The Women in Data Science (WiDS) Conference at the American University of Beirut held on October 28, 2025, expanded its program to host a high-level panel bringing together four key Lebanese ministers for a landmark discussion on how data and artificial intelligence can reshape governance, rebuild public trust, and modernize essential services across the country. This new WiDS initiative aims to bridge academia and the public sector to support Lebanon through data-driven transformation, in line with the AUB’s vision of strengthening the University’s role in serving the public sector.
The high-level panel, titled “WiDS 2025 High-Level Panel Discussion - Lebanon's Digital Leap: AI In Governance and Public Services” featured Ms. Haneen Al-Sayed, Minister of Social Affairs; Dr. Rakan Nasereddine, Minister of Public Health; Dr. Kamal Shehadi, Minister of the Displaced and Minister of State for Technology and AI; and Dr. Mohamad Haidar, Minister of Labor. The panel was moderated by Dr. Carole Al Sharabati, Founding Partner and Director of Research, Siren Associates, and WiDS@AUB advisory board member.
The panel opened with a central theme: AI is a strategic opportunity for Lebanon, not merely a technological upgrade, but a pathway to transparency, efficiency, and economic development. Minister Kamal Shehadi emphasized that AI can rebuild public trust by making government services faster, traceable, and corruption-resistant. He underlined the urgent need for unified data governance, inter-operable systems across ministries, and essential infrastructure such as GPUs and modern data centers to unlock Lebanon’s national digital transformation. He also noted that AI is a job creator, committing to broad reskilling programs and to embedding AI and data use across all government operations.
Minister Haneen Al-Sayed presented the Ministry of Social Affairs’ new digital transformation strategy, grounded in transparency and social inclusion. With a unified registry covering nearly two million beneficiaries and more than 160 social development centers yet to be digitized, the ministry is undertaking a comprehensive modernization of workflows and public-facing services. She highlighted the importance of data-driven targeting in programs such as Aman and underscored the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that assistance reaches citizens “fairly, directly, and efficiently.”
Speaking on digital health, Minister Rakan Nasereddine outlined several success stories already underway, including integrated data efforts with the Social Affairs Ministry, the launch of the National Digital Health Strategy (2025–2030), and new health registries and traceability systems. He stressed that effective health governance depends on robust, shared data: “Without data, the response is blind.” He highlighted ongoing work to consolidate hospital, laboratory, and public health data into a unified health hub to support national-level planning and research.
Minister Mohamad Haidar addressed the critical question of workforce readiness for the AI age. He detailed the Ministry of Labor’s rapid digitalization, replacing outdated, intermediary-dependent processes with transparent, online systems and implementing AI-based identity verification. He announced the upcoming launch of a labor market intelligence application that will publicly display sector-level job demand and skills shortages. He also noted that legal reforms are underway, in partnership with the ILO, to modernize the labor law and protect workers in an AI-driven economy.
Across the discussion, a shared vision emerged: AI can only transform Lebanon if ministries collaborate, share data responsibly, and commit to unified national standards. The ministers closed with concrete action plans, including:
- Building interoperable national data systems and sandboxes for safe experimentation and research;
- Digitizing and connecting all social, health, and labor service centers to ensure inclusivity and efficiency;
- Strengthening national infrastructure for AI, including computing capacity and secure data centers;
- Enhancing youth engagement and opening anonymized datasets to students, researchers, and innovators;
- Updating Lebanon’s legal and regulatory frameworks to protect workers, ensure accountability, and support a competitive digital economy.
The WiDS @AUB 2025 panel marks a pivotal moment in outlining Lebanon’s collective digital trajectory. Through coordinated action, data-sharing, and responsible adoption of AI, Lebanon’s public sector aims to deliver more transparent, modern, and citizen-centered services—setting the foundation for a more resilient digital future.