News & Event

Under the auspices of HE Dr. Madiha bint Ahmed Al Shaibaniyah, Minister of Education, the activities of the "Artificial Intelligence Day" kicked-off on (Sunday) morning, in the presence of Their Excellencies the undersecretaries, advisors and directors-general of the directorates-general of the Ministry's General Diwan and in the governorates. The meeting is organized by the Ministry of Education represented by the Directorate-General of Information Technology and took place in the W hotel Muscat.

The meeting aimed to shed light on global developments in the field of artificial intelligence applications, and practical training on some generative artificial intelligence tools that can be employed in various fields of institutional work.

The meeting began with the opening speech, which was formulated using artificial intelligence (Chat-GPT), stated in which: “We are here today to discuss and explore the prospects for digital transformation and artificial intelligence in the Sultanate of Oman. Artificial intelligence is not just a new technology, but rather a technical revolution that changed the features of the world and contributed to its transfer to a new era of progress, innovation and transformation that forms the essence of the fourth digital revolution by integrating it into all aspects of life for a brighter and civilized future. The Sultanate of Oman, thanks to its strategic vision and continuous efforts, is considered one of the leading countries in this field, through investing in research and development and adopting advanced technologies. The Sultanate is also working to promote innovation in artificial intelligence and transform it into powerful tools that enable digital transformation.

The meeting included the presentation of a number of papers specialized in artificial intelligence. Dr. Salim Al Shuaili, Director of the Artificial Intelligence Projects Department for Advanced Technologies at the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, presented the first paper in which he shed light on global developments in the field of artificial intelligence and the national program for artificial intelligence issued by the Ministry of Transport,

Communications, and Information Technology, and the hoped-for institutional role in this field during the coming period.

Dr. Faisal Al Busaidi, Director-General of the Directorate-General of Information Technology, presented a paper entitled "Training on Using Artificial Intelligence Applications", which included a detailed explanation of the generative artificial intelligence program Chat GPT, its mechanism, and practical applications on using it in the field of institutional work for senior leadership positions by focusing on applications related to the areas of work with a comprehensive practical guide in this field. The paper also included a practical explanation of some other applications of artificial intelligence such as the application of artificial intelligence of Google and other smart applications.

Dr. Fengechun Miao, Head of the Artificial Intelligence Unit at the United Nations Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (UNESCO), and Dr. Holmes, Professor of Artificial Intelligence in Education at the University College London, both presented a paper entitled "Artificial Intelligence and its Impact on Education", which reviewed the artificial intelligence technology and its impact on education, and its reflection on the performance of the school, the student, and the teacher. The paper also presented recommendations related to this aspect with the aim of benefiting from it in light of the Ministry's plans during the next stage.

In the last paper, titled "The Future Plan for the Use of Artificial Intelligence in School Education", Dr. Faisal Al Busaidi, Director-General of the Directorate-General of Information Technology, discussed the benefits of using artificial intelligence in the educational process and its importance in the field of institutional work. The paper reviewed the ministry's short-term plan in the field of using artificial intelligence applications, which includes the formation of a national team for artificial intelligence, the establishment of an observatory for new smart applications and other short-term future measures. The paper also reviewed the components of the national program for the use of artificial intelligence in school education, which is considered a strategic plan for its implementation in school education in various fields. The plan includes the employment of artificial intelligence in electronic systems and applications, devices and equipment, curriculum development, capacity building, and the infrastructure of artificial intelligence in the Ministry of Education and other areas and aspects related to community partnership, scientific research and innovation, cooperation with international companies and performance governance.

At the end of the meeting, a live discussion session was held dealing with the trends of artificial intelligence and the challenges and opportunities that arise from it. During the discussion, educational visions for the employment of artificial

intelligence in the field of education were discussed, and recommendations and future proposals in this field were presented.