Jad Haddad, Partner at Oliver Wyman.
Doha: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has massive potential to diversify local economies in GCC region, helping countries to lower dependence on oil and gas production. Qatar has already started to harness AI to its advantage. AI is helping the Qatar government tackle its most critical national concerns, enabling it to innovate and to transform the public sector on multiple dimensions, said report released by the global management consulting firm Oliver Wyman.
The report explores Qatar’s several AI-focused programs and examines how the Qatari government can build on this momentum to develop world-class AI applications and scale by developing an AI Center of Excellence (CoE).
GCC nations, recognising AI’s contribution to economic growth globally, have made very significant investments in the area. GCC AI spending is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19 percent by 2023. A number of GCC nations have developed AI strategies to support their national visions, including the United Arab Emirates in 2017, Qatar in 2019, and Saudi Arabia in 2020.
“The Qatar Center for Artificial Intelligence (QCAI) is of major significance in this context since it introduces AI strategy as an enabler to the Qatar National Vision 2030. QCAI’s role is to advise Qatar’s leadership on the potential of AI to secure the State’s economic and strategic future,” said Jad Haddad (pictured), Partner at Oliver Wyman. “An AI Committee has recently been established under Qatar’s Ministry Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) to build on this national AI strategy and to coordinate the efforts across the government to plan and implement AI programs,” he said.
The current efforts to digitize Qatari government services through dedicated departmental portals have been successful in taking services online, said the report. Chatbots, intelligent digital assistants, have proven instrumental in supporting users’ online journeys. Not only do the chatbots allow public servants to spend less time answering routine enquiries and enable them to focus instead on creative tasks, but they also ensure that citizens receive responses to their requests in a consistent and timely manner.
There is already a major push for AI adoption in both the public and private sectors in Qatar. In support of the National AI Strategy, one of the leading drivers for AI adoption within the country is the Smart Qatar TASMU digital transformation program. TASMU is using AI and analytics across different sectors to deliver impact on areas of national importance.
A number of these projects have already achieved nationwide recognition; for example, the new analytics platform supporting the national food security strategy has been used to monitor essential products during the pandemic. Its impact on strategic decisions embraces local production, trade routes, and strategic reserves.
Qatar has also achieved a major win in being the choice for the location of Azure Qatar, the new Microsoft cloud hub. This not only provides Qatar with the technology and infrastructure required for successful AI implementation but signals to the world that the state is a major digital center.
