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    AI in Oman: the rules, the readiness and where to start

    Last checked: 29 October 2026

    What should a company in Oman know before starting with AI?

    Oman has no dedicated AI law as of 29 October 2026. The Personal Data Protection Law issued by Royal Decree 6/2022, with its Executive Regulation, applies to AI that uses personal data, and the transition period ended on 5 February 2026. A company should check whether it needs a permit for sensitive data, how it transfers data abroad and how it reports breaches, and read the government's non-binding AI policy.

    At a glance

    Oman at a glance

    Key facts about Oman
    Data protection lawPersonal Data Protection Law (Royal Decree 6/2022), in force since February 2023; Executive Regulation issued in 2024
    RegulatorMinistry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT)
    AI policyPublic Policy for the Safe and Ethical Use of AI Systems (2025, non-binding) and the National Programme for AI and Advanced Digital Technologies. No dedicated AI law as of 29 October 2026
    Time zoneGST, UTC+4 (India is 1.5 hours ahead)
    CurrencyOMR (Omani rial)
    Business languageArabic, with English widely used in business

    Why now

    Why Oman is worth watching

    Each point links to the document it comes from.

    • Oman's National Programme for AI and Advanced Digital Technologies runs from 2024 to 2026 under Oman Vision 2040.[5]

    • The programme aims to grow the digital economy from about 2% of GDP in 2021 to 10% by 2040, and to place Oman in the top 50 of the Government AI Readiness Index.[5]

    • MTCIT's Public Policy for the Safe and Ethical Use of AI Systems took effect on 9 April 2025 and covers both public and private bodies that build or deploy AI.[4]

    • The data law's transition period ended on 5 February 2026, and law firms report that MTCIT has moved to active supervision.[3]

    The rules

    The rules that matter for AI

    What each law or policy means when you build or buy an AI system.

    Personal Data Protection Law (Royal Decree 6/2022)

    In force2022Genetic, biometric, health and some other sensitive data can only be processed with a permit from the Ministry (Article 5). Controllers must assess the risks of processing to the person (Article 13), appoint a data protection officer (Article 20) and report breaches (Article 19). Data can go abroad under the Regulation's rules, but not if it was processed unlawfully or would cause harm (Article 23). Breaching the transfer rule carries a fine of OMR 100,000 to OMR 500,000 (Article 29).[1]

    Executive Regulation of the Personal Data Protection Law

    In force2024Law-firm summaries say breaches likely to endanger people's rights must be reported to the Ministry within 72 hours, and to affected people where serious harm is likely. Transfers abroad generally need explicit consent and a risk assessment of the recipient. Sensitive data permits last five years, and the Ministry's silence after 45 days counts as refusal.[2]

    Public Policy for the Safe and Ethical Use of AI Systems

    In force2025Issued by MTCIT as a circular, it is described as non-binding, with no fines. It asks providers and deployers to check AI systems regularly for accuracy, bias and harmful content, keep human oversight of crucial decisions, document AI processes and comply with data protection law.[4]

    Where AI fits first

    Where AI fits first

    Health care

    Arabic and English clinical note drafting and triage support, with clinicians deciding.

    Health data needs a Ministry permit under Article 5 before processing.[1]

    Banking and finance

    Document checks for onboarding, fraud alerts and Arabic customer service.

    Biometric checks for identity need a permit under Article 5. The AI policy asks for human oversight of crucial decisions.[4]

    Government services

    Assistants that answer service questions, with staff approving answers.

    The National Programme's governance pillar and the AI policy both apply to public bodies.[5]

    Logistics and ports

    Forecasting volumes and reading shipping documents.

    Mostly non-personal data, but staff and driver data still falls under the data law. We found no AI rule specific to logistics.[1]

    Your first steps

    Your first steps

    1. Check whether your AI uses genetic, biometric, health or other sensitive data, and apply for a Ministry permit before you start.
    2. Appoint a data protection officer and publish their contact details.
    3. Write down the risks your AI processing creates for people, as Article 13 requires.
    4. For each transfer abroad, record consent or the exception you rely on, and assess the recipient's protection level.
    5. Set up a breach process that can reach the Ministry within 72 hours.
    6. Read the AI policy and set up periodic bias and accuracy checks with a named owner.
    7. Keep a person in the loop for decisions that matter to customers or staff.

    AI services for Oman

    AI consulting and development for teams in Oman

    We work remotely with companies in Oman, in your time zone, and keep your data under the rules described above.

