Ajloun, Oct. 9 (Petra)-- Mohammad Al-Momani - Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as one of the most significant transformations reshaping the economy, education, media, services and productive sectors, offering Jordan a major opportunity to harness these technologies to maximize the value of its human capital and turn national knowledge and expertise into scalable solutions, products and services capable of reaching regional and global markets.

President of Ajloun National University and Director of the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Center at the Association of Arab Universities, Dr. Firas Al-Hanandeh, said Jordan has a strong foundation of educated human resources, universities and scientific and technological expertise, making investment in people and knowledge a key pathway toward building an economy increasingly driven by innovation.

He noted that the water, agriculture, energy, transport, healthcare, education and public services sectors offer broad opportunities to serve as real-world innovation laboratories. These sectors, he added, can support the creation of startups, high-quality job opportunities, knowledge-based products and digital services that extend beyond the domestic market.

Dr. Khaled Al-Omari, a fintech professor at Ajloun National University, said artificial intelligence opens up wide-ranging opportunities for Jordan's economy to develop financial services and improve decision-making efficiency, particularly amid the growing volume of data generated by digital transactions and electronic services.

Digital media and media studies specialist Dr. Uday Qaqish said AI has brought about a profound transformation in the media industry, from information gathering and data analysis to content production, personalization and distribution. This shift, he noted, requires redefining the skills journalists and media professionals will need in the coming years.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Dardour, a professor of legal studies at Jadara University, said the expanding use of AI calls for the development of a legal framework that keeps pace with rapid technological advances, particularly in areas related to data, privacy and liability for decisions generated by intelligent systems.

Legal researcher Dr. Salem Al-Jbour said governance is essential to ensuring the safe and responsible use of AI. He stressed the need for clear standards governing data collection, processing and use, as well as defining the responsibilities of institutions and individuals when errors or harm occur.

Journalis Dr. Jamal Al-Bawareed highlighted the growing importance of ethical responsibility as AI technologies advance rapidly, particularly given their increasing ability to generate text, images, audio and video that can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from authentic content.

The experts agreed that establishing an effective national AI ecosystem requires closer integration among universities, scientific research and economic sectors, alongside reliable data, robust digital infrastructure, funding and partnerships to help turn research ideas into practical applications.

//Petra// MF