Microsoft's $15B UAE investment; Saudi to launch AI clinical trial
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!
It’s been a busy week with several big Microsoft announcements coinciding with Microsoft president Brad Smith’s visit to the UAE. Microsoft announced its $15.2 billion in the UAE, expanded its partnership with ADNOC and revealed plans to bring more UAE data centre capacity online starting 2026. In other news Dubai Holding and US AI firm Palantir have formed a UAE joint venture; and Saudi Arabia plans to launch the the world’s biggest ‘AI physician clinical trial’!
And on today’s Middle East AI News LIVE show at 12 noon KSA / 1pm UAE time, I’ll be talking to co-founder and CTO of Falcons AI Michael J. Stattelman about the open-source model that has been downloaded one billion times! You can watch via LinkedIn or YouTube.
Thank you for reading! And if you’d like to find out more about our Strategic Sponsor Presight, find out more here!
/Carrington
Investment
Microsoft commits $15.2B to UAE growth
#UAE #investment – Microsoft will invest $15.2 billion in the UAE by 2029 to expand datacentres, AI infrastructure and skills development. The plan deepens collaboration with G42 and reinforces the UAE’s standing as a global AI hub driving sovereign technology development. (Middle East AI News)
Dubai Holding and Palantir launch AI joint venture
#UAE #jointventures – Dubai Holding and Palantir Technologies have launched Aither, a joint venture to accelerate AI adoption across public and private sectors. Building on 18 months of collaboration, Aither will deploy enterprise AI across Dubai Holding’s AED 280 billion portfolio. (Middle East AI News)
Data Centres
Microsoft and G42 to expand UAE Azure data capacity
#UAE #datacentres – Microsoft and Abu Dhabi’s G42 will expand Azure’s data centre capacity in the UAE by 200 megawatts through G42 subsidiary Khazna Data Centers. The new capacity will begin coming online in 2026. (Middle East AI News)
$300m alliance to build Saudi sovereign AI data centre
#Saudi #cloudcomputing – Magna AI and TechnoVal have launched a $300 million venture to build a sovereign AI and cloud data centre in Saudi Arabia. The project will apply predictive analytics and cybersecurity tools across manufacturing, logistics and FMCG sectors in more than 80 markets. (Middle East AI News)
Qatar’s Meeza signs 6MW hosting deal with hyperscaler
#Qatar #datacentres – Qatari data centre operator Meeza has signed a 6MW hosting agreement worth over QAR 750 million ($205m) with an undisclosed global hyperscaler. The project will support cloud, AI and big data workloads, expanding Meeza’s total planned capacity to 44MW. (Data Center Dynamics)
R&D
Cisco and KAUST establish AI research institute
#Saudi #research – Cisco and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have launched the Cisco AI Institute at KAUST. Combining Cisco’s infrastructure capabilities with KAUST’s research expertise, the centre will advance AI innovation in energy, water, food and health. (Middle East AI News)
Healthcare
Saudi to launch world’s largest AI physician trial
#Saudi #healthcare – The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has approved a major AI Physician Clinical Trial to be run by national AI firm HUMAIN and Lean Business Services. The initiative aims to advance preventive care, reduce chronic diseases and build a national health database. (Middle East AI News
Energy
ADNOC and Microsoft expand AI and energy collaboration
#UAE #energy – ADNOC and Microsoft are expanding their collaboration to co-develop AI agents for autonomous operations, while Masdar and XRG will supply sustainable energy solutions for Microsoft’s datacentre growth, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s leadership in AI and clean energy. (Middle East AI News)
UAE’s AIQ enters Indonesia in new energy partnership
#UAE #reservoirperformance – Abu Dhabi-based AIQ has signed an agreement with Indonesia’s SKK Migas to deploy its Reservoir Performance Advisor. The move marks AIQ’s entry into Southeast Asia, supporting Indonesia’s digital transformation in oil and gas operations. (Emirates News Agency)
ADNOC Gas partners with AIQ and Gecko Robotics
