Building Omans Own AI: Inside the Race for Local, Private & Secure AI with COO Khalil Alsinawi

Oman Is Building Its Own AI: Inside the Race for Local, Private & Secure AI with Khalil Al Sinawi

What happens when a country decides it needs its own AI infrastructure?

In this episode of the Business Mentor Podcast, I’m joined by Khalil Al Sinawi, COO of Engine AI Oman, to explore the rapidly developing AI landscape across Oman and the Middle East.

Khalil spent almost 13 years working in Petroleum , primarily in contracting, procurement and supply chain, before moving into AI. His journey into the sector began in 2018, long before the current explosion in generative AI.

Today, his team is building Chat Engine, a locally focused AI platform designed around privacy, data security, Arabic language capabilities and the cultural needs of the region.

In our conversation, we discuss:

• Why Khalil moved from oil & gas into AI• Why he believes businesses are “losing their memory”• Building a local AI alternative for Oman and the Middle East• Why data privacy and security are becoming increasingly important• Hosting data inside Oman and offering on-premise deployment• The importance of Arabic-native AI and cultural context• Where AI adoption is accelerating across oil & gas, healthcare, government, logistics and marketing• Whether AI will replace jobs or make people significantly more productive• Why Khalil sees AI becoming more like a “companion” than an assistant• The AI tools Khalil uses himself• How a startup registered in 2025 has already developed its own AI product• His advice for entrepreneurs looking to build an AI business• What excites him about AI — and what genuinely concerns him• The importance of ethical AI and stronger governance

One of the biggest themes from our conversation is that the future of AI may not simply be dominated by a handful of global platforms.

There could be a growing demand for local AI built around local languages, cultures, regulations and data requirements.

Khalil's advice to entrepreneurs is equally relevant: talk to people, share your ideas, test quickly, learn from what doesn't work and build a team that complements you.

You can find out more about Chat Engine at chatengine.com, which Khalil says is currently available online and on Android.

Listen to the full episode to hear Khalil's vision for the future of AI in Oman, the Middle East and beyond.