Qatar and South Korea Open Second AI Forum in Doha-With Real Business on the Table

The two nations move beyond dialogue. This time, they are building something.

Doha is not just talking about artificial intelligence anymore. It is closing deals on it.

The second Qatar-Korea Artificial Intelligence Forum opened today in Doha under the theme "New Horizons and Business Opportunities." The event brings together officials, technologists, and business leaders from both countries. It is organized by Qatar's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Doha and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).

The theme is deliberate. Last year's forum exchanged ideas. This year, both sides came to build.

From Conversation to Collaboration

Reem Mohammed Al Mansoori, Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Industry Affairs at MCIT, opened the forum with a clear signal of intent.
"Discussions have evolved beyond the exchange of ideas toward practical collaboration," she said. "We are now focused on developing actionable initiatives with tangible impact."

Al Mansoori framed artificial intelligence as a non-negotiable pillar of global competitiveness. Qatar, she said, has placed AI at the center of its digital transformation agenda — anchored in the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Digital Agenda 2030.

She did not arrive without credentials. Qatar ranked first globally for secure infrastructure in the 2025 Innovation Index. It ranked second worldwide in mobile internet speed. The United Nations recognized Qatar's Digital Agenda 2030 as an international best-practice model.

These are not soft achievements. They are leveraged.

50 AI Use Cases by 2029

The most concrete announcement came from Sami Mohammed Al Shammari, Assistant Undersecretary for Infrastructure and Operations Affairs at MCIT.

Qatar is targeting more than 50 AI use cases within the government sector by 2029. The goal is direct — improve service quality and cut operational inefficiency across public institutions.

Al Shammari was precise about where Qatar stands right now. The country has built a strong foundation across digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, data governance, and government services. That foundation now makes large-scale AI deployment across the public sector possible.

"AI applications are already delivering tangible benefits through process optimization, automation, and enhanced operational performance," he said.

But he stressed something that technology conferences often skip. Successful AI adoption does not depend on technology alone. It depends on institutional readiness, trust, and effective governance frameworks.

That framing matters. Qatar is not chasing hype. It is building systems.

Why Korea and Why Now

The partnership between Qatar and South Korea is not accidental. Al Shammari described it as a significant model for international cooperation — and the logic is clean.
Korea brings deep industrial expertise in semiconductors, digital platforms, and cybersecurity. Qatar brings strategic vision, sovereign investment capacity, and a regional position that no other Gulf state occupies in quite the same way.

Together, they cover ground neither could cover alone.

Active cooperation between the two countries already spans AI infrastructure, smart government services, cloud computing, and smart mobility solutions. These are not pilot projects. They are pillar investments.

The Bigger Picture

Qatar is not building an AI strategy in isolation. It is building a regional ecosystem — one founded on trust, innovation, and high-value international partnerships.
Al Mansoori said as much directly. Qatar seeks to contribute to "a regional ecosystem built on trust, innovation, and high-value partnerships." The Qatar-Korea forum is one node in that larger network.

Al Shammari reinforced the direction. Digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and digital sovereignty form the core pillars of Qatar's next phase of transformation. The national strategies are written. The targets are set. The work now is execution.

The second forum opened today. The deals it produces will outlast the conversations by years.