#UAE #robotics – ADNOC Gas has signed a three-year partnership with AIQ and Gecko Robotics to digitise industrial maintenance using AI. The initiative integrates Gecko’s Cantilever platform with AIQ analytics to predict and prevent faults, targeting $300 million in savings over five years. (Zawya)
Trends
UAE leads world in AI adoption rates
#UAE #AIadoption – The UAE has been ranked first globally for AI adoption, with 59.4% of its working-age population using AI tools, according to Microsoft’s AI Diffusion Report. The study credits years of strategic investment in infrastructure, education and digital policy for making the UAE the world’s top AI adopter. (Middle East AI News)
Saudi firms drive AI adoption, survey finds
#Saudi #enterprise – A SAP-commissioned survey shows 81% of Saudi enterprises are now deploying industry-specific AI solutions, signalling a shift from experimentation to scale. (SAP News)
Education
UAE launches ‘AI for All’ with Google
#UAE #education – The UAE’s Artificial Intelligence Office and Google have launched ‘AI for All’, a national training initiative unveiled during UAE Coding Day in Dubai. Running through 2026, it aims to boost AI literacy. (Emirates News Agency)
DFRobot and ALECSO train Tunisian teachers in AI
#Tunisia #teachertraining – China’s DFRobot and the Arab League’s ALECSO have completed AI and robotics training for Tunisian teachers in Shanghai. The programme equips educators to integrate AI learning into classrooms. (Morningstar)
Salahaddin University-Erbil opens Kurdistan’s first AI department
#Iraq #faculty – Salahaddin University-Erbil has launched Kurdistan’s first AI department to train future specialists and advance digital transformation. The new faculty sits within the College of Information Technology. (Kurdistan24)
Oman hosts second national AI hackathon
#Oman #innovation – The second Artificial Intelligence Hackathon is under way in Muscat, bringing together 20 startup teams to develop AI solutions for real-world challenges. Organised by Omantel Innovation Labs and the Promising Startups Program, the event supports Oman’s AI entrepreneurship. (Oman News Agency)
Corporate Innovation
Commercial Bank International launches CBIx innovation arm
#UAE #fintech – Dubai’s Commercial Bank International has launched CBIx, a new innovation and venture arm to drive digital transformation in banking. CBIx will explore AI, fintech, Web3 and tokenised assets, fostering collaboration with startups to develop next-generation financial solutions. (Zawya)
Iran showcases AI talent at Tech Olympics
#Iran #technology – Iran’s Tech Olympics drew young engineers competing in robotics, drones and AI challenges, demonstrating growing national investment in advanced technologies. Despite international restrictions, the competition underscored the country’s expanding innovation and talent pool. (Macau Business)
Smart Cities
Riyadh deploys AI ‘Smart Surveillance’ in city parks
#Saudi #smartcities – The Riyadh Municipality has rolled out a surveillance system across the capital’s parks and public spaces, featuring more than 1,600 AI-enabled cameras. The network monitors safety, detects irregular behaviour and supports rapid response, enhancing public safety and urban management. (Saudi Gazette)
Bahrain signs eVTOL mobility MoU with Eve Air Mobility
#Bahrain #eVTOL – Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications has signed an MoU with Eve Air Mobility to develop sustainable air mobility solutions and eVTOL infrastructure. Test flights will begin in 2027, with commercial operations in 2028, advancing Bahrain’s goal to become a regional innovation hub. (Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications)
Gaming
Savvy Games and Humain partner to deploy full-stack AI
#Saudi #artificialintelligence – Public Investment Fund-backed Savvy Games Group has signed an MoU with fellow portfolio firm Humain to integrate full-stack AI across its operations. The partnership includes R&D collaboration, new AI applications and access to Humain’s data centres, advancing Saudi Arabia’s innovation and digital economy goals. (Arab News)
[ This newsletter was both AI edited & human edited ]