HUMAIN reveals Agentic PC; New QIA, Blue Owl data centre fund
Middle East AI News weekly digest...
Good morning!
Welcome to this week’s Middle East AI News email digest, brought to you by big data analytics and AI company Presight!
The biggest news of the week is still probably last the unveiling of an Agentic AI laptop by Saudi national AI company HUMAIN, at Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii last weekend. And, of course, Sam Altman visited the UAE last Friday / Saturday. Meanwhile, plenty of news during the week too, including Qatar’s new $3 billion data centre fund and Saudi startup DOO’s $1.7 million Seed round!
Thank you for reading! And if you’d like to find out more about our Strategic Sponsor Presight, find out more here!
🎤 And lastly, don’t miss today’s Middle East AI News LIVE - THURSDAY DEEP DIVE when I’ll be talking to Dev Singh, Qualcomm’s global Vice President for Industrial IoT Solutions about Qualcomm’s new Global Engineering Centre in Abu Dhabi! Join us live online from 12 noon KSA | 1pm GST! 🎤
/Carrington
AI Devices
Saudi HUMAIN unveils agentic AI laptop
#Saudi #USA #hardware – Saudi firm HUMAIN announced the Horizon Pro, the world’s first Agentic AI PC, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and its ONE OS. Announced at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, the laptop features the ALLaM Arabic-centric large language model. The device promises adaptive workflows, low latency, and extended battery life for enterprises. (Middle East AI News)
Investment
QIA, Blue Owl launch $3 billion infrastructure fund
#Qatar #infrastructure – QIA (Qatar Investment Authority) has partnered with Blue Owl Capital to launch a $3 billion global digital infrastructure investment platform. Based in Doha, the fund will invest in data centre projects worldwide to support cloud and AI computing demand. (Reuters)
MemryX to open Riyadh office
#Saudi #semiconductors – US chipmaker MemryX will open a new office in Riyadh next month, supported by the NEOM Investment Fund. As part of Saudi Arabia’s National Semiconductor Hub, the firm will host its global board meeting in the Kingdom for the first time. (Middle East AI News)
Oman invests in UK’s Salience Labs
#Oman #semiconductors – Oman Investment Authority has backed UK-based Salience Labs, which develops optical chips designed to accelerate AI model training and enhance data centre performance. The move signals Oman’s focus on AI infrastructure innovation. (Times of Oman)
MGX reviews 2025 AI investments at board meeting
#UAE #investment – Abu Dhabi’s MGX, chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reviewed 2025 investments in OpenAI, co-led Databricks’ billion-dollar round, and supported building the world’s largest FPGA business via Altera. The strategy underscores MGX’s bid to lead in AI technology. (Abu Dhabi Media Office)
Startups
Saudi CX startup DOO raises $1.7 million
#Saudi #startups – Riyadh-based DOO, an AI-powered customer experience platform, has secured $1.7m in Seed funding from Merak Capital and Plus VC. Already serving 50+ enterprises across telecom, banking and e-commerce, DOO plans to expand across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. (Middle East AI News)
AI talent
UAE announces AI specialist visa
#UAE #visas – The UAE has launched a new visit visa category for AI specialists, simplifying entry for global talent with single or multiple visit options when requested by sponsoring tech firms. The initiative reflects five years of reforms to position the country as an AI innovation hub. (The National)
Hubs & CoEs
Morocco launches digital hub at UN
#Morocco #AIhubs – Morocco has inaugurated its Digital Hub for Sustainable Development at the UN General Assembly in New York. The Arab-African centre supports Morocco’s Digital 2030 strategy and aims to position the country as a leader in AI and sustainable innovation. (News Ghana)
UAE to open new AI Centre of Excellence
#UAE #CoEs – Lakeba Group, University of Wollongong in Dubai, DoxAI and AqlanX will establish a new Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence, supported by the NextGen FDI initiative. Based at UOWD, it will focus on sovereign AI, Arabic LLMs, talent incubation and commercialisation of local IP. (Gulf Business)
Education
Sam Altman awarded honorary doctorate
#UAE #education – Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has awarded its first Honorary Doctorate to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The ceremony, attended by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, recognised Altman’s role in scaling generative AI to billions of users globally. (Middle East AI News)
Qatar universities expand AI programmes
#Qatar #education – Qatar Foundation institutions have rolled out new AI and digitalisation degrees, including Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s AI programme and VCUarts Qatar’s kinetic imaging BFA. The courses aim to merge creativity with technology to prepare students for future careers. (Qatar Tribune)
Algeria launches robotics training
#Algeria #education – Algeria’s Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has launched a robotics training programme in Annaba to prepare trainers for nationwide courses in AI and robotics. The initiative adds to centres already operating in Setif, Chlef and Oran. (TechAfrica News)
Oman launches generative AI hackathon
#Oman #innovation – Oman’s Mulham Generative AI Hackathon has kicked off in Muscat, running until 29 October. The event invites young innovators to develop AI prototypes in fields such as education, cybersecurity, and public services. (Oman Observer)
Smart mobility
Joby to launch air taxis in Ras Al Khaimah
#UAE #mobility – Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority has signed an MoU with Joby Aviation and Skyports Infrastructure to introduce air taxis by 2027. Linking Dubai International Airport to destinations such as Al Marjan Island and Jebel Jais, the zero-emission service will cut travel times to under 15 minutes. Middle East AI News
Saudi Elm, Japan’s TIER IV partner on AVs
#Saudi #mobility – Japan’s TIER IV and Saudi digital services firm Elm have signed an agreement to co-develop autonomous driving solutions. Plans include pilot deployments, training programmes and an Autoware ecosystem to advance Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 mobility goals. (Automotive World)
Abu Dhabi’s K2 signs Malaysia aerospace deal
#UAE #aerospace – Abu Dhabi’s K2 has signed an letter of intent with Pahang Aerospace City and University Malaysia Pahang to develop autonomous platforms. Malaysia plans RM 20 billion ($4.76m( investment over the next decade in aerospace and space infrastructure. (Vietnam News)
AI diplomacy
UAE president meets OpenAI’s Altman
#UAE #AIdiplomacy – UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in Abu Dhabi on Saturday to explore deeper AI collaboration. Talks focused on research partnerships and practical applications to strengthen the UAE’s knowledge-based economy. (Reuters)
[ This newsletter was both AI edited & human edited ]