MITAI Lebanon
Lebanese government ministry responsible for digital transformation and artificial intelligence policy, created in 2025 and led by Minister Kamal Shehadi. It runs the five-year LEAP strategy.
Industry: Government ministry for technology and artificial intelligence | Location: Lebanon | Founded: 2025
About MITAI Lebanon
The Ministry of Technology and Artificial Intelligence, abbreviated MITAI, is the Lebanese government body responsible for digital technology and artificial intelligence policy. Other documents name it the Ministry of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence or the Ministry of State for Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence.
The portfolio was created in the cabinet of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, formed in early 2025, and Kamal Shehadi was named its first minister. Wikipedia gives his assumption of office as 8 February 2025. Shehadi also serves as Minister of the Displaced. In May 2025, Lebanese American University described the ministry's mandate as using digital technology and artificial intelligence for national development, including support for citizens, better government services, economic growth and quality of life. In May 2026, MENA Startup Digest described it as overseeing Lebanon's digital agenda and technology infrastructure and developing national strategies for artificial intelligence, digital governance and a knowledge-based economy.
The ministry's five-year strategy is called LEAP, with phases named Launch, Enact, Advance and Promote. In a May 2025 keynote, Shehadi set five-year targets of placing Lebanon among the top 50 countries in AI readiness, powering 80 percent of government services with AI, moving to 100 percent cloud-based data storage and doubling the AI workforce.
MITAI has signed a series of agreements. In June 2025, at VivaTech in Paris, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Sofrecom, a subsidiary of Orange, supporting a National Digital Infrastructure Transformation Project for digital public services. On 27 August 2025, Roland Berger announced a strategic memorandum with the Office of the Ministry of State for Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence to collaborate on AI initiatives, national strategies and governance frameworks. In May 2026, MENA Startup Digest reported a memorandum with Berytech, the Beirut incubator, to link government strategy with startup and private-sector innovation, and planned AI incubation programmes and digital skills development.
MITAI also supports the Lebanese Angel Investor Network, launched in May 2026 and operated by BY Venture Partners; the network's website describes itself as a ministry initiative, and Shehadi gave opening remarks at its launch.