Microsoft’s highly anticipated global AI Tour has landed in Doha, bringing together business leaders, government officials, and technology professionals for an immersive experience designed to inspire, educate, and empower everyone to effectively harness the transformative potential of the latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements. Held at the Raffles Doha Hotel, the one-day event reflects Qatar’s ambition to become a global leader in AI innovation.
The Doha stop is part of Microsoft’s AI Tour, a series of events that span over 60 cities worldwide. Under the theme “AI for Everyone: AI Innovation Today and Tomorrow,” the AI Tour in Doha offered attendees a comprehensive program spanning keynote presentations, technical workshops, and hands-on sessions led by top Microsoft executives and AI experts. This global initiative underscores Microsoft’s commitment to empowering organizations across the public and private sectors to leverage AI to deliver real-world impact.
His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Qatar’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, inaugurated the event with an address outlining Qatar’s national vision for AI-powered growth and the government’s commitment to advancing AI-driven projects across key sectors. “Qatar has witnessed significant progress in Artificial Intelligence as part of its Digital Agenda 2030. Efforts aim to integrate digital government projects and adopt innovative solutions to enhance efficiency and strengthen public-private collaboration. The private sector’s role in supporting digital transformation and developing national talents is highly valued, along with fostering knowledge exchange to enrich understanding of cutting-edge technologies.”
Ralph Haupter, President of Microsoft EMEA, highlighted Microsoft’s role in shaping AI advancements worldwide, the company’s commitment to advancing responsible AI, and the many ways in which Microsoft’s latest AI capabilities can help Qatar meet its ambitious digital goals. “AI is transforming every organization around the world in both the private and public sectors – improving the lives of residents and unlocking economic opportunity. Microsoft is proud to support Qatar’s digital ambitions by providing the technology and expertise needed to drive growth and innovation with AI.”
The AI Tour in Doha was also marked by the participation of several leading organizations across Qatar that spotlighted their latest AI solutions at the event’s showcase stage. These include Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways, Ashghal, Kahramaa, Public Prosecution, and Power International Holding (PIH).
Lana Khalaf, General Manager of Microsoft Qatar, underscored Microsoft’s unwavering commitment to propelling Qatar towards an AI-driven future. “Our mission is to enable individuals and organizations across all sectors to leverage the transformative power of AI to unlock unprecedented opportunities and cement the country’s position as a global leader in AI innovation. By collaborating with our partners and the exceptionally talented local innovators, we are helping develop and deploy solutions that tackle challenges head-on and drive sustainable growth. Moreover, we are equipping Qatar’s workforce with necessary AI skills and cutting-edge tools that are empowering them to thrive in today’s digital era.” Khalaf also thanked Microsoft’s partners supporting the ‘Microsoft AI Tour in Doha’ event, especially QDS, ICT, Malomatia, Ebla, Mannai Trading, Cloud4C, netways, Crayon, and TeKnowledge.
The AI Tour in Doha also celebrated local innovation through the AI Excellence Awards. Recognizing Qatar-based organizations that have implemented successful AI solutions, the awards spotlighted the achievements of the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Labour, Ooredoo, Public Prosecution, Qatar Airways and Hamad International Airport, Qatar Energy LNG, Qatar National Bank, Qatar Tourism Authority (Visit Qatar), Vodafone, and the Microsoft’s hackathon winner “Hawks.AI Team”. Each organization was acknowledged for their significant contributions to AI deployment, which have led to transformative improvements across their respective sectors.
The event also featured in-depth sessions covering Microsoft’s flagship AI tools, including Microsoft Copilot and Copilot Agents, designed to revolutionize the workplace and improve productivity. Further discussions delved into Responsible AI practices, underscoring Microsoft’s dedication to ethical and transparent AI use. Microsoft experts also showcased the innovative AI capabilities of the Microsoft Surface portfolio. Business leaders and IT professionals experienced firsthand how Surface AI PCs and Microsoft’s latest Copilot+ PCs integrate seamlessly with Microsoft Copilot and other AI solutions to drive operational efficiency, productivity, and creativity.
The AI Tour in Doha exemplifies Microsoft’s commitment to fostering AI adoption across Qatar’s public and private sectors, supporting the nation’s vision for a digitally-empowered future. Microsoft looks forward to continuing its collaboration with Qatar as it embarks on this transformative journey, empowering organizations to drive growth, create value, and unlock the full potential of AI.
