Maldives Launches National AI Lab as Co.Lab 26 Opens in Male'

The Maldives officially launched its national artificial intelligence infrastructure on Monday as Co.Lab 26 opened at Hotel Jen in Male'. The event marked the public debut of the Maldives AI Lab, the operational engine of the country's newly established National AI and Data Competency Centre (NADCC).

The four-day initiative, running from 18 to 21 May, is jointly organized by the Maldives Innovation and Digital Company (MINDCo) and the Bank of Maldives (BML). It brings together government ministries, technical experts, developers, students, and private sector partners under President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's Maldives 2.0 digital transformation agenda.

What Happened on Day One

The opening ceremony drew senior officials from both institutions and the government.

Mohamed Shareef, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Bank of Maldives, framed the event as a collective national commitment. He described AI and data technologies as among the most significant shifts of the current era and said Co.Lab 26 represents a shared responsibility to ensure the Maldives shapes its own digital future rather than simply adapting to changes driven elsewhere.

Saeeda Umar, Managing Director of MINDCo, said the launch of the NADCC marks a major step toward coordinated national AI capability. "Inclusion is part of capability and development," she said, adding that sustained AI progress requires collaboration, shared investment, and long-term commitment across all sectors.

The Maldives AI Lab was officially launched by Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology, Ali Ihusan. In his remarks, he highlighted the need to strengthen digital foundations and prepare the country for the next phase of AI-driven public services under Maldives 2.0.

A Global Perspective on Where AI Is Heading

A keynote by Rajagopal P., Senior Director of Digital Solutions and Head of Digital Payment Solutions and Agentic AI for Visa Intelligent Commerce in India and South Asia, addressed the evolving global AI landscape.

He described the broader industry shift from traditional question-and-answer AI systems toward agentic AI, a category of technology where AI systems take autonomous actions rather than simply responding to queries. Through examples drawn from healthcare, education, banking, tourism, and digital commerce, he outlined how AI agents are beginning to change both business operations and consumer experiences.

Visa has been actively building its Agentic Ready program across Asia Pacific, designed to support the payments ecosystem as it prepares for the emergence of AI agent-led commerce. The presence of a Visa executive at Co.Lab 26 signals the region's interest in embedding that global momentum within South Asian digital economies, including small island nations such as the Maldives.

The Maldives AI Journey So Far

Mariyam Ahmed, Project Coordinator at Maldives Digital Service, provided context on the country's AI trajectory during the opening sessions. She traced the Maldives' involvement in global AI commitments back to 2021 and outlined the path from those early commitments through the national AI Masterplan to the current implementation phase. "AI is already becoming part of everyday workflows," she said.

Aminath Ahlaam, Manager of Strategic Planning and Projects at MINDCo, presented the vision and strategic direction of the Maldives AI Lab. She stressed the importance of secure data sharing, interoperability, and practical AI adoption focused on solving real operational challenges across government sectors. She described the AI Lab as a coordinated step toward long-term national capability, not a standalone project.

MINDCo operates under the Maldives 2.0 framework, which defines eight strategic pillars for modern digital governance, including full digitalization of government services by 2027 and council services by 2028.

What Comes Next

Day 2 of Co.Lab 26 on Tuesday focuses on national prioritization. Government institutions will present their identified AI use cases before an expert jury, a live audience, and the general public through an open online vote. Each component contributes to a weighted score that will determine the order in which projects are developed under the NADCC pipeline.

The event then transitions into a two-day hackathon from 20 to 21 May. Teams will build functional prototypes across two tracks: applied AI for government services, and financial technology innovation using BML's Swipe API platform.

BML has stated that the NADCC's primary goal is to improve public services, increase institutional capacity, and provide solutions needed to build a resilient economy aligned with the country's development priorities.

Citizens can participate in the public vote at mindco.mv. The voting window remains open for seven days.