Ajman AI agent renews trade licences; Konecta's new $100M AI hub in Egypt
Middle East AI News weekly digest...
Good morning!
Welcome to this week’s Middle East AI News email digest!
As usual, lots of news to share this week! In this edition, Konecta opens a $100 million generative AI hub in Cairo; Abu Dhabi prepares to launch an integrated AI judicial platform; Ajman completes the UAE’s first government transaction using agentic AI; Saudi Arabia retains its lead in MENA digital government; and G42 joins NVIDIA’s new Open Secure AI Alliance.
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/Carrington
Digital Government
Ajman completes first agentic AI transaction
#UAE #AgenticAI- Ajman completed the UAE’s first government transaction using agentic AI, renewing a trade licence through the AjmanOne app. The assistant alerts customers before expiry, coordinates lease renewals with Ajman Municipality when required, and completes licensing automatically, shifting public services beyond chatbots towards proactive, cross-agency delivery. (Middle East AI News)
Saudi Arabia tops MENA digital government index
#Saudi #maturity - Saudi Arabia retained first place in ESCWA’s 2025 Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index, scoring 99 percent overall. The assessment covered 100 priority services across 17 countries, with full marks for service availability and public outreach and strong results for adoption, accessibility and integration. (Saudi Press Agency)
Justice
Abu Dhabi prepares integrated AI judicial platform
#UAE #legaltech - The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) and Department of Government Enablement are preparing what they describe as the world’s first integrated AI judicial platform. Beginning in September, an eighteen-month rollout will support decisions across court workflows under full human supervision, creating a potential global test case for responsible justice technology. (Middle East AI News)
FDI
Konecta opens $100M AI hub in Egypt
#Egypt #FDI - Spanish outsourcing group Konecta has opened its regional headquarters and first global generative AI centre of excellence in New Cairo. Part of a $100 million investment, the facility employs 800 specialists and is expected to expand to around 3,000 staff by the end of 2028. (Middle East AI News)
R&D
Qatar University builds needle-free glucose wearable
#Qatar #healthcare - Qatar University has developed GlucoWatch, a needle-free wearable that uses AI to estimate blood glucose from heart rate, blood pressure and demographic data. The student-led prototype sends readings and alerts to a mobile app, has a published US patent application, won gold in Kuwait and is moving towards clinical validation. (Middle East AI News)
Finance & Banking
UAE finance call centre hits 97% resolution
#UAE #GovTech - The UAE Ministry of Finance achieved a 97% first-contact resolution rate in the first half of 2026 after expanding generative AI across its Abu Dhabi call centre. Average answer time fell to eight seconds, while customer happiness reached 95%. (Middle East AI News)
Education
UAE leads MENA in QS future skills ranking
#UAE #skills - The UAE ranked seventeenth globally and first in the Middle East and North Africa in the QS World Future Skills Index 2027. It also placed third worldwide for economic transformation, reflecting strong academic readiness and skills alignment but a domestic graduate pipeline that is not yet keeping pace. (Middle East AI News)
CUD launches design and AI degree in UAE
#UAE #design - Canadian University Dubai has launched a Bachelor of Science in Design and Artificial Intelligence for its autumn 2026 intake. The accredited degree combines design studios with computing, mathematics, programming and human-computer interaction, preparing graduates to develop intelligent products, responsive environments and digital services. (Middle East AI News)
Saudi Arabia wins six AI Olympiad awards
#Saudi #competitions - Saudi Arabia’s national AI team won six awards at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence, held virtually from China with 129 students from 18 countries. Supported by Mawhiba, the Ministry of Education and KAUST Academy, the delegation earned one gold medal, three silvers and two certificates of appreciation. (Saudi Press Agency)
Abu Dhabi launches AI policy training
#UAE #training - Abu Dhabi’s Department of Government Enablement has launched an AI policy programme with Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. The initiative will train senior government leaders responsible for designing and delivering policy, strengthening practical understanding of artificial intelligence within public administration. (Middle East AI News)
