AI set to sharpen Bahrain’s government services

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Lawmakers are considering the rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) across government ministries, from automating services to smarter oversight of public spending.

The proposal, introduced by MP Hassan Ebrahim alongside Dr Hisham Al Ashiri, Jaleela Alawi, Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, and First Deputy Speaker AbdulNabi Salman, will be discussed in Parliament on Tuesday.

“This initiative would develop services, speed up transactions, reduce administrative and financial burdens, and enhance accuracy and transparency in government work,” said MP Ebrahim. “AI offers unprecedented capabilities in data analysis and decision-making.”

The proposal highlights AI’s potential to support internal audits, detect unusual financial patterns, and track performance by analysing complaints and enquiries from the public. It also suggests systems to monitor operations, flag irregularities, and ensure optimal use of public funds.

Daily-life applications are included, such as smart cameras and visual analysis for public areas, and AI-driven traffic systems to monitor vehicle flows and optimise signal timings.

Sponsors emphasise the need for training government staff, attracting specialist expertise, and partnering with universities and research centres to develop AI tools tailored to Bahrain’s needs.

The Nasser Centre for Science & Technology backed the initiative, noting that automating routine tasks can increase output, reduce errors, and free staff for higher-value work. AI-driven data analysis can guide service improvements, reduce costs, and support decision-making through insights and forecasts.

The centre highlighted prototypes tested over three years, including smart financial-audit systems, staff performance and training assessment tools, customer-service platforms, legal-text search tools, complaint analysis systems, and data retrieval tools for various ministries and agencies.

The Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee recommended approval, with all members agreeing that the proposal serves the public interest.