One of the most important and most common questions among people concerned with the smart digital projects and their applications in the Sultanate of Oman, is: Where is the position of the Sultanate of Oman in the race for artificial intelligence? What role does the government and the private sector attach to developing this promising sector for the benefit of economy and society? What are the plans for enhancing capacity-building and investing them in the handling of advanced digital skills?
To these questions I have to provide transparent and sincere answers in order to identify the challenges and the possible solutions. I’ll begin by displaying the bright side of the orientation of Oman to keep pace with the digital developments, especially artificial intelligence. The trend overseen by the government is notable and acknowledged as can be noticed by all observers and stakeholders. The effort in this field is spearheaded by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MoTCIT) through its national artificial intelligence and advanced technology programme. I was surprised by the great efforts exerted by the programme’s team. I talked with some of the programme’s leaders who briefed me about their previous achievements and upcoming works all of which reflect the size of the dedication to realise one of the most important visions of Oman Vision 2040.
The team’s efforts and achievements are centred on following up the implementation of the plans of digital economic growth which is in harmony with the Oman Vision 2040 and all the sectors which should keep up with the digital development and its applications.
I cannot afford to ignore the effective and persistent role being made by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MoHERI) whose efforts are nothing short of those made by the MoTCIT. The role of the MoHERI lies especially in its national programme supportive of scientific research through which the ministry allocates funds for scientific researches at higher education institutions.
Besides, the ministry constantly oversees the progress of research and follows up their approved stages of implementation. I had the honour to obtain such significant support for one of my researches on the application of AI in the industrial sector. Educational sectors and their public and private establishments are exerting a great effort to support AI research and highlight the students’ talents that bode well of a national generation capable of keeping pace with the digital advancement and putting it on the forefront.
Other sectors are also making efforts to harness AI. These include the Ministry of Information (MoI) which seeks to raise awareness about such advanced technologies. I have previously received an invitation from the Minister of Information, Dr Abdullah bin Nasser al Harrasi, to deliver a lecture in this field.
The Ministry of Health is using AI in the early detection of breast cancer. Besides, other entities in the public and private sectors are making considerable efforts to make the best of the artificial intelligence systems. Even the small enterprises are training national in digital skills. The examples and initiatives I have just mentioned do not represent all the existing efforts but I have highlighted some of them.
All these efforts, some of which I personally watched and others followed their progress, are a cause for pride and optimism that we are on a way that ensures keeping up with the digital development and that we are prepared to take part in the global race with confidence and competence thanks to our national cadres who are equipped with the requisite knowledge and abilities and the necessary arrangements being made by the government and the other sectors. These efforts should be doubled and the accomplished experiments should be implemented in the appropriate field be it in the health, educational or industrial sectors or other sectors. Here comes the significant role required from the public and private investment establishments who ought to have a look at these constructive efforts by investing in them. Is it crucial to double the application of artificial intelligence technologies in all necessary services that need to be developed and their speed and accuracy be enhanced.
These efforts, hopes and aspirations have something to do with many challenges, apart from the financial and investment factors, such as the availability of necessary and adequate data which is considered the major drive for artificial intelligence systems. This can be made possible by increasing devices connected to the internet of things and the computational storage capacities that are capable of the required digital operation. This is in addition to the presence of special governance for artificial intelligence and its operation which includes laws, legislations and ethics for the utilisation of artificial intelligence to ensure the safety of data and protection privacy rights.
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