Qatar has launched a new national artificial intelligence company, Qai, as part of its broader push to build domestic AI capabilities and expand its footprint in the global technology sector. The company will operate as a subsidiary of the Qatar Investment Authority, the country’s $524 billion sovereign wealth fund, according to Bloomberg.
Qai will focus on investing in AI infrastructure both inside Qatar and internationally, while also providing high-performance computing and a connected suite of AI tools. The move places Qatar alongside regional peers such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which have already committed billions of dollars to national AI champions like G42 and Humain as part of their economic diversification strategies.
While Qatar has previously taken a more cautious approach to AI, its sovereign wealth fund has steadily increased exposure to the sector. This includes recent participation in major global investments, such as a funding round for AI startup Anthropic earlier in 2025.
Abdulla Al-Misnad, an official in the prime minister’s office and a board director at Doha Venture Capital, will chair Qai. He said the company’s priority will be developing “trusted” AI systems that enable individuals and businesses to confidently deploy AI technologies. Qai will not build its own large language models, unlike its UAE and Saudi counterparts. Instead, it will evaluate and commercialize existing models while working with emerging technologies such as autonomous AI agents.
Qai’s strategy is designed to prepare Qatar for capabilities expected to mature over the next one to three years. The company will also need to secure export licenses to access advanced semiconductors from suppliers such as Nvidia and AMD, similar to recent approvals granted to Gulf peers.
With the launch of Qai, Qatar formally joins the growing list of Gulf nations using sovereign capital to anchor national AI strategies built around infrastructure development, commercialization, and long-term technological leadership.
