Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) has launched a research and development initiative that creates its first centralized R&D function, the company said on Tuesday.
The program will focus on four areas: networking and connectivity, enterprise services and the internet of things, generative artificial intelligence, and AI infrastructure.
Omantel has signed partnerships with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (MIT CSAIL), Sultan Qaboos University, Oman College of Health Sciences and Modern College of Business and Science.
The company did not disclose how much it plans to spend on the initiative.
Omantel plans to publish a white paper on generative AI infrastructure by the end of 2026. It will examine how Oman’s location and digital capabilities could support AI and cloud infrastructure, the company said.
“Through this R&D Initiative, we aim to connect that talent with research, industry expertise and advanced technological capabilities,” Aladdin Baitfadhil, chief executive of Omantel, said in a statement.
The initiative builds on the work of Omantel Innovation Labs and its engagement with Oman’s startup sector, Baitfadhil said.
Omantel, listed on the Muscat Stock Exchange, said the program supports the goals of Oman Vision 2040, the sultanate’s long-term economic diversification plan.
