This week’s top stories — June 7-13, 2026
KKR, Kuwait in $10B AI infrastructure venture; Dubai targets 295k firms with Agentic AI
This was the week that KKR and Kuwait launched the $10 billion Helix Digital Infrastructure venture, bringing together investment capital, power infrastructure and NVIDIA technology to accelerate AI development across the region.
In other news, Dubai announced plans to equip 295,000 companies with Agentic AI over the next two years; Stanford University and Arabic.AI launched a new Arabic Enterprise AI benchmark; the UAE began a 90-day government-wide Agentic AI sprint across 50 federal entities; and Zoom opened its second Saudi Arabian data centre backed by a $75 million investment.
Here are this week’s biggest AI news stories!
Saturday, June 7th
🔥 Saudi-Egyptian VC Edafa acquires two Egyptian AI startups
Construction tech Kuadra and health-tech IRRI Vision acquired in six-figure deals.
Sunday, June 8th
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🔥 Zoom opens second Saudi data centre backed by $75 million investment
New facility at Center3 supports government, enterprise and critical national infrastructure.
Monday, June 9th
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🔥 AI shopping is mainstream, but consumers won’t let AI pay
Visa study reveals a trust gap at the checkout in UAE and Egypt.
🔥 Dubai-based Algebra AI nets $7 million funding to serve mid-market
Managed AI operations target more than 30,000 GCC mid-market businesses.
🔥 Dubai deploys AI to overhaul real-time bus management
Smart dashboards transform the city’s Bus Operations Control Centre.
Tuesday, June 10th
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🔥 MEA CIOs face world’s highest AI Agent growth
IBM study reveals a widening control gap as enterprise AI scales fast.
🔥 Qatar pipe maker builds AI maintenance platform in-house
APC Maintenance Hub automates engineering, inventory and asset management.
🔥 DISAI AI programme picks ten DeepTech startups
Qualcomm, Aramco, RDIA and HUMAIN back second cohort of AI innovators.
🔥 UAE launches 90-day agentic AI sprint across 50 federal entities
UAE government kicks off agentic AI roll-out with 300 officials at workshop.
Wednesday, June 11th
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🔥 Dubai plans to equip 295,000 firms with Agentic AI in two years
Dubai to host the world’s largest student programming contest in November.
🔥 Stanford, Arabic.AI launch Arabic Enterprise AI benchmark
New Arabic AI leaderboard tests models on finance and legal tasks.
Thursday, June 12th
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🔥 Middle East boardrooms actively reviewing AI’s role in decision-making
35% of Middle East board directors see significant transformation of their roles.
Friday, June 13th
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🔥 KKR & Kuwait launch $10 billion AI infrastructure venture
Helix Digital Infrastructure unites capital, power and NVIDIA technology.