Qatar’s AI Strategy Emphasises Capacity Building, Ethical AI Education, Says Expert

Teaching people how to use artificial intelligence (AI) wisely and understand its benefits and drawbacks, as well as the important ethical considerations, aligns well with the “capacity building” element of Qatar’s AI Strategy, the top executive of a Qatari company specialising in innovation and digital technology has said.

Speaking to Gulf Times about supporting Qatar's AI Strategy, Engineer Nayef al-Ibrahim, the co-founder and CEO of Ibtechar, explained that a major part of Qatar’s National AI Strategy is “capability building,” which includes exploring different avenues where AI can enhance productivity, facilitate decision-making, and drive innovation across various sectors.

Moreover, an essential aspect of this education is the discussion of ethical considerations surrounding AI. 

This includes examining issues like accountability in AI decision-making, transparency in how algorithms operate, and the importance of inclusivity in AI development to ensure that diverse perspectives are represented. By fostering critical thinking and awareness, "we can empower individuals to navigate the complexities of AI with insight and integrity."

“Building skills and knowledge is crucial to prepare people to use AI correctly in their environment, such as examining challenges like accountability in decision making in terms of using AI, among other issues,” al-Ibrahim stated.

He also underscored Ibtechar’s important role in this effort, further explaining that the company’s main business is providing these very training programmes and solutions for both individuals and companies. 

This focus ensures that Qatar’s workforce is ready to adopt AI responsibly, he pointed out.

Asked about technology’s role in boosting Qatar’s non-oil economy, al-Ibrahim emphasised that “AI is a powerful tool,” especially in terms of Qatar’s goals of moving beyond oil and gas and building a knowledge-based economy. He also highlighted how AI makes workplaces more efficient and productive, helping people perform better.

“This naturally helps the economy shift from older ways of doing things to a much smarter approach,” said al-Ibrahim, noting that AI opens up a significant opportunity to create new solutions that are specific to Qatar's environment, culture, and language. “This ability to develop local AI tools can then be scaled to support the wider region, strengthening Qatar’s position as an innovation hub,” he emphasised.

On navigating various challenges in Qatar, al-Ibrahim pointed out two main challenges in bringing advanced AI to Qatar. “First, there’s a lot of buzz and sometimes misleading information around AI, which can create fears about fairness or cultural biases. This is a temporary phase, and people will eventually focus on AI's actual value,” he stated.

“The second challenge is within organisations themselves: whether they are open to adopting new technologies or prefer to stick to their traditional ways. Ibtechar aims to overcome these hurdles by focusing on practical examples where AI clearly helps and empowers people, showing its positive impact,” he continued.

Al-Ibrahim said he is anticipating exciting AI trends, such as the rise of AI agents, which Ibtechar is closely watching and showcasing in its ‘AI Corner’. He described these as “smart assistants” that can take control of and automate parts of daily work, including booking meetings, replying to emails, or arranging travel.

“There are many administrative tasks you do every day. Building a smart agent to handle these tasks can automate and offload that, giving individuals more time to focus on higher-value work. This trend will significantly shape Ibtechar’s future offerings in Qatar, empowering both individuals and organisations,” al-Ibrahim added.