Corporate Moves
B Capital appoints ex-G42 AI chief in Qatar
#Qatar #venturecapital - B Capital has appointed former G42 chief AI officer Dr Andrew Jackson as general partner and chief AI officer in Doha. He will direct global AI strategy across investment, portfolio management and operations, adding technical depth as the venture firm expands in Qatar and increases its focus on artificial intelligence. (Middle East AI News)
Islam
Qatar expands AI access to trusted Sharia guidance
#Qatar #Sharia - Qatar’s Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs says AI is widening access to trusted Sharia knowledge and religious guidance through Islamweb. Presented at the Katara Tech Forum in Doha, the tools improve information retrieval, analysis, classification and moderation while helping scholars use resources more efficiently. (The Peninsula)
Infrastructure
Uptime Institute and T964 partner in Iraq
#Iraq #infrastructure - Uptime Institute has named Iraqi technology company T964 as its business partner in Iraq. The companies will promote international data-centre standards, professional training and resilient infrastructure, supporting the development of carrier-neutral facilities, cloud services, telecommunications networks and AI-ready platforms across the country. (Iraqi News)
Environment
Morocco tests AI and drones against toxic algae
#Morocco #water - Morocco is testing artificial intelligence, aquatic drones, ecological sensors and satellite imagery to detect toxic algae before blooms threaten reservoirs. The monitoring system combines real-time data with predictive models, helping authorities protect scarce freshwater supplies used for drinking and irrigation as climate and water pressures intensify. (Noticias Ambientales)
Tunisia tests AI drones for crops and fires
#Tunisia #agriculture - Tunisian innovator Hassan Hamrouni has developed a drone and sensor platform that analyses crop images, detects plant disease and provides early fire warnings. Tests reportedly achieved about 95% accuracy, while registration is under way with Tunisia’s National Institute for Standardisation and Industrial Property (INNORPI). (Agenzia Nova)
Cybersecurity
G42 joins NVIDIA-backed open security alliance
#UAE #cybersecurity - Abu Dhabi-based G42 has joined NVIDIA and more than 50 technology groups as an inaugural partner of the Open Secure AI Alliance. The industry coalition will develop and share open models, tools and agent-security frameworks designed to improve transparency, vulnerability remediation and trust in artificial intelligence systems. (NVIDIA Blog)
Automotive
Morocco deploys AI patrol vehicles in Casablanca
#Morocco #security - Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security has deployed Amane and Madar, AI-equipped patrol vehicles, in Casablanca. Using 360-degree cameras, number-plate recognition and real-time access to police databases, the systems are designed to strengthen urban security operations and give officers faster information during patrols. (Morocco World News)
Harlem Group launches Iraq’s first AI dealer assistant
#Iraq #automotive - Harlem Group has launched Iraq’s first artificial intelligence assistant for automotive dealerships. Operating through WhatsApp around the clock, the service answers customer questions about vehicles and connects with dealership systems to book maintenance, giving buyers and owners a faster digital route to sales and after-sales support. (iQ Cars)
Fashion
Fipera launches AI content platform for fashion
#UAE #brandcontent - UAE-based consultancy Fipera has launched neofashion.ai, a self-service platform that creates product photography, video and campaign content from brands’ own images and references. Built in the UAE, it offers a free tier, credit-based pricing, Shopify integration and enterprise controls for catalogue-scale visual production. (Campaign Middle East)
Ethics
Riyadh opens registration for UNESCO AI ethics forum
#Saudi #policy - Registration has opened for the fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI, scheduled in Riyadh from 14 to 17 September. Hosted in Saudi Arabia, the event will bring policymakers and experts together to discuss governance, capacity-building, responsible innovation and international approaches to artificial intelligence policy. (Saudi Press Agency)
[ This newsletter was both AI edited & human edited ]