Doha, Qatar, 17 April 2025: Autism is a complex and often misunderstood condition—no two individuals are the same. It can take time to identify, and effective support requires tailored, personalized approaches rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.

Now, with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), a Qatar Foundation (QF) scientist is working to better understand the nuances of autism in educational settings, with the aim of transforming how support is delivered across Qatar.

Dr. Dena Al-Thani, associate professor at the Information and Computing Technology Department at the College of Science and Engineering at QF’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University, is leading a research to harness AI in understanding and supporting young people with autism. Since 2016, she has headed a dedicated research group at HBKU’s College of Science and Engineering focused on using AI to enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities, particularly those on the autism spectrum.

Her efforts have recently culminated in the official launch of the Autism Sensing Center of Excellence, a research hub under HBKU’s umbrella dedicated to advancing autism support through AI-powered tools.

“Our focus in this center is to utilize AI tools to track where a child’s attention goes during lessons, what content engages them, how long they stay focused, and which subjects they are disinterested in,” she says. 

She adds that this provides teachers and therapists with detailed, real-time attention assessment reports on how students with autism interact with educational content – enabling them to tailor the learning experience, evaluate educational performance, and account for attention shifts. And for this, she adds, “we work in collaboration with many hospitals, centers, and dedicated institutes.”

According to Dr. Al Thani, “Understanding the behavior of individuals with autism is crucial for clinicians, teachers, and parents to provide the right support and assessment.”

However, gaining this understanding is not easy. Traditionally, it required weeks or even months of observation by psychologists, therapists, and educators, often resulting in findings that were subjective, time-consuming, and sometimes inconclusive.

Now, AI tools are helping to shift that approach. And these technologies are already being tested in collaboration with local hospitals, schools, and centers. Still, Dr. Al Thani emphasizes, “Technological applications do not replace humans – nor will they. Rather, they empower and support them in managing and understanding this spectrum.”

For Dr. Al Thani, as AI outcomes become increasingly more explainable and transparent, it is important to address ethical concerns, including privacy, gender bias, and data protection. As such, the Autism Sensing Center of Excellence’s work is closely overseen by the Ministry of Public Health and HBKU’s Institutional Review Board.

One of the most pressing challenges, according to Dr. Al Thani, is the development of robust, representative datasets. “AI can help us personalize learning and therapeutic tools, but only if we build them on rich, diverse, and ethically collected data.” 

Looking ahead, Dr. Al Thani believes it won’t be long before AI tools are being widely used to support autism care across clinics, schools, and even homes. “After all,” she said, “the most powerful AI innovations are the ones that can track, hear, and assess.”