Muscat – AmCham Oman recently hosted a seminar titled AI, Personal Data & Liability, bringing together business leaders, legal professionals, compliance specialists, and cybersecurity experts to discuss the growing legal and operational risks associated with artificial intelligence, data protection, and cyber threats across the GCC.

The session was presented in partnership with Kennedys and Marsh, and explored practical approaches to regulatory compliance, cybersecurity governance, incident response, and cyber risk mitigation.

Discussions highlighted the increasing importance of understanding Oman’s Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), the challenges surrounding cross-border data transfers, accountability obligations for data controllers and processors, and the growing exposure businesses face from cyber incidents and data breaches. Speakers emphasized that no company is immune from cyber risk or data protection obligations, regardless of size, and that all organizations handling personal data must ensure they are compliant with the law.  The seminar also examined the role of cyber insurance and incident management strategies in strengthening organizational resilience.

Rebecca Olson, CEO of AmCham Oman, said: “At AmCham Oman, one of our priorities is creating opportunities for our members and the wider business community to stay informed, connected, and prepared for emerging business challenges. Seminars like this bring together leading experts and practical insights to help organisations navigate rapidly evolving areas such as AI, data protection, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance.”

Jamie Kellick from Kennedys said: “Many organizations are only beginning to understand the scale of responsibility that comes with collecting, processing, and transferring personal data in, not only their normal commercial activities, but also in relation to their use of AI. The implementation of Oman’s PDPL, and similar legislation elsewhere, means businesses need to take proactive steps now to ensure compliance, governance, and accountability are properly embedded into their operations management and risk strategies.”

Angus Edwards from Marsh added: “Cyber risk is should not be isolated as an IT-only issue. It needs to be considered across the whole organization with a potential to impact business continuity, creating significant operational, financial, legal, and regulatory risk. Organizations must think beyond preventive measures, with equal focus on incident preparedness, response capabilities, resilience, and recovery against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.’’

The seminar concluded with an interactive Q&A session, where attendees engaged directly with speakers on practical compliance measures, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, incident response planning, and governance challenges facing organizations operating across multiple jurisdictions in relation to cyber, data and AI.

AmCham Oman continues to deliver timely, business-focused programing that supports its members and the wider business community in navigating emerging trends, regulatory developments, and operational challenges.