Algorithms are increasingly shaping the content people consume, influencing how information is received and helping form public narratives, speakers at a Ministry of Culture seminar have said, stressing the need for greater digital awareness and critical thinking in an era of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence (AI). The seminar, titled “The Power of Algorithms in Shaping Narratives and Programming Minds”, was held at the Ministry of Culture’s headquarters as part of the fifth edition of its “Seminar Season”, organised in partnership with the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies, Hamad Bin Khalifa University and Lusail University. The event was attended by Assistant Undersecretary for Cultural Affairs Mubarak Abdullah al-Khalifa, along with several ambassadors and officials. It examined the growing influence of algorithms amid the rapid adoption of digital technologies and AI, particularly their role in determining what content reaches users and shaping how audiences receive and interact with information. Dr Abdulrahman al-Harmi, an educational and academic consultant, and Mohammed Salem, a media trainer and consultant, discussed how algorithms work and their growing impact on content creation, narrative formation, and how information and ideas reach the public. Al-Harmi said algorithms have become an increasingly important subject of discussion as digital technologies permeate virtually every aspect of daily life. They are no longer technical tools behind digital platforms, he said, but systems that directly shape the content users see and how people interact with information and ideas. Al-Harmi stressed that understanding how algorithms work is essential to strengthening digital literacy, particularly amid the growing diversity of information sources and the vast volume of content circulating online. Users, he added, should engage consciously with the content presented to them rather than automatically accepting what appears on their screens, emphasising the need for verification, critical thinking and analysis. Al-Harmi also highlighted education’s role in helping society navigate these changes, particularly by developing critical-thinking skills among younger generations and equipping them to understand the digital environments in which they live and learn. He said that this would enable them to benefit from technological advances while staying aware of the challenges tied to the growing influence of digital platforms and algorithms. Salem said that algorithms have become a major force in the media and digital landscape because they rank content and determine what users see. This, he said, makes their influence on narrative formation an increasingly important topic of discussion, especially as people rely more on digital platforms for news and information. He said the content-creation industry is rapidly transforming due to technological advances, requiring media and cultural professionals to keep pace with emerging tools and understand how they are changing content production and distribution. Salem stressed the importance of understanding how content is created, ranked, circulated, and disseminated, and the need to handle information shared across platforms responsibly. The seminar also examined the relationship between algorithms and narrative formation, focusing on the growing role of digital platforms in producing and distributing content and the challenges this poses for users trying to distinguish factual information from targeted or algorithmically selected content. Participants also discussed the importance of understanding how algorithmic systems operate and how they can influence individual choices, perceptions and interactions with different issues. Through its “Seminar Season”, the Ministry of Culture continues to address a range of contemporary cultural, intellectual, and knowledge-based issues, providing a platform to discuss developments shaping society. This version avoids repeating the same point about algorithms “shaping content” in several paragraphs. It gave al-Harmi and Salem distinct angles: digital literacy and education for al-Harmi, and media/content production for Salem.

HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Lolwah AlKhater emphasised that attracting the wealth of talent in the nation, primarily citizens, those born in the country, and residents, is a foremost priority for the ministry so as to turbocharge the educational sector.She noted that the ministry is working in lockstep with the appropriate authorities to deepen and expand this approach. HE AlKhater was speaking during a ceremony held by the ministry to mark World Teachers’ Day 2026 under the theme “Giving That Nurtures Generations.” She added that the ministry and Qatar University (QU) have accomplished a thoroughgoing review of the Bachelor of Education programs across their various majors, including special education, ahead of launching updated academic pathways that meet the needs of the various educational stages and keep abreast of rapidly evolving developments in the education sector. HE the Minister availed herself of this opportunity to extend assurances of her highest consideration to HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani for his persistent support for this sector, along with his keenness to draw the talent of both Qataris and residents to work in the educational profession, stemming from his belief in teachers and their role in nations’ progress. Qatar has held that elevating the teachers’ standing is of paramount importance, as they are the lynchpin of the educational process and key partners in the path of national development, AlKhater noted. She stressed that teachers are not measured by the knowledge they provide during the day, but by the enduring impact they leave in the hearts of students spanning many years, thereby demonstrating the profound responsibility they bear and the significant role they play in building generations and shaping the future. AlKhater applauded the tremendous, combined efforts the state institutions have been making during the extraordinary circumstances that unfolded in the country throughout the past period. She recalled the role undertaken by male and female teachers to ensure the continuity of education and provide students with a secure and serene environment. Teachers have been at the forefront of those who shouldered the responsibility during that phase, AlKhater acknowledged, noting that they continued to perform their educational mission and helped support students and train them in safety and evacuation measures, a gesture that confirms their standing as educators, role models, and guides, alongside their educational role. She asserted that this resilience embodies what was confirmed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s address before the United Nations General Assembly, His Highness said that resilience is the outgrowth of planning, preparedness, and investment in people and national capabilities, considering teachers as a true model of this national investment. She noted the high profile of teachers in Qatar, highlighting His Highness the late Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani’s positive attitudes towards his teachers. This, the minister added, reflects a longstanding culture of honouring scholars and knowledge, passed down through generations in Qatari society. Tumooh Program continues to play an effective role in supporting qualified national talent for the educational sector, AlKhater pointed out, highlighting that the programme has thus far graduated 1,766 male and female teachers, while 1,147 are pursuing their studies within the programme. She noted that male enrolment in education majors has increased from 16 students three years ago to more than 300 over the past two years, alongside an expansion of access to the program to include the children of Qatari women, holders of Qatari identification documents, and permanent residents. The ministry has worked to diversify pathways into the teaching profession through the “Tamheen” program, which has given individuals from various academic disciplines an opportunity to enter the education sector, AlKhater pointed out, adding that to date, 197 male and female teachers have completed the program through seven training cohorts. She also hailed the existing partnership with Teach For Qatar, which since its inception has helped recruit 575 participants from different academic backgrounds into public schools, including those with backgrounds in engineering, medicine, pharmacy, and Islamic studies. In closing, the minister clarified that more than 33,000 teachers, school leaders, and support personnel have benefited from the ministry’s Training and Development Center programs this year, while 1,466 professional licenses have been awarded to educators. HE AlKhater noted that the Khibrat program has enabled teachers to gain exposure to myriad educational experiences and bring those lessons back to their colleagues through the Innovation Leaders program, which has yielded 105 innovative projects aimed at grappling with educational challenges within schools. Speaking on behalf of recognised teachers on the occasion of this day, Khamis al-Kuwari, a Physical Education teacher at Yarmouk School, praised HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs for patronising the ceremony. He also lauded the ministry’s unwavering support for the education workforce in the country.He emphasised that the teaching profession goes beyond imparting knowledge to shaping the character of future generations and instilling in students the values of discipline, commitment, and sportsmanship, stressing that a teacher’s lasting impact continues to shape generations of the nation for many years to come.