UK-Qatar Joint AI Research Commission Final Report

The Digital Environment Research Institute (DERI) at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and the Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) today publish "Building Bridges in the Age of AI: Recommendations for Sustainable Research & Cross-Industry Collaborations in Artificial Intelligence," [PDF 3,746KB] the culminating report of the UK-Qatar Joint AI Research Commission.​​

Launched in December 2024 during the State Visit of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of Qatar, to the United Kingdom, the Commission represents a strategic partnership addressing the transformative opportunities and complex challenges posed by artificial intelligence. Funded by the UK Government's Gulf Strategy Fund and supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the initiative aligns closely with the UK's AI Opportunities Action Plan published in January 2025 and Qatar's National AI Strategy supporting Qatar National Vision 2030.​​

A Comprehensive Framework for Bilateral AI Cooperation

The report proposes the Qatar-UK AI Research and Innovation Alliance (QUAIRIA), an ambitious collaborative framework comprising four strategic pillars supported by cross-cutting enablers. This modular structure allows policymakers to prioritise and adapt initiatives based on evolving needs and capabilities, rather than imposing a rigid one-size-fits-all approach.​

By pooling Qatar's ambitious vision and substantial investments in digital transformation with the UK's world-class research ecosystem and regulatory expertise, the UK and Qatar, the report argues, can achieve more together than either nation could alone. The research partnership undertaken by DERI and QCRI, in fact, already demonstrates how international collaboration can amplify national strengths while addressing shared global challenges.​​

Four Strategic Pillars for AI Leadership

The report’s four Pillars are:

AI for Good: The framework proposes establishing four Networks of Excellence co-led by UK and Qatari institutions, focusing on medicine and clinical interventions, education, public health and humanitarian aid, and conflict mediation. These networks will tackle real-world challenges in underserved regions and crisis contexts, projecting soft power and thought leadership globally.​

AI for Science: An International Programme on AI for Scientific Discovery will fund grand-challenge research projects pairing AI experts with domain scientists in climate science, materials discovery, energy, agriculture, and health. This pillar includes developing open-source AI tools, shared datasets, and joint training programmes for the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers.​

AI for Trust and Governance Innovation: A Frontier Policy Lab will serve as a joint think-and-do tank for AI governance innovation, developing anticipatory governance frameworks, operating regulatory sandboxes, and ensuring diverse voices from the Global South participate in international AI policy dialogues. This directly supports the UK AI Opportunities Action Plan's emphasis on "safe and trusted AI development and adoption through regulation, safety and assurance".​​

AI Acceleration and Entrepreneurship: A Global Incubator with dual hubs in London and Doha will nurture socially beneficial AI start-ups and SMEs, providing mentorship, subsidised infrastructure access, and dual-market entry support. This initiative addresses market concentration challenges and supports startups lacking access to essential computational resources and funding.​

Cross-Cutting Enablers for Sustained Collaboration

Underpinning these pillars are shared infrastructure platforms including federated data commons, inclusive compute infrastructure, and collaboration platforms. Comprehensive talent development programmes feature transnational innovation pods, fellowship schemes, knowledge transfer partnerships, and executive training in AI policy and ethics. An annual Qatar-UK AI Forum and global challenge competitions will maintain visibility and attract international collaborators.​

Dr. Sanjay Chawla, Chief Scientist at Qatar Computing Research Institute, emphasised the strategic alignment: "Qatar's National AI Strategy envisions the country as both a world-class producer and efficient consumer of AI applications across all sectors. This partnership with the UK creates a powerful technological enabler for Qatar National Vision 2030, particularly across its economic, social, human, and environmental pillars".​​

Grounded in Extensive Stakeholder Engagement

The Commission's Phase One recommendations emerged from three expert workshops held between February and April 2025, convening government officials, industry leaders, and academics from both countries. Workshop themes addressed commercialisation and ecosystem development, data sharing and governance, and AI applications in security, diplomacy, and development. Extensive desk research on global AI trends and international best practices complemented these structured dialogues.​

Cross-cutting themes consistently emerged across all workshops: the critical importance of trust and transparency, respect for cultural context while pursuing shared goals, multi-stakeholder governance mechanisms, and flexible approaches capable of evolving alongside rapidly advancing AI capabilities.​

Alignment with National Strategic Priorities

The QUAIRIA framework directly supports the UK AI Opportunities Action Plan's three broad themes: investing in world-class computing and data infrastructure, promoting AI adoption across the economy, and nurturing national champions to ensure economic benefits from AI advancement. The Plan's 50 recommendations include a 20-fold increase in public compute capacity by 2030, establishment of AI Growth Zones, and a dedicated Sovereign AI unit to foster public-private partnerships.​

For Qatar, the collaboration advances its six-pillar National AI Strategy encompassing education, data access, employment, business, research, and ethics. The partnership positions Qatar to fulfill both its producer role—creating world-class AI applications in areas of national interest—and its consumer role, developing a properly educated citizenry with sound legal and ethical frameworks.​

Implementation and Next Steps

The report outlines a phased implementation approach for Phase Two, beginning with evaluation and planning to prioritise initiatives and develop practical roadmaps. Foundation-building activities will establish governance structures, secure initial funding, launch flagship pilots, and convene an inaugural Qatar-UK AI summit. Expansion phases will scale successful projects, onboard additional participants, and deepen institutional partnerships, ultimately moving toward self-sustaining cooperation models.​

Dr. Husrev Taha Sencar, Principal Scientist at QCRI, noted: "The federated data commons and shared compute infrastructure we propose will enable privacy-preserving collaboration on sensitive datasets without requiring bulk data transfers across borders. This technical architecture respects data sovereignty while enabling breakthrough research".​

Global Implications

Beyond bilateral benefits, the proposed UK-Qatar collaboration framework aspires to contribute constructively to the global AI ecosystem. By establishing inclusive governance models, the collaboration ensures voices from the Middle East, Global South, and underrepresented regions participate meaningfully in international AI standard-setting bodies including the Global Partnership on AI, IEEE, ISO, and United Nations forums.​

The emphasis on Arabic language AI development addresses critical underrepresentation in current AI systems, with potential applications extending humanitarian assistance and educational support throughout the Arabic-speaking world. Joint English-Arabic dual language expertise offers unique strategic value for developing more culturally responsive and globally inclusive AI technologies.​

About the Authors and Institutions

The report was authored by
Dr. David Leslie (Queen Mary University of London and The Alan Turing Institute),
who acted as Principal Investigator for the UK-Qatar Joint AI Research Commission,  
Dr. Sanjay Chawla (QCRI), who led the Qatar team,
Dr. Husrev Taha Sencar (QCRI),
Dr. Elona Shatri (QMUL), and
Salma Alkhoudi (QCRI and Stanford University).​