MWC26 Doha: Participants at Sovereign AI Summit Outline Long-Term Digital Strategies
Doha, November 9 (QNA) – Participants at the Sovereign AI and National Digital Strategies Summit, held Monday alongside the second edition of MWC26 Doha, discussed how countries are developing long-term strategies for AI, data, infrastructure, regulation and talent to strengthen economic resilience and diversification.
They also examined efforts to strengthen their countries' positions in the emerging AI landscape while balancing innovation, security and strategic autonomy.
HE Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sherzod Shermatov outlined his country's AI capabilities and plans to become a global hub for technology and AI startups.
He said Uzbekistan has a strong pool of young technology and AI talent and is developing plans to apply AI across the economy, education, healthcare and other sectors.
Thomas H. Perez-Ducy, a board member of the Dominican Republic's Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL), said his country is working on three pillars of sovereign AI: nationwide digital infrastructure, government personnel capable of using AI securely, and local expertise to develop, evaluate and use technology.
He said the Dominican Republic aims to become a regional AI hub serving the entire Americas, building on its advanced infrastructure, particularly its submarine cable network.
Greece's Secretary-General for Telecommunications and Post at the Ministry of Digital Governance, Konstantinos Karantzalos, said digital sovereignty can only be achieved through trusted international partnerships that strengthen local expertise and give countries greater confidence in the technologies they use.
He stressed the importance of cooperation in infrastructure, skills development and application building to help countries shape the global AI landscape.
HE stressed that Greece calls for cooperation on these practical priorities, including ensuring resilient connectivity, access to cloud computing and developing the skills needed to use AI effectively.
He unerlined that their success will be measured by the ability of countries, businesses and individuals to gain the confidence and capacity to help shape their digital future.
During a panel discussion, General Manager for North Gulf (Qatar and Kuwait) at Dell Technologies Travers Nicholas said sovereign AI is about countries controlling how they use AI, not isolating themselves from the world. It can also involve shared or global infrastructure for handling less-sensitive datasets and tasks.
Director of Engineering at Scale AI Hisham Mohamed said sovereign AI rests on countries' ability to control their use of the technology.
First, he said, countries must own their data, manage and govern it, and maintain full control over it without external influence.
He underscored that the second pillar is the ability to build their own AI infrastructure and technological capabilities. The third is having skilled professionals capable of operating AI-related technologies.
Vodafone Qatar's Head of Technology Strategy, Planning, Excellence and Fixed & PMO Ersen Omuris said sovereign AI depends on countries' ability to control the technology, while stressing that it cannot be fully achieved without building international partnerships. (QNA)