that felt so realistic, as if it were right in front of you,” says Parajuli.

After spending a year in the US, he returned to Nepal. He wanted to do something to close the digital gap in Nepal. During that time, Parajuli received a scholarship from the South Asian Foundation and attended the Asian College of Journalism. There he says he was surrounded by brilliant minds and had the chance to meet Devdas Rajaram, the co-founder of Now Age Storytelling, who remains his mentor to this day.

“He taught me about future technological advancements and everything related to AI,” says Parajuli.

At the Asian College of Journalism, he studied cutting-edge technology and global journalism trends, which significantly broadened his perspective. It was here that he first encountered ChatGPT prior to its official release. “It was an experience that influenced my understanding of AI,” he says.

While continuing to explore new opportunities, Parajuli conceived the idea for TeachMe AI. The organization’s mission is to build an AI community in Nepal, aiming to make AI technology easy and accessible. He believed that this was an especially thrilling and transformative era for technology, particularly in the context of Nepal’s advancements.

As a developing nation, Nepal had been lagging behind, but with the advent of the internet, new information became instantly accessible to the public. Recognizing the digital gap between Nepal and the West, Parajuli saw AI as a powerful tool to bridge this divide.

With this vision, TeachMe AI was officially launched in February 2023.

Since its inception, the organization has been working to raise awareness about AI in Nepal, where discussions on the subject have been sparse. TeachMe AI aims to educate people on how AI can simplify lives by conducting workshops and seminars and advocating for a Nepali version of ChatGPT.

However, the organization faces challenges due to stereotypes surrounding AI usage. Parajuli says, “When people use or get help from something like ChatGPT, many consider it a form of cheating and tend to hide it. They don’t recognize that, when used correctly, AI can make tasks much easier.”

Promoting AI in Nepal comes with significant challenges, he adds. Little has been done in this area. Many people in Nepal aren’t ready to accept AI, and there is a notable absence of a strategic plan for AI development. Despite numerous attempts to prompt government action, there has been little progress in establishing a robust AI policy. Nonetheless, Parajuli believes Nepal should strive for greater advancements in AI.

“One of the major challenges we face is keeping up with the exponential growth in this sector,” he says. “Even as someone working in AI, staying updated on the latest developments is difficult.”

Parajuli says he believes that AI will revolutionize education. Over time, AI will transform the teaching and learning processes. With AI, acquiring knowledge becomes more accessible and faster through advanced language models. Additionally, AI can assist teachers in focusing on individual students, tailoring their support to each student’s unique needs and difficulty levels.

One of the primary goals of TeachMe AI is to support the implementation of AI policies. By doing so, the organization aims to educate students on the ethical use of AI. TeachMe AI seeks to empower students through a variety of courses, literacy workshops, and educational programs that emphasize ethical considerations in AI. This approach ensures that students learn how to use AI responsibly and effectively, enhancing their educational experience.

As the founder, Parajuli is working towards building a dedicated team to implement his knowledge and experiences in Nepal. He is optimistic about the future, believing that AI can become a reality in Nepal just as it did in the Silicon Valley. Although it will take some time due to the current knowledge gap among people, he remains hopeful that AI will eventually be embraced and developed in Nepal. His vision includes not only the technical implementation of AI but also fostering a deeper understanding and acceptance of AI technologies.

Many people today are concerned that AI, as a rapidly advancing technology, might soon take over numerous jobs. This worry looms at the back of everyone’s mind. However, Parajuli offers a different perspective. “People are discussing how AI might replace their jobs, but no one is talking about how many new jobs AI is creating. The number is five hundred million.”

“When something new is introduced, it's natural for people to question it. Think of AI as your friend and use it as your co-pilot. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that AI actually makes everything easier,” he says. The key, he adds, is to view AI as a tool that can augment human capabilities, making tasks more efficient and creating new kinds of work that didn’t exist before.