Abu Dhabi launched AiNative with OpenAI, Microsoft and MBZUAI as key partners. 
It aims to train 20,000 government staff by 2026 for an &#8220;AI-native government&#8221;. 
Courses cover practical tools like ChatGPT, Codex and Microsoft 365 Copilot. 
The public will also get training through Tomouh for work and everyday tasks. 
Officials say the focus is confidence, responsible use and real &#8220;everyday impact&#8221;.

GBM launched the UAE’s first AI Lab on Cisco Secure AI Factory with NVIDIA. 
It aims to move firms from AI pilots to deployment, cutting timelines “from months to weeks”. 
The focus is “sovereign AI infrastructure”, keeping data local, secure and compliant with rules. 
Businesses can test on-premises and hybrid AI with real-time monitoring and hardware-level security. 
GBM says practical, governable AI could help GCC organisations finally get systems live.

Training centred on implementing AI, from process redesign to “where agents belong”.
Experts stressed the “human role”, oversight, and moving from principles to public value.
Sessions explored agentic AI for governments, the wider web, and business workflows.
Certified courses covered quantum applications, logic gates, and quantum-inspired industry algorithms.
Business classes also tackled orchestration, security, governance, and keeping people in control.

AI Labs made the event floor a forum for practical AI use cases.
Talks ranged from “Racing At the Edge of AI” to public services.
Speakers explored facilities, education, security, entrepreneurship and “regional ownership of AI”.
Later sessions focused on trusted agentic systems and investable AI businesses.
The day ended with investor discussions and a youth debate.

Investors asked what makes AI firms worth backing beyond a first demonstration.
Talks centred on “commercial traction”, buying customers, talent and venture-scale growth.
Speakers weighed how UAE and regional startups can reach “global” markets.
Another session explored whether big AI groups should “buy, build, or back”.
Wider talks stressed owning regional intelligence and rebuilding skills for AI success.

Inception42 has launched Insight to tackle the growing &#8220;decision bottleneck&#8221; in AI adoption.
AI leaders say firms are swamped with data but still struggle to make timely choices.
Insight is designed to turn complex information into clearer, faster business decisions.
The launch reflects rising demand for tools that bridge analysis and practical action.

Ai Everything Abu Dhabi showed AI reaching creative work, medicine, robots and everyday devices.
An interactive AI performer sparked debate over &#8220;acting and performance&#8221; on screen.
Healthcare speakers explored AI-designed drugs, bionics, genomics and autonomous research systems.
One AI-discovered drug, rentosertib, has already entered Phase III trials.
Later sessions examined embodied machines and smaller, cheaper models running closer to users.

AI compute was framed as strategic infrastructure, tied to power, governance and national ambition.
Speakers weighed data-centre impacts: “water, land, noise” and rising electricity demand.
Panels explored “scale and partnerships” behind large AI projects and national compute foundations.
Quantum and “quantum-inspired” methods were discussed as ways to cut computing costs.
Training sessions covered algorithms, business use cases and quantum logic gates.

At Ai Everything Abu Dhabi, trust in AI went beyond getting “a good answer”.
Speakers focused on autonomy, data security, human oversight and protecting vulnerable users.
Panels stressed security and resilience across the data, infrastructure and systems AI can reach.
Discussion on scaling AI tied innovation to accountability, standards and public trust.
Smaller sessions explored “responsible-AI” and agentic systems people can trust to run.

At Ai Everything Abu Dhabi, leaders cast sovereign AI as a matter of real control.
Owning intellectual property means little if you cannot “modify, validate and evolve” systems.
Arthur Mensch said open models improve deployment control, costs and portability.
The focus was practical: local adaptation, business continuity and stronger local language performance.
Wider sessions linked this theme to cyber defence, infrastructure and public services.

Solutions+ and Tahaluf signed an Abu Dhabi MoU on AI, ERP, data and enterprise systems. 
The plan combines enterprise know-how with digital transformation to boost efficiency and AI uptake. 
A key focus is “Arabic-first” and sovereign AI, where language and data control matter. 
Both firms say organisations need practical, responsible tools that actually work day to day. 
It is only a first step, but signals serious bets on UAE AI capability.

Abu Dhabi wants AI beyond “glossy demos” and into real deployment across key sectors. 
AI Everything Abu Dhabi will gather 400 organisations, 150 startups and 200 investors. 
The focus is scaling AI safely, efficiently and with real value in services. 
Healthcare, government platforms like TAMM, and “agentic AI” are major talking points. 
Success will mean turning talks into deals, contracts and systems used every day.

Optro opened a UAE hub to meet rising demand for “agentic” compliance tools. 
The company says AI agents can handle routine GRC work faster and more consistently. 
The move targets Gulf firms facing tighter rules, heavier workloads and AI-led operations. 
The UAE launch gives Optro a local base amid growing digital transformation and cyber resilience. 
Its success hinges on whether businesses trust AI with sensitive compliance processes.

