Lebanon plans $50M investment in AI, DPI devt within two years

The Lebanese government has unveiled a plan to pump in between $30 million and $50 million into the development of generative AI and digital public infrastructure (DPI) so as to streamline the delivery of public services.

Kamal Shehadi, Lebanon’s Minister of the Displaced and Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence, shared his thoughts regarding the plan recently in an interview with The National.

According to Shehadi, the investment plan which the government intends to implement in the next two years enjoys World Bank support and involves the putting in place of a national digital ID system and digital public infrastructure such as digital payments and data exchange platforms that will profoundly transform how citizens access services from government and the private sector.

Speaking about his vision, the minister explained that he will focus on positioning Lebanon as a digital innovation and transformation powerhouse in the Middle East, using digital technology to create opportunities in some key sectors of the country’s economy.

He noted that although his country is joining the digital revolution “a bit late,” there’s a lot the nation can learn from its Gulf neighbours such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, in order to come up to speed with global digital transformation realties.

To put the country’s AI journey in good stead, Shehadi believes there is the need and urgency to establish partnerships and collaborative frameworks, drawing experience not only from regional partners but also from international organizations like the World Bank.

Beyond these partnerships, the minister also mentioned that the country counts on the support of Lebanese citizens working in technology companies across the world, adding that if the right digital foundation is laid, these diaspora citizens would “want to invest, support talent, and build something meaningful.”

Shehadi is also bullish that investing in AI as well as safe, secure and interoperable digital public infrastructure, will go a long way in reinvigorating Lebanon’s economy which has faced severe challenges over the past six years. Not only has the country’s currency seen a devaluation, hardship and poverty have grown exponentially within this period with a 2024 World Bank report revealing that about 44 percent of citizens live below the poverty line.

The minister is convinced that integrating AI into the country’s public sector will overhaul the manual and analogue systems which have contributed to inefficiency in government operations. While integrating AI into the country’s military is something that is still being considered, Shahadi expressed concerns about potential AI harms and noted that the technology should be deployed in Lebanon in an inclusive and accessible manner.

Lebanon is also building a Super App that will federate services from different government ministries and agencies to facilitate access to public services.

Article Topics

digital government  |  digital ID  |  digital public infrastructure  |  generative AI  |  government services  |  investment  |  Lebanon  |  World Bank