Qatar’s government has entered into a five-year agreement with AI data company Scale AI to implement AI-powered tools and training, aiming to enhance government services in the Gulf nation, a senior executive from Scale AI told.

“(This deal) can be a blueprint for other governments around the world, and it allows us to really commit in a way that I think could drive impact even faster”, said Trevor Thompson, global head of growth at the San Francisco, California-based company.

The deal will allow Qatar’s government to adopt tools such as predictive analytics, automation and advanced data analysis in an effort to streamline operations, said a statement by Qatar’s communications and information technology ministry.

Scale AI will develop more than 50 possible uses of artificial intelligence (AI) for Qatar’s government over the next five years, the statement added.

Thompson declined to say how much the deal is worth.

Qatar, a wealthy gas producer and longtime ally of the U.S., is in a race to become an AI leader amid rising competition from neighbouring Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Founded in 2016, Scale AI specializes in delivering vast amounts of accurately labeled data to train tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The company collaborates with major clients, including Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, and AI firms such as OpenAI and Cohere, assisting them in creating and enhancing data sets.