The 11th Islamic Finance Conference officially commenced in Doha on Tuesday under the theme "Blockchain, AI Integration and the Future of Islamic Finance," bringing together government entities, international organizations, and financial/educational institutions specializing in economics, finance, and technology.

Keynote Highlights:

1. Sheikh Abdullah bin Fahad Al-Thani, Chairman of Qatar's Dukhan Bank, stated:

   • "Fintech has revolutionized Islamic banking, with AI and blockchain emerging as key transformation drivers"

   • "AI enhances financial forecasting, risk analysis, and service personalization, while blockchain provides transparent/sustainable smart contract management"

   • Noted Qatar's advanced fintech infrastructure and regulatory framework under Qatar Central Bank's Third Financial Sector Strategy aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030

2. Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Thani, Qatari Assistant Minister of Endowments:

   • Warned AI's rapid penetration across sectors makes it "an inevitable professional reality"

   • Emphasized the need to study AI-blockchain integration for Sharia-compliant solutions

3. Dr. Qutb Sano, Secretary-General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy:

   • Described the conference as "a pivotal moment for Islamic finance amid global technological reconfiguration"

   • Highlighted blockchain's growing role in the knowledge economy

4. Dr. Khalid Al-Sulaiti, Conference Chairman:

   • Stated "Technologies are no longer tools but restructuring forces for financial systems"

   • Committed to actively shape Islamic finance's future through blockchain-AI adaptation

Conference Objectives:

• Establish Sharia/legal frameworks for AI-blockchain integration

• Develop decentralized AI solutions for waqf management

• Explore Sharia-compliant digital gaming investments

• Create secure decentralized Islamic finance platforms