Qatar Business

Doha, Qatar: Qatar is rapidly burgeoning as a key hub for artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing innovation in the Middle East, as industry leaders highlight the growing ecosystem for advanced computing and digital infrastructure during the recently concluded Mobile World Congress (MWC) Doha. According to Marta P Estarellas, CEO of Spanish quantum computing startup Qilimanjaro, the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing is driving digital transformation. “Now we are seeing a boom in AI. Everything is AI, from platforms like OpenAI to operational pipelines within companies. What we are trying to do with these models is make our lives easier,” Estarellas told The Peninsula. “But it’s important to remember that AI model training doesn’t happen in the cloud alone. It happens in real infrastructure in data centers, and as AI and data volumes grow, computing demands are expected to double by 2030.” To meet this demand, the Spanish firm has been integrating quantum computing platforms with traditional data centers. The company’s first client in the MENA region was the Technology Innovation Institute in Abu Dhabi, a pioneer in building quantum computing labs. Another major client is the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, one of the world’s largest supercomputing centers, where Qilimanjaro has integrated its quantum computers into AI factories and supercomputing operations. Estarellas emphasised the strategic importance of sovereign computing capabilities. “Countries like China and the US are heavily investing in supercomputing because they understand its power. Europe has similar initiatives. Governments are developing their own quantum strategies to protect technology and ensure data sovereignty,” she explained. “It’s critical to have resources locally to secure data and computation, whether CPUs, GPUs, or quantum computers.” Highlighting Qatar’s emerging ecosystem in this space, Estarellas noted early signs of academic and research initiatives exploring quantum technologies. “I spoke with local university professors working in this field, and I see an ecosystem that is rising. I hope that next year we will see more talks and initiatives coming from the regionitself.” Estarellas also praised the organisation of MWC Doha, contrasting it with the larger Barcelona edition. “Barcelona is very big and sometimes difficult to navigate. Doha was more intimate, easier to connect with people, and very well organised. I really enjoyed the city and the conference, and next time I will make sure to spend more time here,” she said. The industry leader also stressed that the company plans to expand its footprint in the MENA region. “We are currently shaping our internationalisation strategy. There is appetite and a strong market potential in Qatar for building infrastructure, and we definitely need to be here,” Estarellas added.

Qatar Business

Doha: Several technology experts discussed the concept of digital twins and their applications in urban infrastructure during a panel session titled “Real-time urban digital twin platforms in action: Use cases and challenges,” held as part of the fourth edition of Smart City Expo Doha 2025, which runs in parallel with MWC25 Doha, organized by GSMA in partnership with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. During the session, moderated by Assistant Professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s College of Science and Engineering Dr. Thabiya Al Mahandi, Director of Digital Innovation at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Iman Al Kuwari said that one of the most successful examples of data utilization was the instant cloud management system, which was implemented during planning for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and later used for several other major events hosted by the country. Al Kuwari noted that the system proved capable of collecting data from six different entities, including contributions from the private sector. She added that these experiences highlighted the importance of clear governance, defined authorities, and effective coordination among relevant entities, in addition to accurately identifying needs. Once these steps were completed, the focus shifted to how this technology could support decision-making and improve the fan experience. She also said that the system enabled more efficient decision-making for public transportation and crowd flow management, whether toward metro stations or other means of transport. Large amounts of data were collected from field operations teams at stadiums, metro stations, and fan zones, contributing to improved operational efficiency and decision-making at all levels. She pointed out that once artificial intelligence capabilities were integrated, reporting became instantaneous. She cited an example with data analysis, which used to take four days, but could now be completed in just 15 seconds. She stressed that this type of technology demonstrates the efficiency and added value of upgrading digital capabilities, emphasizing that sound decision-making requires consolidating data into a single platform that provides a unified view. This is the goal of the ministry’s digital twin project, which offers both government and private entities an integrated perspective on how various sectors operate and how decisions are made within them. For her part, Brand Ambassador of the global platform SmartCitiesWorld Sandra Baer said that smart cities rely heavily on the engagement of all segments of society, as well as the private sector. Meanwhile, Director of Public Assets and Natural Capital for the city of Vicenza in Italy Piero Pelizzaro emphasized the importance of distinguishing between two types of digital twins: the physical digital twin, which focuses on infrastructure, energy, and mobility; and the community or civic digital twin, which focuses on people and citizen experience.

Qatar Business

Doha, Qatar: Qatar leads on the use of wider AI technology and big data and analytics. It ranks highest for enterprise use of AI, big data, and private 5G networks. The importance of private 5G networks ranks among the highest globally, supported by progressive regulatory frameworks, in the country. Qatar’s global progress in adopting artificial intelligence, big data, and advanced 5G networks was revealed in the recent GSMA report entitled, ‘Accelerating digital industries in the GCC and wider MENA region’. Globally, Qatar and the UAE are among the leading countries for local enterprises making advanced use of genAI technology, with the financial services sector leading. Read Also MWC Doha 2025 draws over 9,000 participants IPHCC highlights Qatar’s advances in primary healthcare innovation QF unveils Lawh Wa Qalam: A museum honouring legacy of MF Husain In the GCC, the utilities and energy sector has the highest score for importance of 5G to digital transformation, with Qatar leading. This speaks to a regional trend of using networks and AI technologies as well as renewables to modernise energy grids (smart grids, digital twins, smart meters). According to the report, for enterprise digital transformation, 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)’s importance is slightly lower in the GCC (compared to other MENA countries), as the three GCC countries surveyed have extensive fibre coverage (especially Qatar and the UAE). Qatari enterprises have the highest expectations for the importance of private networks for digital transformation, reflecting the momentum seen in the last couple of years in terms of deployments. The Communications Regulatory Authority has also adopted policies to support private 5G networks. It further elaborated, cybersecurity and cloud are the most used technologies enabling digital transformation across the GCC and wider MENA region. The use of AI is growing across MENA, but there is a gap versus more established technologies in terms of share of enterprises making advanced use. This comes as no surprise given that AI is a new technology. For all technologies, moving from moderate to advanced use will be key in the next five years. The GCC shows more advanced use of technologies than the rest of MENA. The UAE leads on advanced use for four of the seven technologies (cybersecurity, cloud, generative AI and edge) while Saudi Arabia leads on IoT. Looking at the overall digital transformation scores, the three GCC countries (Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) are in the top seven of the 15 developed countries surveyed. This confirms that the GCC plays an important role as a leading (and benchmark) region on digital transformation, offering a favourable environment for developing and scaling new technologies and innovations. The report noted the GCC is a benchmark for implementing national agendas for digital transformation (e.g. Qatar’s Digital Agenda 2030, Saudi Vision 2030 and the UAE Centennial 2071). As tech progress accelerates (especially in AI) and enterprises advance their digital transformation, national agendas in the GCC and MENA should be updated with a regular cadence, factoring in the key objectives driving enterprise digital transformation.