New $10B HUMAIN VC fund; WeRide opens in Saudi
Middle East AI News weekly digest...
Good morning!
Welcome to this week’s Middle East AI News!
Jam-packed full of news from across the region today! But before we begin, I’m proud to announce that Middle East AI News is once again partnering with World Summit AI for the World Summit AI - MENA in Doha in December! Looking forward to it!
Some huge stories this week including HUMAIN’s new VC fund, WeRide opening in Saudi Arabia, MBZUA opening a lab in Silicon Valley, a quantum breakthrough from Saudi researchers, and, of course, that Stargate UAE announcement from last week!
Scroll down for these stories and more!
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Venture Capital
HUMAIN to launch $10bn global AI venture fund
#Saudi#venturecapital – Saudi AI company HUMAIN is launching a $10 billion VC fund to back AI startups in the US, Europe, and Asia. Ahead of a summer fund launch, the company is also in talks with OpenAI, xAI, and Andreessen Horowitz, positioning the new group as a key global AI investor. (Middle East AI News)
Stargate UAE
Tech leaders unite to build Stargate UAE AI hub
#UAE #datacentres - Abu Dhabi will host the first Stargate AI infrastructure cluster outside the US, as G42 partners with Cisco, OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA and SoftBank. The 1-Gigawatt Stargate UAE project, part of the UAE-U.S. 5 GW AI Campus, aims to go live in 2026. (Middle East AI News)
New US-UAE agreement sure to accelerate G42's US plans
#UAE#infrastructure – The US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership includes reciprocal investment and a new AI cluster in Abu Dhabi. G42 will play a leading role in the Stargate UAE project, but the partnership could also affect its business interests in the US. (Middle East AI News)
R&D
MBZUAI opens Silicon Valley AI research lab
#UAE #research – Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has opened a new lab in Silicon Valley, expanding its Institute of Foundation Models. The lab joins sites in Paris and Abu Dhabi, supporting UAE innovation on three continents. (Middle East AI News)
Saudi researchers set quantum security record
#Saudi #cybersecurity – KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) and KACST (King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology) scientists have developed the world’s fastest quantum random number generator—almost 1,000 times faster than existing technologies. The breakthrough establishes a new global benchmark in cryptographic security. (Middle East AI News)
Mobility
WeRide begins robotaxi, robobus trials in Saudi Arabia
#Saudi #robotaxis– WeRide has launched Saudi Arabia’s first major autonomous transport operations, including robotaxi and robobus services in Riyadh and AlUla. Backed by the Transport General Authority (TGA), trial services via Uber will precede a full commercial rollout in 2025, supporting the Kingdom’s $110bn tourism and Vision 2030 smart city goals. (Middle East AI News)
Pony.ai to launch Dubai robotaxi trials in 2025
#UAE #robotaxis– Pony.ai has signed an MoU with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to begin supervised robotaxi trials next year, using its seventh-generation fleet. With hardware costs cut by 70%, the programme supports Dubai’s goal of 25% autonomous journeys by 2030, with fully driverless services expected by 2026. (Middle East AI News)
New ALJ-Uber deal could advance Saudi robotaxi plans
#SaudiArabia #robotaxis - Abdul Latif Jameel and Uber have partnered to build a next-gen fleet operations platform for both traditional and autonomous mobility services in Saudi Arabia. The deal aims to create 30,000 local earning opportunities and accelerate the Kingdom’s ambitions for AV deployment, (Middle East AI News)
Energy
Abu Dhabi to create AI-powered energy command centre
#UAE #energy - Abu Dhabi’s Department of Energy has partnered with Presight and AIQ to launch AD.WE, an AI-powered energy platform offering real-time analytics for utilities. The project includes a data hub dating back to 1958 and an AI Lab-as-a-Service, aiming to enhance energy efficiency across water, electricity, district cooling and petroleum. (Middle East AI News)
Education
IBM to train 100,000 Egyptians in AI skills over 5 years
#Egypt #skills - IBM has signed a five-year agreement with Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) to train 100,000 Egyptians in AI through its SkillsBuild platform. The initiative sims to help build a workforce capable of meeting global AI standards. (Middle East AI News)
MBZUAI celebrates record 2025 graduating class
#UAE #commencement – Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has graduated its largest and most diverse cohort to date. The Class of 2025 includes 104 students, highlighting the UAE’s growing investment in AI talent and research capacity. (Abu Dhabi Media Office)
e& AI programme trains 284 young Emiratis
#UAE #training – Since 2021, e& UAE’s AI Graduate Programme has trained 284 young Emiratis in AI, data science, and cybersecurity. With 62% female participation, the initiative reflects e&’s focus on inclusive innovation and preparing a national workforce for the AI economy. (Emirates News Agency)
Payments
PayTabs launches AI platform to process SAR 325 billion
#Saudi #fintech – PayTabs has unveiled a Saudi-engineered AI payment orchestration platform, expected to handle SAR 325 billion ($86.6b) in transactions. Built in just four months, the platform aims to improve efficiency and scale innovation across MENA and global markets. (TechAfrica News)
Healthcare
Saudi uses AI to monitor drug safety ahead of Hajj
#Saudi#healthtech – Saudi Arabia has become the first country to use AI for drug safety monitoring. The new SFDA system aims to reduce pharmaceutical risks and improve incident response, supporting regulatory readiness for Hajj. (Gulf News)
Agentic AI
CNTXT AI and Beam team up on $5.4bn Gulf AI agent market
#UAE #agenticAI - CNTXT AI and Beam AI have signed an MoU to deliver secure, sovereign AI agents across the Gulf, powering enterprise and government sectors. The GCC AI agent market is valued at up to $5.4 billion in 2025, with a projected rise to $22.4 billion by 2033, accelerating AI adoption in the region. (Zawya)
Startups
New incubator backs 20 Saudi AI startups
#Saudi #startups – A new incubator in Riyadh is supporting 20 Saudi AI startups with funding, office space, and mentorship. The initiative strengthens the Kingdom’s startup ecosystem and aligns with its goal of becoming an AI leader. (Arab News)
Google opens AI First accelerator applications
#UAE#startups – Google has launched its second AI First accelerator for MENA and Türkiye. The 12-week equity-free programme offers cloud credits, mentorship, and technical support to early-stage AI startups. Applications are open until mid-June. (Middle East AI News)
Sentiment
Middle East workers show highest AI trust levels
#UAE #workplace – Workers in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE rank among the world’s most trusting of AI, according to Melbourne Business School and KPMG. Over 60% of respondents from each country expressed confidence in AI and their own ability to use it, far outpacing Western counterparts. (Middle East AI News)
Events
World Summit AI MENA, Middle East AI News partnership
#Qatar #events – World Summit AI MENA will return to Doha on December 9–10, following a renewed partnership with Middle East AI News. The event is a key platform for global AI leaders and MENA stakeholders to explore innovation, policy, and ecosystem development. (World Summit AI)
[ This newsletter was AI edited & human edited ]