The Sultanate of Oman has launched a series of executive programs under its digital economy strategy, placing artificial intelligence (AI) at the forefront to drive innovation across economic and developmental sectors.
The initiative aims to localize AI technologies while ensuring their implementation aligns with a human-centric governance framework.
Oman advances 5 ranks in Government AI Readiness Index 2024
In a significant achievement, Oman has risen five places in the 2024 Government AI Readiness Index, securing the 45th position out of 193 countries worldwide. The National Program for AI and Advanced Digital Technologies, centered on three pillars, promoting AI adoption in economic and developmental sectors, localizing AI technologies, and governing AI applications, has driven this progress.
The program has marked key milestones in accelerating Oman’s digital transformation, notably through the ‘Engineer It with AI’ competition, which produced eight generative AI-based solutions now featured in digital marketplaces.
The Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology has conducted multiple AI pilot projects in controlled environments before wider deployment. Notable initiatives include AI-driven agricultural statistics, smart urban planning, facial recognition systems, air quality monitoring, smart quantity surveying, drone-based aerial mapping, and smart fish farming.
Dr. Salem bin Humaid Al-Shuaili, Director of AI Projects at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, announced that Oman has allocated approximately $26 million (OMR10 million) in 2023 and around $39 million (OMR15 million) in 2024 as part of its ‘Artificial Intelligence Economics’ initiative to implement several innovative projects in the field of artificial intelligence.
In a statement, Al-Shuaili noted that the Sultanate aims to further increase AI readiness rankings and grow AI-related investments by 20 percent annually. The Director further said that a national language model, ‘Oman GPT’, is in development to boost public sector efficiency, alongside ‘Oman Studio’, an AI innovation hub connecting talent with industry needs.
Fourth Industrial Revolution Center
Additionally, Oman is establishing a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Center, the sixth in the Middle East and 22nd globally, to localize AI technologies and leverage global expertise in advanced tech innovations. The center is set to launch in the first quarter of 2025.
