World Watch/Qatar/Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence · Qatar

Artificial Intelligence - Qatar

Sectoral rulesNo comprehensive horizontal AI law. Qatar combines a National AI Strategy (2019) and voluntary national ethics/cybersecurity guidelines (MCIT, NCSA) with binding sector-specific rules — most notably the Qatar Central Bank's Artificial Intelligence Guideline for licensed financial entities (2024) and a 2026 judicial practice direction in the Qatar Financial Centre.

Qatar regulates AI through a layered approach rather than a single comprehensive statute: a National AI Strategy (2019) and voluntary ethical/security guidelines set the overall direction, while enforceable rules exist in specific sectors. The Qatar Central Bank's binding AI Guideline (Sept 2024) imposes mandatory governance, risk-management and authorisation requirements on financial-sector licensees, and a QFC judicial practice direction (Jan 2026) governs AI use in court proceedings. National-level ethics principles (MCIT) and cybersecurity guidance (NCSA) remain voluntary.

National AI Strategy (2019)

Qatar's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, developed by QCRI and adopted under MCIT, sets a six-pillar vision (education/talent, data access, employment, business, research, ethics) and an 'AI+X' paradigm treating AI as an enabling layer across vital sectors. It is a strategy, not binding law.

Governance body

An Artificial Intelligence Committee was established by Cabinet Decision No. 10 of 2021, coordinated through MCIT, with members from ministries, QCRI and academic institutions to steer national AI policy and implementation.

Binding financial-sector rules (QCB)

On 4 September 2024 the Qatar Central Bank issued the Artificial Intelligence Guideline regulating AI use by QCB-licensed entities, mandating AI governance, risk management, human oversight, AI-system registers, prior QCB approval for high-risk systems, data governance, security controls and customer transparency/consent.

Voluntary national ethics principles (MCIT)

MCIT published 'Principles and Guidelines for Ethical Use/Development of AI' (2025) built on fairness, transparency, accountability, auditability and human oversight. The document is explicitly not legally binding and is to be reviewed every one to two years.

Voluntary cybersecurity guidance (NCSA)

The National Cyber Security Agency (established by Amiri Decree No. 1 of 2021) published bilingual 'Guidelines for Secure Adoption and Usage of Artificial Intelligence' (v1.0, Feb 2024), offering voluntary risk-management, security-control, governance and testing recommendations across the AI lifecycle.

Judicial use of AI (QFC)

On 6 January 2026 the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) issued Practice Direction No. 1 of 2026 on the Use of Artificial Intelligence, setting rules for AI use in proceedings before the QFC Civil and Commercial Court and the QFC Regulatory Tribunal.

Machine-assisted translation · verified 5/23/2026 · orientation, not legal advice. English version →