Egypt’s tech sector says AI must become more than “buzz” for startups. 
El Zaher said the real edge is specialised data, know-how and customer relationships. 
Healthcare, education, fintech, agriculture and public services were flagged as strong opportunities. 
Government support covers skills, cloud access, real-world testing and help to scale. 
Egypt’s AI strategy aims for 250 AI startups by 2030.

MNT-Halan plans to float 20% on the Egyptian Exchange this month. 
The offer includes institutional and public tranches, plus shares for senior employees. 
Founded in 2018, it built a sizeable lending and payments business nationwide. 
Its Halan app and physical network offer loans, cards, e-wallets and e-commerce. 
The listing will test investor appetite for a homegrown fintech with regional ambitions.

Project Suppliers raised SAR 3.75 million in a pre-seed round from angel investors. 
Its platform links buyers and suppliers, with 12,000 firms and 600,000 quotation requests. 
The startup plans AI tools for &#8220;cash flow management&#8221; in MEP and construction. 
It aims to ease delayed payments, &#8220;long collection cycles&#8221; and wider supply chain strain. 
The rollout targets Saudi Arabia and the Gulf amid Vision 2030 building demand.

Saudi Arabia is pushing deeper into AI-led enterprise services with HUMAIN and EY. 
They aim to build the Kingdom’s first &#8220;AI-native&#8221; business process outsourcing service. 
The model blends intelligent agents, automation, analytics and human expertise across whole operations. 
EY brings sector know-how and commercial support, while HUMAIN provides the AI infrastructure. 
Plans also cover AI factories, autonomous mobility and GPU deployment, hinting at wider strategy.

Abu Dhabi Chamber recognised 35 firms at LIVEX 2026 under its Sustainability Label programme. 
The label is a practical framework, turning broad promises into measurable action. 
Sustainability now shapes competitiveness, supply chains, investment decisions and long-term growth. 
Awarded firms span construction, healthcare, food, technology and other sectors across Abu Dhabi. 
With 54 businesses recognised so far, it is moving into the centre of boardroom thinking.

Ai Everything Abu Dhabi returns on 6-7 October, stressing real-world use over AI hype. 
Microsoft will roll out Copilot to 35,000 staff, backing an “AI-native government” by 2027. 
VDURA brings storage tech for “AI factories”, cutting bottlenecks as datasets grow and costs rise. 
IFS will show industrial tools that predict faults, schedule repairs, and save “$3 million annually”. 
The wider message is clear: AI is moving into government, labs, and industry.

Maven Robotics raised $100 million to scale factory and warehouse robots. 
UAE-backed Shorooq and Presight joined, adding a clear MENA “physical AI” angle. 
Its robots handle palletising and totes, with claimed “uptime above 99%”. 
The funding will build 250 third-generation units and a fourth-generation platform. 
Maven wants “general-purpose” machines, but scaling reliably remains the real challenge.

MoneyHash and Geidea aim to make digital payments less of a faff across three markets. 
Businesses can use one API instead of building separate links for each provider. 
The system offers ‘smart routing’, multi-currency payments and one unified dashboard. 
Geidea strengthens local coverage in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and access to Oman. 
The deal also adds Visa’s Cybersource, building a broader MENA payments stack.

Sahm Capital backed Saudi Arabia’s market innovation hackathon as a strategic partner. 
The programme drew 500 applicants, with 60 selected into 12 mixed-discipline teams. 
Participants tackled &#8220;real market needs&#8221; through validation, business models, mentoring and coaching. 
Six finalists presented at Money20/20 Middle East, judged by industry and regulatory specialists. 
Team Idraj won, as organisers pitched the event as practical talent-building for finance.

Replit has bought Egypt-founded Atta, pushing beyond coding into business data exploration. 
Users can upload datasets in Replit chat and ask questions or build visualisations. 
The aim is to avoid SQL and separate tools, bringing analysis together. 
Atta’s founders are joining, with features like automatic chart choices for each task. 
The integration is live already, with plans to support presentations and daily decisions.

Saudi SME lender erad raised USD 22 million in a Series A round. 
It will widen GCC reach, boost technology, and grow its regional team. 
erad offers Shariah-compliant working capital, with faster tech-based underwriting for SMEs. 
SMEs drive “roughly half” of GCC GDP but still face a big financing gap. 
Demand looks strong: over SAR 4 billion requested, against SAR 500 million financed.

Amaani raised $5 million to grow AÏZA across the Gulf and beyond. 
Launched in December 2024, AÏZA saw UAE net revenue rise more than ninefold. 
The brand blends Arabian ingredients with global-quality formulas from Korea, Japan and Italy. 
It now sells via Ounass and Ulta Beauty, ranking top 10 in UAE. 
Fresh funding will back Saudi launches first, with Kuwait and Qatar next.

Abdelrahman Amr

Abdelrahman Amr, Author at Arageek

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