MBZUAI launches K2 Think V2; Stanford creates Arabic LLM leaderboard
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!
Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI has launched a new version of its acclaimed reasoning model K2 Think, following the release of its K2 V2 foundation model in December. Meanwhile, Stanford CRFM has partnered with Arabic AI to create a new Arabic LLM leaderboard, mixing open and proprietary models. And AI-powered digital workspace Notion has launched full Arabic support across its platform.
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AI Models
MBZUAI launches K2 Think V2 for public use
#UAE #LLMs - Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI (MBZUAI) has launched K2 Think V2 alongside iOS and Android apps, offering free access to its 70-billion-parameter sovereign reasoning model. Built with G42 and Cerebras, the system delivers advanced reasoning and voice input with no subscriptions or in-app purchases. (Middle East AI News)
Stanford extends HELM benchmarking into Arabic
#USA #LLMs - Stanford’s Center for Research on Foundation Models has partnered with Arabic.AI to launch HELM Arabic, a transparent benchmarking platform for Arabic language models. Arabic.AI’s LLM-X now leads across seven benchmarks, addressing gaps in Arabic evaluation infrastructure. (Middle East AI News)
Funding
AppliedAI secures pre-Series B led by Mubadala
#UAE #funding - AppliedAI has closed a pre-Series B round led by Mubadala Investment Company’s VentureMENA and Arbor Ventures. The firm builds AI-native workflow systems for regulated sectors and will use the funding to expand across the US, Europe and the Middle East. (Middle East AI News)
Policy
UAE unveils AI-driven regulatory intelligence vision
#UAE #regulation - The UAE has presented a new model for AI-enabled governance at Davos. A whitepaper with Presight and PwC proposes a Regulatory Intelligence Ecosystem, including a Unified Regulatory Digital Twin, positioning regulation as an adaptive system while keeping human oversight central to decision-making. (Middle East AI News)
MBZUAI and WEF to launch new AI policy centre
#UAE #policy - Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) is partnering with the World Economic Forum to establish a Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Abu Dhabi. The centre will link frontier AI research with governance frameworks and real-world deployment across government and industry. (Middle East AI News)
UAE and WEF launch global strategic intelligence plan
#UAE #intelligence - The UAE Government and the World Economic Forum have agreed to establish a Global Strategic Intelligence Programme. The initiative will use AI-driven foresight tools to help governments anticipate global risks, opportunities and rapid economic and technological shifts. (UAE Media Office)
Bilaterals
US and UAE revive talks on science pact
#UAE #bilaterals - The US and UAE have renewed discussions on a Science and Technology Agreement during their eleventh Economic Policy Dialogue in Abu Dhabi. Talks covered semiconductors, emerging technologies and reaffirmed a $1.4 trillion Emirati investment commitment to the United States. (Middle East AI News)
Arabic
Notion launches full Arabic language support
#UAE #Arabisation - California-based Notion has rolled out full Arabic language support across its workspace, marking its first major Middle East product investment. The global launch serves millions of users, including hundreds of thousands in the UAE, reflecting rising demand for Arabic-first digital tools. (Middle East AI News)
Qatar university launches HIKMA AI research project
#Qatar #research - Hamad Bin Khalifa University(HBKU) has launched HIKMA, an end-to-end research ecosystem where AI systems generate and review scientific papers under human supervision. The initiative signals a shift towards AI-augmented academic discovery while maintaining scholarly oversight and research integrity. (Middle East AI News)
Autonomous Systems
TII and Qualcomm partner on edge autonomous systems
#UAE #robotics - Technology Innovation Institute (TII) has announced a collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies to advance edge intelligence for autonomous systems. Using Qualcomm’s Dragonwing platforms, the partnership targets robots and machines operating in energy, mining and construction sites without constant cloud connectivity. (Middle East AI News)
Qatar completes public trial of robotaxi in Doha
#Qatar #mobility - Mowasalat, also known as Karwa, has completed public trials of a self-driving robotaxi at Old Doha Port. Selected participants experienced autonomous rides in a controlled zone, supporting Qatar’s ambitions for safe, smart and sustainable transport systems. (Qatar Tribune)
Abu Dhabi to deploy autonomous buses with WeRide
#UAE #transport - Mobility firm K2 and autonomous driving company WeRide have signed an agreement to jointly operate autonomous buses in Abu Dhabi. The partnership strengthens the emirate’s push to scale intelligent public transport using next-generation vehicle technologies. (Zawya)
Hackathons
Morocco plans regional hackathons, cyber law reforms
#Morocco #cybersecurity - Morocco plans to launch regional hackathons to develop local digital solutions while tightening cybercrime legislation. The government is also expanding training programmes, positioning AI as a pillar of inclusive digital development and economic strategy. (Hespress)
Education
Khalifa University launches AI and cybersecurity winter school
#UAE #cybersecurity - Khalifa University has hosted its inaugural Winter School on Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security, welcoming 270 participants with support from Google.org, the UAE Cyber Security Council and CyberE71. (Khalifa University)
Banking
Egypt central bank launches AI diploma for bankers
#Egypt #banking - Egypt’s Central Bank has launched the country’s first specialised diploma focused on artificial intelligence for the banking sector. Developed with the Egyptian Banking Institute and NewGiza University, the programme targets data governance, ethics and digital transformation skills. (Daily News Egypt)
UAE ranks 9th in global AI for finance index
#UAE #finance - The UAE has placed ninth in the Global AI for Finance Competitiveness Index by Deep Knowledge Group. Dubai ranked 14th as an internationally connected finance hub, while Abu Dhabi placed 17th, leveraging sovereign capital and institutional governance to deploy AI at scale. (Zawya)
Islam
Egypt bans AI use for Quran interpretation
#Egypt #Islam - Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta has issued a ruling banning the use of artificial intelligence for interpreting the Holy Quran. The authority argues such systems lack true comprehension and methodological rigour, reinforcing reliance on established tafsir and qualified religious scholars. (Middle East AI News)
[ This newsletter was both AI edited & human edited ]
Strong roundup of how the region is buildng real AI infrastructure beyond just adoption. The K2 Think V2 launch alongside Stanford's Arabic benchmarking shows a maturation from consumption to production. Also interesting how policy initiatives like the Regulatory Intelligence Ecosystem are trying to get ahead of governance challenges rather than playing catchup. The Dar al-Ifta ruling on Quran interpretation is a fascinat case study in where cultural authority draws lines around AI application.