#Oman #startups - The number of Omani companies operating in artificial intelligence reached 42 by the end of August 2026, up from 22 a year earlier, a 91% increase, according to Tawah bint Abdullah Al Dawood, Head of the Development and Studies Section at Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT). Quoted by Oman News Agency, Al Dawood said Omani AI startups are increasingly moving beyond prototypes into commercially viable solutions deployed across government and private-sector applications.
SO WHAT? - Despite the small numbers, the increase in Omani AI startups provides an early sign that the government’s AI strategy is having an impact. MTCIT overhauled its national AI strategy in 2024, with greater focus on both encouraging local entrepreneurs and attracting global startups. Importantly, the government seems to be tracking the technological and commercial progress of new AI companies, rather simply counting the registrations. In a market the size of Oman encouraging AI startups that have real business viability is more critical than the overall numbers.
KEY POINTS:
The number of Omani AI companies reached 42 by the end of August 2026, up from 22 the previous year, representing 91% growth, according to Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.
Quoted by ONA, the Ministry’s Head of the Development and Studies Section Tawah bint Abdullah Al Dawood said Omani AI startups are developing technological solutions that improve business efficiency, enhance services, automate processes and enable better data-driven decision-making.
She said the growth reflects the rapid development of Oman’s specialised technology ecosystem and companies’ growing ability to move from prototypes to commercially viable products for government and private-sector use.
The expansion supports Oman’s ambition to build an innovation- and knowledge-based digital economy in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
Omani AI companies are contributing to the localisation of technical knowledge and expertise, building national capabilities in AI, data and software development, and creating advanced technical career opportunities.
The government hopes that the growing success of these companies will help strengthen private-sector confidence in AI’s economic opportunities, encouraging further adoption and investment.
Omani AI startups have growing opportunities to expand into regional and international markets, given that AI-based digital solutions can scale beyond domestic borders.
MTCIT is working to strengthen data and indicators for the AI sector to enable more comprehensive and accurate measurement of investment and growth going forward.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]
Source: Oman News Agency (ONA)
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