Qatar sovereign fund to be ‘selective’ in AI investments

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is reportedly considering a “more selective approach” to investments in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.

The thing to worry about in AI innovation is short-term heat, CEO Mohammed Al-Sowaidi told Bloomberg.

The fund will, however, back companies after assessing revenue generation, implementation capability and productivity gains after five to six years of operations.

The $580 billion sovereign fund is already a major investor in the global technology sector, including Elon Musk’s xAI.

In December, Qai, a new Qatari state-owned AI company, and Canada-based Brookfield announced a $20 billion joint venture focused on AI infrastructure in the Gulf state and international markets. 

Regionally, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have committed billions of dollars to global AI initiatives and established national AI companies, such as G42 in Abu Dhabi and Humain in Riyadh.

Al-Sowaidi said the QIA will focus on sectors such as financial services and industrials, given that AI-driven productivity gains are visible.

Investments in minerals, commodities and data centres will continue, he added.

In May 2025, during President Donald Trump’s visit to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, QIA announced plans to invest $500 billion over the next 10 years in the US.

The US remains central to the fund’s strategy, Al-Sowaidi said, adding there is a strong possibility of deploying more than $500 billion in the country.

Further reading:

• Sovereigns, not VCs, are shaping the Gulf’s AI future
• The Gulf’s $100 billion AI gamble is just getting started
• İzmir aspires to lead Turkey’s AI transformation