Singapore: Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, the Chief Executive of the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA), participated in the Asia Tech X Singapore 2026 (ATxSG), a prominent technology event organized by Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Informa. The event, held at the Singapore Expo from 19 to 21 May, brought together senior officials, decision-makers, and technology experts from governments and businesses worldwide. According to Bahrain News Agency, Al Qaed engaged in several conference sessions, prominently the closed-door session titled "AI on the International Stage." During this session, he showcased the Kingdom of Bahrain's advancements in artificial intelligence, focusing on an AI-driven digital government. He outlined Bahrain's approach, emphasizing three key pillars: a supportive legislative environment with the National AI Policy, the development of the National AI Strategy, and the establishment of AI Ethics Principles, which have been adopted at the Gulf Cooperation Coun cil (GCC) level. Al Qaed also highlighted Bahrain's initiatives in capacity building and skills development, aiming to train 50,000 Bahrainis in AI by 2030. This includes partnerships with civil society organizations, universities, and the private sector to introduce over 70 AI-related academic programs. Moreover, bachelor's and master's degree programs in AI have been launched, accompanied by the Technical Development Program and the AI Talents Program under the iGA. Further, he discussed Bahrain's commitment to AI awareness, noting the launch of hundreds of awareness sessions across government entities and educational institutions. The establishment of the Innovation Lab at the iGA was mentioned as a significant step in supporting the development of AI-based prototypes and projects. Al Qaed also pointed out Bahrain's leadership in cloud computing adoption, which supports AI applications across government entities and contributes to the Kingdom's global rankings in various international indices. Al Qaed e mphasized Bahrain's integration of AI and emerging technologies into its Digital Economy Strategy. This includes accelerating AI-driven services across sectors, enhancing the digital transformation ecosystem, and supporting entrepreneurship through initiatives like the iGA's Innovation Lab and the Central Bank of Bahrain's Regulatory Sandbox. He affirmed that these efforts have led to AI-powered developments such as an intelligent data analytics system, a national virtual assistant, enhancements to the "Tawasul" system, the "Sijilat" document verification system, and the "Consumer Guard" system for advertising reviews. Bahrain's AI roadmap focuses on developing a national data infrastructure, strengthening STEM education, launching AI awareness campaigns, and fostering ethical AI research collaboration. Addressing AI governance, Al Qaed stressed the importance of establishing accountable measures for responsible AI adoption. He highlighted Bahrain's digital policies, ethical guidelines, and capacity-buildin g programs that ensure the responsible use of AI, transforming principles like fairness and privacy into practical governmental guidelines. Al Qaed also underscored the need for developing AI specialists and establishing regulatory bodies to assess risks. He mentioned national initiatives like the Innovation Hub, AI Talents Program, and AI Academy, alongside Bahrain's participation in the UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment Methodology to enhance national readiness for ethical AI adoption. In a special session on Agentic AI organized by Google, Al Qaed discussed the significance of data connectivity and Bahrain's success in implementing electronic integration among government entities through the national open data network.
Menu