In February 2026 MCIT and the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council announced a research funding programme called Artificial Intelligence for Qatar.
What was announced
- It is jointly funded by MCIT and the QRDI Council. The amount was not disclosed.
- The priority areas are assistive AI in healthcare, education and tourism.
- The lead investigator has to be at an accredited Qatari institution, and international partners are allowed.
- The first round closed on 11 March 2026.
Our take
Assistive AI, meaning tools that help people do their work rather than replace them, is how we think most AI should be built. Teams working on healthcare, education or tourism problems in Qatar should watch for the next round.