Commercial Bank partners with Ooredoo to power the future of AI
Tribune News Network
Doha
Commercial Bank has partnered with Ooredoo to strengthen its data infrastructure with the latest GPU technologies from NVIDIA.
Since defining its Data Strategy in 2022, the Bank has embarked on a focused AI journey, which has become a cornerstone of its future development strategy. This strategy encompassed not only significant investment in cutting-edge hardware, technology and data architecture, but also ambitious development of internal talent—building high-performing teams across Data Science, Data Engineering, and Data Governance functions of what is now forming Commercial Bank's Data Lab.
Currently, the Bank has integrated a broad range of AI technologies across various operations and deployed over 20 AI and Generative AI solutions, delivering significant improvement in operational efficiency across multiple processes. AI-driven decision-making now accounts for a large portion of decisions in certain processes, including document processing and customer engagement.
Commercial Bank was among the first private institutions in the Middle East to order its own NVIDIA GPUs in early 2022—well ahead of the global AI hype wave that gained momentum in 2023/2024—demonstrating a truly visionary approach.
In line with its commitment to the highest standards of information security, the Bank has prioritized on-premises deployment of advanced AI solutions. It has developed multiple proprietary models entirely in-house, leveraging the strong capabilities built within its Data Science team since the launch of its Data Strategy.
This strategic approach has enabled the Bank to retain full control over its data and ensure enterprise-grade security while achieving high levels of innovation.
The Bank adopted a balanced risk approach ensuring best governance practices and an adapted level of monitoring across its R&D AI initiatives. The impact has been transformative—particularly in AI powered computer vision solutions for unstructured document processing—resulting in significant operational efficiencies and major customer experience enhancements.
Strategic Partnership with Ooredoo
The selection of Ooredoo as a strategic partner for this transformative initiative was both deliberate and mission-aligned.
As one of Qatar's most progressive and innovative technology companies, Ooredoo has consistently demonstrated leadership in areas such as AI, 5G, and advanced connectivity—initiatives that align closely with Qatar National Vision 2030.
Ooredoo's ongoing investments in future-proof infrastructure and AI capabilities made it a natural partner to power the Bank's state-of-the-art Data Lab. Beyond technical synergies, this partnership represents a convergence of two Qatari leading companies in their respective sectors working together to drive the country's innovation agenda. By joining forces, Commercial Bank and Ooredoo are not only accelerating AI research and development but also setting a national benchmark for public-private collaboration in advanced technology.
Commenting on this partnership, Joseph Abraham, GCEO of Commercial Bank, said:
'Over the recent years, Qatar has been witnessing a massive digital shift in its financial scene, and as one of the leaders of the banking sector, we have played a key role in contributing to this transformation. Digitization at Commercial Bank has embraced the role of everyday reality—so much so that innovation has become more than just a goal but rather the ultimate driving force behind every initiative.
In line with our commitment, we partnered with Ooredoo to power our state-of-the-art Data Lab with the latest GPU technologies from NVIDIA. This partnership significantly accelerates research and development (R&D) for new AI solutions, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of AI innovation.'
Speaking about the collaboration, Sheikh Ali Bin Jabor Al-Thani, Chief Executive Officer at Ooredoo Qatar, said, 'This strategic partnership with Commercial Bank represents a defining milestone in our collective vision to accelerate technological advancement across Qatar.
By delivering the latest in AI infrastructure through cutting-edge GPU technologies, Ooredoo is proud to empower institutions like Commercial Bank to lead in digital innovation. Together, we are delivering innovations that support sustained economic growth and the transformational goals outlined in Qatar National Vision 2030.'
Aimen Kallala, AGM, Head of Strategy and Analytics of Commercial Bank, added:
'Innovation is deeply rooted in the Bank's DNA. We have achieved so many firsts in Qatar in the tech world—namely, the first bank to introduce ATMs and Credit Cards to the Qatari market—and now, we are taking the lead in the GPU and AI revolution.
As we continue to integrate GPUs into our data infrastructure, we will witness an acceleration in data processing, faster AI and machine learning applications, and enhanced security through efficient encryption.
This supports real-time analytics for risk management, customer insights, and fraud detection. That said, we consider our partnership with Ooredoo to be a significant accomplishment that will drive value not only for the present but also for the foreseeable future.'
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