A session held Monday as part of the Web Summit Qatar 2026 discussed the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into design and prototyping processes, and its role in accelerating innovation and improving product quality.
The session also addressed the technical, security, and ethical challenges associated with AI adoption. An elite panel of experts in artificial intelligence, software development, cybersecurity, and robotics participated in the session.
The moderator of the session, Deputy Executive Director of the Qatar Scientific Club, Engineer Abdulrahman Khamis, highlighted the rapid transformations driven by AI in marketing, software development, and digital systems protection. He stressed the importance of user awareness regarding the limitations of these technologies, the governance of their use, and the protection of innovation-particularly in sensitive applications.
Dr Youssef Ait Mou, a senior software engineer at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, affirmed that artificial intelligence has significantly improved both time efficiency and quality compared to human performance. He noted that AI systems are designed to address shortcomings in human workflows, enabling the delivery of more accurate and efficient products.
He explained that one of AI’s most significant contributions is enabling humans to focus on creative and high-value tasks, rather than spending time on routine and repetitive work.
Engineer Saif Hassan al-Hail, senior AI engineer at the Qatar Scientific Club, pointed out that artificial intelligence capabilities extend far beyond those of a conventional support tool. He emphasised that a large segment of users does not fully leverage these technologies to their maximum potential.
He cited the example of “AI agents” used in marketing, where a virtual agent can be designed to simulate a specific customer segment, allowing marketing campaigns to be trained on highly realistic scenarios. This approach accelerates product launch timelines and enhances the efficiency of marketing experiments.
Engineer Mohammed al-Qassabi, Head of the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Department at the Qatar Scientific Club, stressed that artificial intelligence has become a necessity in the field of cybersecurity. He noted that major companies rely on AI technologies to analyse massive volumes of data and make decisions at extremely high speeds, including detecting unconventional cyber-intrusion attempts that could go unnoticed without intelligent systems.
He added that modern attacks increasingly use AI to conceal malicious commands within files and images, further increasing the need for more advanced tools to protect digital systems.
Dr Mohammed Zaid Shaari, a technology expert at the Qatar Scientific Club, explained that artificial intelligence remains more effective in software and algorithms than in hardware. While AI can assist in writing code or generating initial designs, it cannot replace human expertise in the development of complex hardware systems.
He emphasised that true innovation in this field depends on original ideas and unique prototypes, warning that directly feeding advanced outputs into AI platforms may pose a threat to intellectual property and innovation protection; particularly in military or security-related applications.
The participants concluded by emphasising that while artificial intelligence is capable of accelerating software development and improving efficiency, it cannot replace human expertise in sensitive domains. They affirmed that protecting innovation and intellectual property remains a top priority in an era of rapidly advancing digital technologies.
