QIA backs $400M Replit round; Presight-Shorooq fund invests in AMI
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 an interesting week for Gulf venture capital invesments with news from Aramco’s Wa’ed Ventures, Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar-based GrowthX and the Presight–Shorooq Fund. Meanwhile, Egypt’s National Council for Artificial Intelligence has approved a new governance framework, Oman plans to create a new space tech hub, and Dubai deploys robot lifesavers across its public beaches!
Scroll down for more news…
And, in case you missed fast-growing US-based developer of hardware and software for AI inference Positron AI is now a Sponsor of Middle East AI News! You can engage with Positron AI here.
/Carrington
Funding
QIA backs $400M Replit Series D round
#USA #Qatar #funding - Replit has raised $400 million in a Series D round, tripling its valuation to $9 billion within six months. Backed by Qatar Investment Authority, Andreessen Horowitz and Coatue, the platform now serves over 50 million users, expanding its AI-driven coding tools into Middle East markets. (Middle East AI News)
UAE-backed fund bets on LeCun’s AMI Labs
#UAE #funding - The Presight–Shorooq Fund I has invested in Yann LeCun’s AMI Labs as part of a $100 million AI fund strategy. AMI is developing world model systems focused on reasoning and planning, signalling UAE-backed interest in next-generation AI beyond predictive capabilities. (Middle East AI News)
Qatar’s ShipBee raises $500k for logistics AI
#Qatar #funding - Doha-based startup ShipBee has secured $500,000 in seed funding led by GrowthX Capital. Founded in 2024, the company uses AI for route optimisation, demand forecasting and tracking, with plans to expand its delivery marketplace platform across the GCC and Egypt. (Middle East AI News)
Aramco fund backs Resemble AI for deepfake fight
#Saudi #funding - Wa’ed Ventures, Aramco’s $500 million VC arm, has invested in US-based Resemble AI to expand deepfake detection in the Middle East. The move follows a $13 million round, as AI-driven fraud losses hit $25 billion in 2024 and Saudi Arabia sees a 600% surge in incidents. (Arab News)
Governance
Egypt adopts national AI governance framework
#Egypt #governance - Egypt’s National Council for Artificial Intelligence has approved a new governance framework covering trusted AI, generative AI oversight and expanded skills programmes. The initiative aims to guide responsible adoption across government while strengthening collaboration with African partners on AI development. (MCIT)
Saudi judiciary issues AI use principles
#Saudi #governance - Saudi Arabia’s Board of Grievances has introduced AI principles for administrative courts, aligning with the Kingdom’s 2026 Year of Artificial Intelligence. The framework promotes transparency, integrity and efficient deployment under guidance from the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority. (SPA)
Smart cities
Dubai deploys AI rescue robots on beaches
#UAE #robotics - Dubai Municipality has rolled out U SAFE aquatic rescue robots and aerial drones across public beaches. The system enables lifeguards to reach distressed swimmers up to five times faster over distances of one kilometre, improving safety while reducing risk to frontline responders. (Middle East AI News)
Oman builds AI-powered firefighting unit
#Oman #robotics - An Omani engineer has developed an AI-powered mobile firefighting unit for industrial environments. Combining thermal imaging, solar power and remote operation, the system is designed to improve response times and enhance safety in high-risk sites. (Muscat Daily)
Abu Dhabi expands Level 4 robotaxi services
#UAE #AVs - Abu Dhabi Mobility has expanded commercial Level 4 autonomous taxi operations on Yas Island with Baidu’s Apollo Go and Autogo. Further rollout is planned across Al Reem, Al Maryah and Al Saadiyat, signalling continued scaling of driverless transport in the emirate. (Economy Middle East)
ADNEC taps Presight for smart venue AI
#UAE #smartcities - ADNEC Group has partnered with Presight to deploy AI-powered venue management across its Abu Dhabi and Al Ain exhibition centres. Using Presight’s Intelli platform, the collaboration enhances crowd control, safety and waste systems, enabling real-time insights and more efficient, sustainable large-scale event operations. (Emirates News Agency)
Education
UAE trains 5,000 imams in AI tools rollout
#UAE #education - The UAE Artificial Intelligence Office and the General Authority of Islamic Affairs have launched AI training for over 5,000 imams and religious professionals. Delivered with academic partners, the programme introduces tools like Microsoft Copilot while emphasising ethical and responsible AI use under the UAE’s AI Strategy 2031. (Emirates News Agency)
Arabic Agents
Lucidya launches Arabic enterprise AI agents
#Saudi #agenticAI - Lucidya has introduced an enterprise AI agent platform tailored for Arabic-language customer experience, supporting more than 15 dialects. Following a $30 million Series B, the Riyadh-based firm targets large-scale deployments as organisations across MENA accelerate adoption of automated digital service channels. (Zawya)
Industry 4.0
Morocco launches JAZARI Industry X.0 institute
#Morocco #Industry4 - Morocco will established the JAZARI Industry X.0 Institute in Fez through government and university partnerships. The institute will translate AI research into industrial use, supporting targets of $10 billion in GDP impact, 50,000 jobs and 200,000 AI-trained graduates by 2030. (Middle East AI News)
6G
e& UAE outlines AI-native 6G network vision
#UAE #6G - e& UAE and Khalifa University have proposed an AI-native 6G architecture embedding intelligence into network design. The framework targets IMT-2030 and 3GPP standards, positioning the UAE to influence development of autonomous, energy-efficient next-generation telecom networks. (Middle East AI News)
Fintech
UAE fintech market to reach $5.7 billion by 2029
#UAE #FinTech - The UAE’s fintech sector is projected to grow from $3.16 billion in 2024 to $5.71 billion by 2029. Growth is driven by strong regulation and infrastructure, with hubs like DIFC and ADGM advancing payments, digital banking, embedded finance and AI-enabled financial services. (Emirates News Agency)
Hackathons
Morocco hackathon spotlights AI for jobs
#Morocco #hackathon - Morocco’s RamadanIA Hackathon in Tangier has concluded with winning projects in logistics, employment access and sign-language tools. The Ministry of Digital Transition will support top teams through incubation and partnerships to move solutions from prototype to real-world deployment. (Morocco World News)
Space
Oman to launch space tech hub in starlight reserve
#Oman #space - Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and the Environment Authority have partnered with Astronomical Solutions Company to build observatories and satellite ground stations at Al Hajar Al Gharbi. The sandbox initiative aims to boost research, investment and tourism under the national space strategy. (Muscat Daily)
[ This newsletter was both AI edited & human edited ]