Doha, Qatar: Qatar has secured fourth position globally in the trust sub-factor of the 2026 IMD World Digital and AI Ranking, highlighting the country’s strong institutional credibility, corporate data protection and growing confidence in artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
The achievement places Qatar among the world’s leading economies in digital trust, reinforcing its position as a competitive destination for technological innovation, digital investment and AI-driven economic development.
According to the ranking released by the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD) on November 11, Qatar also performed strongly in business practices, securing seventh position globally, while ranking 17th in efficiency.
The country was ranked 30th overall among several economies assessed, achieving a score of 82.31 out of 100, reflecting its digital capabilities and progress in establishing an enabling environment for technological development and adoption.
The report assessed economies on their capacity to develop, adopt and effectively utilise digital technologies and AI to drive economic growth, improve governance and enhance societal development.
Qatar’s fourth-place position in trust represents one of its strongest performances in the assessment, highlighting the importance of institutional confidence, data protection and responsible technology adoption in an increasingly digital global economy.
The country’s seventh-place ranking in the practices sub-factor further underscores the strength of its business environment and the effectiveness of practices supporting technological advancement and digital transformation.
These achievements reflect Qatar’s competitive advantages in creating a trusted, efficient and business-friendly digital ecosystem, particularly as governments and businesses worldwide accelerate investment in AI and other emerging technologies.
Qatar also secured 19th position globally in the values factor, which assesses areas including cybersecurity, AI ethics, societal attitudes and trust, reinforcing its standing in the responsible development and deployment of digital technologies.
In other categories, the country ranked 30th in governance, 32nd in workforce development and 38th in technology and infrastructure.
The findings highlight Qatar’s established strengths in institutional efficiency and technology adoption, alongside opportunities to further enhance its digital talent pool, research capabilities and advanced technological infrastructure.
Regionally, Qatar maintained its position among the leading Gulf economies in digital and AI competitiveness.
Globally, the United States topped the ranking with a score of 100, followed by Singapore with 99.79 and the Netherlands with 97.08. Denmark and Canada completed the top five, while Sweden, China, Finland, Switzerland and South Korea rounded out the top 10.
The 2026 edition introduced an expanded assessment framework incorporating AI-specific indicators into IMD’s established digital competitiveness methodology, reflecting the increasing importance of artificial intelligence in shaping economic performance and national competitiveness.
The assessment covered 88 indicators across 15 sub-factors, combining statistical data with executive survey responses to evaluate how effectively economies are preparing for an increasingly AI-driven future.
Qatar’s performance aligns with its broader commitment to digital transformation and economic diversification under Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy 2024–2030, which identify innovation, advanced technologies and human capital development as key drivers of sustainable economic growth.
The country’s strong performance in trust, efficiency and business practices provides a solid foundation for strengthening its position as a regional hub for digital innovation and AI-driven development.
