Doha, Qatar: Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, delivered a powerful address at Web Summit Qatar 2026 yesterday, highlighting the rapid advancement of AI and emphasising the critical importance of anchoring technological innovation in human values, ethics, and accountability.
Speaking at the opening session under the theme “Human First: Re-centering Ethics in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” Sheikha Moza stressed that responsible, human-centered leadership guided by a long-term vision is essential to shaping the future of technology, rather than merely reacting to its rapid evolution. She also underscored Qatar’s shift from an oil- and gas-centered economy to one rooted in knowledge and innovation, affirming the country’s readiness to become a global leader in technology.
Addressing a capacity crowd, Sheikha Moza said, “Our conviction in safeguarding the distinct identity of our language, amid the unprecedented transformations the world is witnessing, is in harmony with our commitment to cultural diversity within the field of technology; for technology was never the child of a single civilisation, destined to remain its exclusive inheritance.”
“Rather, solutions that emerge from diverse local needs, and the ‘cultural DNA’ of one community or another, can acquire global significance and influence when empowered by technology. They can transform from isolated national or institutional efforts into genuine shared creativity that transcends regions, disciplines, and sectors,” she added.
Over four days the third edition of Web Summit Qatar has gathered 30,274 attendees from 127 countries, featuring 1,637 startups and 931 investors alongside 427 speakers tackling AI, chip wars, tech geopolitics, and the creator economy.
The summit welcomed 22 government delegations, hosted 180 AI-driven meetups, and highlighted diversity with 38% of startups women-founded.
While reaffirming the importance of innovation and partnerships, she made clear that enthusiasm for technological progress must be guided by ethics.
“I speak today not to unsettle your enthusiasm for the future, nor to impede crucial partnerships between major technology companies and large-scale investments. Rather, it is a call for enthusiasm for technology to be guided by critical awareness and illuminated by moral insight.”
A central focus of the speech was the role of language, particularly Arabic, in shaping values, identity, and collective consciousness in the digital age. Sheikha Moza described the Arab world as standing at a decisive turning point, where resources alone are no longer sufficient for progress.
“What is required today is the building of trust between minds and institutions and faith in the Arabic language and in the creative power it has enabled through the ages,” she said, warning that “today, Arabic fights its decisive battle on the frontlines of technology.” “This battle is not over tools but over meaning, identity, and the power to persist,” she continued. “Should the Arabic language be defeated in this era, it will not be only a linguistic defeat, but a defeat for all that this language represents in terms of identity, culture, memory, spirit, and civilisation.”
Sheikha Moza emphasised that safeguarding language is inseparable from cultural continuity and self-driven development, noting that no nation can rise without mobilising its intellectual and creative capacities through collective will.
Turning to investment and leadership, Sheikha Moza described Qatar’s transformation from an oil- and gas-based economy to a knowledge-based one, expressing confidence in the country’s readiness to lead in technology and innovation.
She said, “I am convinced that, today, we are more ready than ever to be pioneers in the field of technology, and I believe that Qatar is the most reliable place for technology investment. Qatar has earned the trust of the world through its investment in education and scientific research and demonstrated its credibility and neutrality at both a regional and an international level.”
“Given its human and material capacities, its transparent legal framework, and its clear ethical standards, Qatar is well positioned to lead. This is a call to invest in a web of research built on global partnerships, not to humanise technology, but to humanise its uses,” Sheikha Moza added. Addressing the future of artificial intelligence, Sheikha Moza acknowledged its growing influence across health, education, industry, and security, while warning of ethical risks if values are sidelined. She cautioned that technological control could drift toward domination and raised concerns voiced by scientists that humanity may one day lose control over its intelligent creations.
“Artificial Intelligence itself is not the threat,” she said. “The threat is the absence of conscience that directs it.”
