Qatar Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has introduced two experimental initiatives: AI Sandbox and XR Sandbox, within the TASMU Innovation Lab.
These initiatives, launched during Web Summit Qatar 2025, aim to empower startups, researchers, and developers to explore experimental solutions in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Extended Reality (XR) while expanding their applications to drive economic growth.
The ministry is set to accelerate digital transformation through the adoption of innovative technologies. The initiatives contribute to economic growth, reinforcing Qatar’s position as a leader in digital transformation and innovation regionally and globally.
A sandbox is a secure, isolated environment for experimenting and developing software, applications, or technologies without affecting core systems or existing operational environments. It serves as a safe incubator, allowing developers and researchers to test new ideas, implement changes, and run codes or applications separately from main systems, mitigating the risk of errors or disruptions.
Eman Al Kuwari Director of Digital Innovation – MCIT
“These experimental environments serve as powerful catalysts for digital innovation, providing a secure and flexible space for collaboration between government entities, innovators, developers, businesses, data experts, and AI engineers. By offering these advanced platforms, we aim to accelerate digital transformation by adopting cutting-edge technologies capable of addressing real-world challenges, supporting economic growth, and strengthening Qatar’s position as a leader in digital transformation and innovation regionally and globally.”
Developed in collaboration with the Deloitte AI Institute and powered by Google’s Vertex AI platform, the AI Sandbox offers a flexible environment for developers, innovators, and businesses to experiment with and develop AI-driven solutions. This enables close collaboration with AI experts to design, prototype, and test AI-powered solutions, ensuring their efficiency and effectiveness.
A significant highlight of the AI Sandbox is its ability to conduct secure testing of new solutions without impacting live operational systems. It also supports low-code and no-code development capabilities, allowing users of varying technical expertise to participate and contribute ideas effectively.
Participants get hands-on guidance from AI solution architects and data scientists through structured mentoring sessions, along with curated learning materials, empowering them to develop intelligent and practical AI solutions.
The XR Sandbox, developed in collaboration with Deloitte Digital, serves as an experimental incubator for Extended Reality (XR) technologies, including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR).
The cutting-edge platform equips participants with a strong knowledge base on XR technologies and practical skill-building opportunities through prototyping.
It highlights the key role of XR technologies in enhancing sectors such as smart cities, education, healthcare, tourism, and retail. Additionally, the platform features a unified resource dashboard for managing assets and offers customized training programs to support participants in executing real-world projects efficiently.
“The AI and XR Sandboxes offer a unique opportunity to explore new frontiers in digital interaction, opening doors to creativity and development. In alignment with the Digital Agenda 2030, our goal is to Qatarize these technologies to enhance quality of life, deliver innovative and efficient digital experiences that meet the needs of individuals and communities, and strengthen our ability to keep pace with rapid technological advancements,” added Al Kuwari.
