Oman Accelerates AI Development Through Strategic National Programme and Startup Growth
Muscat, The Gulf Observer: Oman is intensifying efforts to harness the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to drive national economic growth, with a strategic focus on expanding specialised startups, boosting research, and ensuring ethical integration of emerging technologies.
As part of this drive, the Council of Ministers in September 2024 approved the National Programme for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Digital Technologies, a comprehensive initiative anchored on three key pillars:
- Promoting the adoption of AI across economic and developmental sectors
- Localising AI technologies by supporting indigenous innovation and enhancing national competencies to position Oman as a developer and producer of digital technologies
- Governing AI applications through a human-centric lens, establishing a flexible regulatory framework that ensures ethical, inclusive, and effective deployment
Hassan bin Fada Hussein Al Lawati, Head of the National Programme at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT), stated that the initiative is designed to enhance key economic, service, and developmental sectors that directly affect citizens’ quality of life.
In an interview with the Oman News Agency, Al Lawati revealed that Oman climbed five places in the 2024 Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index, now ranking 45th globally out of 193 countries — up from 50th in 2023. Regionally, Oman stands 5th in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and 4th among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, with the goal of breaking into the top 30 globally.
A key target of the programme is to achieve a 20% annual increase in AI-focused startups, which have grown from fewer than 10 to more than 25 since the programme’s inception. Cumulative investments in AI initiatives have reached approximately OMR 60 million over the past four years, with plans to sustain a 20% annual growth in investment.
To cultivate AI knowledge and local innovation, the Ministry has launched several complementary initiatives, including:
- “AI Innovators”, in collaboration with the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, which recognises outstanding researchers, scientific papers, and AI-driven projects
- “Engineer IT with AI”, a competition to promote generative AI applications, boost national innovation, and improve startup performance and output
- “Humanising AI”, a dedicated programme aimed at ensuring AI development remains inclusive, empowering, and focused on equitable service delivery for all societal groups
These efforts reflect Oman’s firm commitment to embedding AI within its long-term national development agenda, ensuring the country remains at the forefront of digital transformation while upholding ethical and human-centric values.
