In 2026, Middle Eastern governments will fast-track AI, cloud, and data to boost state capacity, economic power, and geopolitical influence.

His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama asserts that those aged 40-60 today are the best generation. “Due to AI and the internet, we’ve lost something called the breadth of intelligence.”

The white paper argues that AI’s public-sector impact depends as much on trust, judgment, and empathy as on technology and automation.

With rising cyber risks and economic competition, digital government is now key to building trust, improving decision-making, and creating a future-ready society.

As some regions edged toward locking in long-debated data and AI bills, others busied themselves revising the rules they had only just learned to live with.

The announcement marks Open Finance’s transition from a controlled pilot to live, nationwide operations.

Ethical innovation in the Gulf is becoming a culture, not just a checklist.

Qai will develop, manage, and invest in advanced AI infrastructures, both domestically and internationally.

Bringing together top minds from ministries and major institutions, the second edition dives into tech, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and citizen experience. ​

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, highlights that the platform will be crucial to boosting companies' market value.