Qatar now has a single government body for artificial intelligence. Cabinet Decision No. (34) of 2026, ratified by the Amir and reported on 20 October 2026, establishes a National Center for AI within the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT).
What was announced
- The centre has three departments and reports directly to the MCIT minister.
- Its job covers preparing and carrying out the National AI Strategy, writing AI regulatory frameworks and policies, helping organisations adopt AI, and encouraging the use of data across sectors.
- The same decision creates a Digital Capability Development and Training Department, for training programmes and digital skills assessment.
- Both are tied to Qatar's Digital Agenda 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy.
Our take
Until now, AI policy in Qatar has been spread across several bodies. One centre that owns strategy, rules and adoption makes it clearer who to follow. For businesses building or buying AI here, the practical step is to watch for its first frameworks: they will shape what responsible AI looks like in Qatari procurement.