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AMMAN — Minister of Public Sector Development Badria Balbisi on Tuesday inaugurated the “Artificial Intelligence for Government Leaders” programme.
The inauguration was attended by Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Sami Smirat and Director of the Jordanian Academy for Public Administration Mustafa Hamarneh.
The six-month programme targets secretaries-general and directors-general across ministries and government institutions, representing a wide range of sectors, including finance, digital transformation, cybersecurity, public administration, statistics, health, government procurement, integrity, social development, as well as regulatory and oversight bodies.
The programme is implemented by the Jordanian Academy for Public Administration in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and Government Campus (GovCampus) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the EU.
Balbisi said that the government, in line with rapid advances in digital transformation and emerging technologies, has introduced a new component in the second executive programme of the Public Sector Modernisation Roadmap (2026–2029), focusing on data and artificial intelligence as a key pillar of administrative reform.
She noted that the government has developed a reference framework for the use of AI in the public sector, alongside best-practice models and a competency framework for integrating AI across government institutions, developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Balbisi added that the government is currently preparing a future skills strategy to provide a long-term vision for labour market needs, noting that studies indicate that around 60 per cent of jobs globally are expected to change within the next two to five years.
Smirat said that Jordan places artificial intelligence among its national priorities through the National Council for Future Technology, ensuring coordination of efforts and accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies across sectors.
He noted that the ministry aims to train 15,000 government employees by 2027, following the training of more than 9,000 employees from over 90 government institutions, with the aim of building capacities capable of leading digital transformation and AI adoption.
Smirat added that Jordan has already expanded the use of AI in key sectors, including education through the “Siraj” AI assistant, which has surpassed 1.3 million users, in addition to applications in health and digital government services.
He stressed that successful AI adoption depends on strong data systems and digital infrastructure, noting that the government is strengthening the national data ecosystem through processing more than two million geolocation records and linking over 2.5 million land records to support integration and data-driven decision-making.
Hamarneh said that the Jordanian Academy for Public Administration serves as the government’s executive arm in capacity building and institutional readiness, particularly in digitalisation, data, artificial intelligence and the knowledge economy.
He added that the academy aims to broaden the knowledge base of public sector leaders and enhance institutional impact through its programmes, contributing to improved service delivery and better quality of life for citizens.
The programme consists of six interconnected modules covering: fundamentals of AI for decision-makers, responsible AI governance, institutional readiness, AI-enabled government services, innovation ecosystems and public-private partnerships, and the broader economic implications of artificial intelligence.
It is designed to equip government leaders with strategic understanding and practical tools for immediate application within their institutions, with the aim of accelerating AI adoption, improving public services, strengthening data-driven decision-making, and enhancing the efficiency and innovation of the public sector.
