Sri Lanka’s inaugural National AI Awards recognised artificial intelligence projects across a range of industries at a ceremony on 30 September 2026, according to Daily FT’s report published on 6 October.
The event, organised by the Ministry of Digital Economy and SLT-Mobitel, was held at Monarch Imperial as part of the country’s AI Week activities.
Recognition across industries
The organisers reported 64 awards, including 19 Gold, 14 Silver, 12 Bronze and 18 Merit awards, together with an individual leadership award. A panel of 19 judges evaluated the entries.
Recognised areas included agriculture, healthcare, banking, education, manufacturing and media. Emojot UXI received the overall best solution recognition, while Arimac founder and CEO Chamira Prasad Jayasinghe received the leadership award.
From recognition to everyday use
An awards programme can draw attention to teams and products that potential customers might otherwise miss. For organisations considering adoption, however, an award is a starting point for investigation.
Useful questions include how a system performs on the intended task, what data it needs and how a person can review its output. Those questions remain relevant regardless of the size of the trophy cabinet.
What would show lasting progress?
Sandeshaya will look for documented use beyond demonstrations: clearly defined problems, measurable results and realistic accounts of limitations. Such evidence would help readers understand where locally developed AI is making a practical difference.
The awards provide visibility. Sustained adoption will depend on what the recognised solutions deliver in use.
