Doha, Qatar: Qatar is pushing to be an active leader — not a passive follower — in the global artificial intelligence race, officials declared at the 'Lead the Era of AI' event co-hosted by Microsoft Qatar and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) in Doha. The event, held under the patronage of Minister HE Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, also marked the second anniversary of Microsoft's cloud data centre region in Qatar.
Qatar's National AI Strategy Takes Shape
Sami Al Shammari, Assistant Undersecretary for Infrastructure and Operations Affairs at MCIT, outlined Qatar's determination to be a shaper of the global AI future rather than a mere participant. He pointed to the partnership with Microsoft as a key driver — one that has delivered cloud solutions, stronger cybersecurity, and AI-optimised public services.
Al Shammari described the National AI Strategy as a commitment to a future where artificial intelligence touches every facet of life, the economy, and governance. The strategy is built around six priority pillars: education, data access, employment, business, research, and ethics — all in service of Qatar's Digital Agenda 2030.
AI Set to Contribute 8.2% to Qatar's GDP
Lana Khalaf, General Manager of Microsoft Qatar, highlighted the economic stakes: AI is projected to contribute 8.2 percent to Qatar's GDP and is already reshaping how businesses engage with customers and optimise operations. She noted that the Microsoft-MCIT partnership has enabled 143 government entities to use Azure cloud services, trained 1,393 professionals in data and AI over three-and-a-half years, and is on track to generate projected annual savings of $26.4 million through Azure optimisation.
Ten government entities have adopted Microsoft 365 Copilot since November 2023, while 20 are building custom copilot solutions — a sign that AI adoption is moving from strategy into execution.
AI Innovation Awards Recognise National Champions
The event culminated in the 'AI Innovation Awards', honouring organisations leading Qatar's AI-powered transformation. Recipients included the TASMU Programme of MCIT, Qatar Airways, Ashghal, Kahramaa, Hayya, Invest Qatar, the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau, the Supreme Judiciary Council, Al Jazeera Media Group, and Qatar News Agency.
Positioned for a Smarter Future
With Microsoft's Doha data centre celebrating its second anniversary and demand from across Qatar's public and private sectors growing steadily, the country is building the infrastructure and skills base its AI ambitions require. Backed by strategic partnerships and a clear national roadmap, Qatar is working to place itself at the forefront of global AI adoption — a foundation for the smarter, more technologically advanced nation envisioned in the Digital Agenda 2030.
