Doha, Qatar: HEC Paris, Doha has hosted the first delivery in the Middle East of its Making Artificial Intelligence Real Specialization, one of nine specialisations offered to its EMBA participants within the HEC Paris Executive MBA.
Held in Doha from October 25 to 29, the five-day programme brought together 25 participants from the Doha, Riyadh and Paris cohorts for an intensive learning experience combining academic insight, practical application and engagement with Qatar’s technology and innovation ecosystem with Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar and Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU).
Moving beyond experimentation requires more than an understanding of emerging tools; it calls for the ability to identify opportunities, mobilize talent and integrate AI into organisational strategy. For organisations across the GCC, where digital transformation and economic diversification remain strategic priorities, the ability to translate AI potential into measurable business outcomes is becoming an increasingly important leadership capability.
Led by Peter Mathias Fischer, Associate Professor of Marketing at HEC Paris and Academic Director of the HEC MBA, and David Restrepo Amariles, Professor of AI in Regulated Markets at HEC Paris, the specialisation explored the evolution of AI, from machine learning to generative and agentic AI. Participants examined the strategic foundations of successful AI adoption, including strategy, data, technology and skills, with a particular emphasis on the role of human capital in driving organisational transformation.
The programme also marked the first collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, through a two-day component that introduced participants to large language models, generative and agentic AI, automation workflows and the development of AI-assisted applications. The wider programme combined classroom learning with hands-on workshops, during which participants developed AI concepts and explored their practical applications.
Participants also engaged with Qatar’s wider technology and innovation ecosystem through visits to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Msheireb Smart City and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. These engagements provided insights into AI readiness, smart city operations, emerging technologies and the role of research in supporting innovation The final day featured a venture capital panel with Founding and Managing Partner of Applab, Dr. AlHasan Alsammarrai and technology entrepreneur, investor and digital transformation leader, Sharifa Albarami.
Peter Mathias Fischer said: “The challenge facing leaders today is no longer simply understanding that AI matters. It is knowing where it can genuinely create value, how it should connect to business strategy, and how organizations can develop the skills and structures required to implement it successfully. Making AI real means moving beyond experimentation and ensuring technology serves a clear strategic purpose.” The Doha session concluded with participants presenting their Making AI Real projects.
