Lebanon’s finance minister says AI will play a major role — The National
Lebanon’s Finance Minister Yassine Jaber said during a discussion in Washington, US, that artificial intelligence will play a major role in the country’s future as it seeks economic stability. He said this in response to a question from The National at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
AI for government communications
According to Jaber, Lebanon’s Ministry of Finance has developed an AI spokesperson to report on the latest economic developments. It was named Sawt Al Malia — “Voice of the Ministry of Finance.” Rather than distributing statements only in writing, the digital character voices the ministry’s messages.
The minister described it as a female AI character that presents the ministry’s statements. According to him, this demonstrates how strongly the Lebanese authorities believe in and promote artificial intelligence technologies.
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Training and digitalization
Lebanon’s Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Kamal Shehadi, said that 2,500 residents of the country took part in an AI training program organized by the Middle Eastern online platform Zaka. He said there is a need to integrate these technologies into work, services and centers of excellence, including in higher education, healthcare, creative industries, manufacturing and business services.
In August, Lebanon and the World Bank announced a $150 million loan agreement to support the digital transformation of the country’s infrastructure. The Digital Acceleration Project is intended to make it easier for Lebanon’s residents to access public services, as many of them still use paper-based procedures or visit ministries in person to resolve issues.
