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Sunday, 16 August 2026 Reading Room

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Qatar among economies pushing AI frontier, World Bank report shows

<p>Doha, Qatar: Qatar has emerged among a select group of economies making significant strides in artificial intelligence (AI), underscoring the country’s growing readiness to harness the technology for productivity, innovation and economic diversification, according to the World Bank Group’s newly released World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence.</p> <p>Released…

thepeninsulaqatar.com ·

Qatar among economies pushing AI frontier, World Bank report shows

Doha, Qatar has emerged as one of the leading economies in artificial intelligence (AI) development, according to the World Bank Group's latest World Development Report, The Promise of Artificial Intelligence. The report examines how AI is transforming economies and evaluates countries' readiness to leverage the technology through infrastructure, skills, data, computing power, and supportive institutions.

Qatar joins a distinguished group of nations, including Singapore, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates, recognized for their advanced AI capabilities. The report highlights Qatar's commitment to digital transformation and AI adoption across various sectors, such as government services, healthcare, education, research, and business.

Strong digital connectivity, cybersecurity infrastructure, investments in research and education, and a focus on talent attraction have contributed to Qatar's growing AI prowess. The country is also working to establish robust domestic research and innovation capabilities to fully capitalize on AI's potential.

The World Bank notes that AI can significantly boost productivity and improve public services, particularly in developing economies. In developing countries, 16.2 percent of jobs could see meaningful productivity gains from AI, compared to 18.7 percent in high-income countries. However, about 4.5 percent of jobs in low- and middle-income economies face a risk of automation from generative AI, whereas 14.2 percent of jobs in high-income countries are at risk.

Qatar's strategic position in the Gulf region, characterized by advanced digital infrastructure, investments in research and development, and a growing AI talent pool, positions it among the better-positioned emerging economies for AI adoption. While the report acknowledges the potential benefits of AI, it also cautions that countries must invest in essential elements such as reliable electricity, high-quality connectivity, skilled workers, accessible data, and effective governance to fully harness the technology's potential for economic growth.

Written by urgent.news from The Peninsula Qatar Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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More in AI

Researchers have found that artificial intelligence (AI) models can easily decode encrypted data, raising concerns about potential personal data breaches. A team of researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently published a study on this issue. The researchers tested various AI models, including those using machine learning and deep learning techniques, to see if they could decode encrypted data. They found that some AI models were able to decode encrypted data with surprising accuracy, even when the data was encrypted using secure protocols. The researchers used a type of encryption called "homomorphic encryption," which allows computations to be performed on encrypted data without decrypting it first. However, they found that some AI models were able to bypass this encryption and decode the data with a high degree of accuracy. This raises concerns about the potential for personal data breaches, as encrypted data is often used to protect sensitive information such as financial data and personal identifiable information. The researchers warned that this vulnerability could be particularly problematic for organizations that rely heavily on AI and machine learning. "As AI models become more widespread, it's essential that we develop more robust security measures to protect sensitive data," said one of the researchers. The study's findings highlight the need for further research into the intersection of AI and cybersecurity. The researchers plan to continue exploring this issue and developing new methods for protecting encrypted data from AI-powered attacks. In the meantime, organizations are advised to exercise caution when using AI models to handle sensitive data. They should also consider implementing additional security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and secure data storage, to protect against potential data breaches.

·hani.co.kr

How do you unit test an agent skill?

Agent skills are prompts, not code, and there’s no compiler to catch a broken one. Agent skills ship on the honour system.

  • Agent skills are prompts reviewed on a trust system, not code.
  • skilleval tool runs a real agent with SKILL.md file, prompt, and fixture.
  • Tests assert results against criteria like cost, activated skills, and final message.

·dev.to

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