Artificial Intelligence for Qatar (AIQAT)

AIQAT — 1st

Funds joint Qatar and government research in AI for healthcare, education, and tourism through competitive grants.

Eligibility · QA

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

Artificial Intelligence for Qatar (AIQAT) is a joint research grant program launched by the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (QRDI) and the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) to advance Qatar's National AI Strategy. The 1st cycle opened for proposal submission on 14 January 2026 and closed on 18 March 2026. Award announcements are scheduled for 30 July 2026. Each funded project receives up to QAR 1,000,000 (approximately USD 274,000) for a duration of up to two years.

The 1st cycle designated three priority themes: AI Assisted Healthcare, AI Assisted Education, and AI Assisted Tourism. Eligible applicants are academic institutions and government entities inside Qatar. The Lead Principal Investigator must hold an approved terminal degree as defined on QRDI's published list and must be affiliated with an approved submitting institution inside Qatar. For-profit companies, non-profits, and individuals applying independently are not eligible. Applications were accepted covering Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology, and Social Sciences priority areas.

The call was designed to boost Qatar's national economy and enhance societal services by deploying AI across sectors, advance digital transformation, and promote responsible and ethical AI development reflecting Qatar's cultural, religious, and social context. AIQAT follows QRDI's standard four-stage process: proposal submission, external review, award decision, and post-award management. Applicants submitted through the Innolight portal at innolight.qrdi.org.qa, using the AIQAT RFA, Research Plan template, and institutional supporting letters. A webinar was hosted to guide applicants through the call requirements prior to the March 2026 deadline.