    AI agents and automation

    Agents that finish multi-step work across your tools, with people approving what matters.
    Learn more

    Document Q&A (RAG)

    Answers from your own documents, with the source shown for every answer.
    Learn more

    AI governance and data protection

    Policies, review steps and audit trails that fit your local data law.
    Learn more

    Software and cloud engineering

    Web apps, integrations and cloud platforms built around your AI use case.
    Learn more

    How we work with you

    How we work with you

    We work remotely with clients worldwide, in the client's time zone. Oman is on UTC+4 and India on UTC+5:30, a 1.5 hour gap. Taking a 9:00 to 17:00 day in Oman and 9:30 to 18:30 in India, the overlap is 8 hours, from 09:00 to 17:00 Oman time. The Omani working week is Sunday to Thursday, so Monday to Thursday are shared working days.

    Questions

    Common questions about AI in Oman

    Does Oman have an AI law?

    Not a dedicated one as of 29 October 2026. The data protection law applies to AI that uses personal data, and MTCIT's AI policy sets non-binding expectations.

    Do we need a permit to use biometric or health data in AI?

    Yes. Article 5 of the law requires a Ministry permit before processing genetic, biometric, health and certain other sensitive data.

    Can we use an AI service hosted outside Oman?

    Yes, under the Executive Regulation's conditions. Law-firm summaries say you generally need the person's explicit consent and an assessment of the recipient, and the protection must be at least equal to Omani law.

    What are the penalties?

    The law sets fines by article, up to OMR 500,000 for transfer breaches, and up to OMR 100,000 for a company when an offence is committed in its name. The Ministry can also impose administrative fines of up to OMR 2,000.

    Complimentary tools

    Try these first

    Three complimentary tools from our AI Toolkit that suit a team starting out.

    AI readiness score

    Answer a few questions and see where your team stands, in about five minutes.
    Open the tool

    AI use case triage

    Test an idea against data, risk and effort before you spend on it.
    Open the tool

    AI project cost estimator

    Get a rough build and run cost range for a first AI project.
    Open the tool

    Read next

    Sources

    Sources

    Facts checked on 29 October 2026. Numbers in square brackets above match this list.
    1. [1] Decree (Omani legal publisher), English translation, 2022-02-09. Royal Decree 6/2022 Issuing the Personal Data Protection Law(decree.om)
      Full title and what we used it for

      Royal Decree 6/2022 Issuing the Personal Data Protection Law. Unofficial English translation of the law; the Arabic text in Official Gazette 1429 (13 February 2022) is official. Used for Articles 5, 13, 19, 20, 23, 29, 30 and 32, and Article IV (in force one year after issue).

    2. [2] Clyde & Co, 2024-02-01. Oman issues Executive Regulations to the Personal Data Protection Law(clydeco.com)
      Full title and what we used it for

      Oman issues Executive Regulations to the Personal Data Protection Law. Law-firm summary, used for interpretation only: 72-hour breach notice, transfer conditions, permit timing. We could not open the Regulation text itself. Published in February 2024; it gives 28 January 2024 as the Regulation's issue date.

    3. [3] CMS, 2026-02-11. Oman personal data protection law: entering the enforcement phase(cms.law)
      Full title and what we used it for

      Oman personal data protection law: entering the enforcement phase. Law-firm summary, used for interpretation only: end of the transition period on 5 February 2026 under Ministerial Decision No. 6/2025, and the move to active enforcement.

    4. [4] Decree blog, 2025-05-25. MTCIT issues public policy for ethical use of AI(blog.decree.om)
      Full title and what we used it for

      MTCIT issues public policy for ethical use of AI. Legal commentary on the MTCIT circular, used for its 9 April 2025 start, non-binding status and content. We did not open the circular on the MTCIT site.

    5. [5] Oman Observer, 2024-09-22. Oman unveils AI and digital tech programme to boost economy(omanobserver.om)
      Full title and what we used it for

      Oman unveils AI and digital tech programme to boost economy. Press report. Used for the programme's name, period, targets and pillars.

    6. [6] Decree blog, 2024-02-05. The wait is finally over: the Executive Regulation of the Personal Data…(blog.decree.om)
      Full title and what we used it for

      The wait is finally over: the Executive Regulation of the Personal Data Protection Law. Legal commentary, used for the Regulation's publication in early February 2024 and that the Ministry does not keep a list of approved countries for transfers.

    This is general information, not legal advice. We worked from an unofficial English translation of the law and from law-firm summaries of the Executive Regulation, which we could not read directly. Check with a qualified Omani lawyer before you act. Facts checked on 29 October 2026.

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