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The Qatar News Agency reported that Scale AI and United Development Company signed the agreement at UDC’s pavilion during Cityscape Qatar 2026 held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. UDC serves as the master developer of The Pearl and Gewan islands, and the pact provides Scale AI with a long-term home in the country. The development comes after the AI firm’s initial partnership with the State of Qatar was announced at Web Summit Qatar in 2025.
Scale AI said in a statement that its Doha team has grown to nearly 100 employees since that partnership began, with close to 50 percent working as technical engineers. The company has trained or upskilled nearly 6,000 government employees in AI literacy and practical skills under the five-year deal with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Those efforts have already produced applications used in healthcare, justice, education and tourism services, according to industry assessments from Middle East AI News.
United Development Company issued a statement highlighting how the new office reflects the increasing draw of The Pearl Island for global technology companies. The island has been developed into a waterfront community that integrates workplaces with residential, hospitality, dining, retail and leisure options. UDC aims to reinforce its position as a hub for innovation and knowledge-based sectors through such partnerships.
Amr Samir, Scale AI’s Qatar country lead, said in the announcement, “Qatar’s leadership has set a compelling vision for AI to serve its people and strengthen its institutions, and MCIT is turning that vision into practical capability.” He added that the company feels honored by the trust placed in it and that the new base at The Pearl demonstrates its commitment to long-term contributions toward building reliable AI alongside local partners and talent. Samir noted the firm’s confidence in Qatar’s AI-enabled future has grown stronger.
Yasser Salah Al Jaidah, president and CEO of United Development Company, stated that Scale AI’s presence at UDC Tower underscores the island’s appeal to leading international businesses. He pointed to further opportunities for attracting firms that enhance Qatar’s business environment. Al Jaidah emphasized the role this plays in positioning The Pearl as a center for technology and innovation.
Scale AI has extended its Gulf footprint with recent openings in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, pushing its regional staff count above 130 across the three countries. A blog post from the company described the Qatar office as supporting its mission to deliver high-quality data for advanced AI models and to help governments deploy dependable applications. The firm works with frontier AI laboratories while developing evaluation tools for the industry.
The agreement aligns with Qatar’s broader strategy to harness artificial intelligence for public institutions and economic diversification. Public sector programs under the MCIT partnership have already delivered measurable improvements in service delivery. Scale AI’s investment adds to the growing ecosystem of technology entities establishing roots in the country.
