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Technology news from the Middle East. All the important stories, exclusive interviews, plus authoritative opinion and analysis

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A study found that up to two thirds of Turks between the ages of 18 and 25 would leave the country if given the chance, with the rate even higher for those with advanced education

Turkey aims for higher level of cybersecurity

Turkey has outlined plans for a new cybersecurity directorate to encourage private sector research and new startups. Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said last week that the directorate would be established in the autumn as part of a campaign to strengthen the state’s defences against all forms of cyber attack.  “We have more or less completed […]

autonomous vehicle AV accident cruise self-drive taxis

What the rise of robotaxi means for your car insurance

As the Middle East continues to test autonomous vehicles, the big issue is the potential increase in multi-million-dollar lawsuits as a result of AV accidents, and the debate over who is liable for such payouts. Cruise, which is owned by General Motors and has been designated as the exclusive robotaxi service provider in Dubai until […]

The meeting was the first between UAE and US leaders on American soil

Defence and tech at forefront of UAE leader’s historic US visit

Defence and technology were among the key topics of discussion during UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s official visit to the US this week. “The strategic and enduring partnership that unites our countries is unwavering,” said Sheikh Mohamed, after what was the first meeting between sitting UAE and US presidents on American soil […]

Ooredoo and bank executives at the signing ceremony

Ooredoo secures $552m loan for data centre expansion

Qatar’s telecom major Ooredoo has secured a QR2 billion ($552 million) financing deal to accelerate the development of its data centres and artificial intelligence (AI) ventures. The 10-year hybrid facility, comprising both commercial and Islamic tranches, was provided by Qatar National Bank, Doha Bank and Masraf Al Rayan. The company claimed this is the “largest […]

The European Commission has approved e&'s acquisition of PPF Telecom’s assets in Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia

e&’s PPF deal gets European Commission nod

UAE telecommunications company e&, formerly known as Etisalat, said that the European Commission (EC) has approved the acquisition of Czech PPF Group’s telecoms business across four European countries. The extensive dialogue with the EC enabled the grant of foreign subsidies regulation (FSR) approval on an accelerated basis, three months ahead of the applicable legal deadline of […]

Visitors at the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co museum in Taiwan. The proposed chip-making projects in the UAE could require more than $100 billion in investments

Global chip giants explore opening UAE factories

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest chip makers, are exploring the possibility of opening mega-manufacturing facilities in the UAE. The terms of discussion include projects to be funded by the UAE, with Abu Dhabi-based sovereign Mubadala playing a key role, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed sources. Executives from TSMC recently […]

G42 Nvidia

G42 links with Nvidia to launch climate tech lab

The UAE-based artificial intelligence company G42 has formed a partnership with Nvidia, the US computer chip giant, to set up a climate tech laboratory in Abu Dhabi, aimed at better predicting the weather using AI. In what is Nvidia’s first partnership with the UAE company, the lab will “serve as a hub for research and […]

Sharjah Microsoft China

Sharjah’s Microsoft deal ‘will not harm China relationship’

Sharjah, the third largest emirate by population in the UAE, will not undermine its growing relations with China through its AI partnership with the American giant Microsoft, a prominent investment official has said. This week Sharjah unveiled the first AI-generated trade licence system in the world, developed jointly by Invest in Sharjah, Sharjah Publishing City […]

Turkey tech visa digital nomad

Ankara’s twin tech challenge to woo foreign experts and keep its own

Turkey wants to persuade foreign tech entrepreneurs and innovators to move to the country with a scheme providing a fast-tracked business permit and residency visa, as it seeks to position itself as a leading international technology hub.  Ankara has already made a call to tech-savvy travellers through a programme launched in April offering an easy […]

Ahmed bin Sulayem told AGBI that AI impacts every sector within DMCC Video length: 03:30

Dubai AI leaders call for global regulations

Digital economy leaders in the UAE called for the global unification of artificial intelligence regulations at the launch of DMCC’s AI Centre last week.  Dubai issued a universal blueprint for AI earlier this year, but a unified framework governing the growing AI technology sector is still lacking.  “How can you disregard the artificial intelligence sector […]

Halo Space, a Madrid-based company, said Saudi Arabia would play a key role in construction of the craft

Halo Space to manufacture capsules in Saudi Arabia

Spanish company Halo Space plans to localise most manufacturing of its high-altitude balloon capsule to Saudi Arabia, it said this week before its first test launch in the kingdom.  The Madrid-based startup is due to stage an unmanned test flight from the Al-Aflaj oasis 330km south of Riyadh within the next two weeks, depending on […]

The Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership (GAIIP) will invest in building data centres and energy infrastructure

UAE’s MGX joins $30bn AI infrastructure initiative

UAE technology investment company MGX is part of a new $30 billion initiative, which will invest in building data centres and energy infrastructure. Other members of the Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership (GAIIP) are US-based BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners and Microsoft. The proceeds, which will be raised through private equity capital, may reach up to […]

The new centres planned with Microsoft will position Abu Dhabi as a global hub for AI innovation, said G42 CEO Peng Xiao

UAE’s G42 and Microsoft aim for ‘responsible’ AI goals

UAE artificial intelligence (AI) company G42 and US tech giant Microsoft will open two centres in Abu Dhabi to advance work on “responsible” AI practices. The first centre will see academic researchers and AI practitioners from the private sector develop, document and share emerging “responsible” AI best practices in the Middle East and the Global […]

A shopping mall in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Gulf is behind the US and Europe when it comes to rolling out retail technology, says one expert

Saudi retail in tech race to lock in consumer loyalty

Saudi and Gulf retailers are running to catch up when it comes to deploying sophisticated tools being used in other markets to develop consumer loyalty, creating an opening for innovative companies, according to analysts.  “The Middle East is a bit behind the curve,” said Premal Patel, managing director of Catalina UK, a retail consultancy.  “Technology […]

Almost half of all Turkish accommodation and food service providers took advantage of IT, up from 36 percent in 2022

Shortage of IT specialists slows Turkish business growth

A shortage of trained IT specialists is slowing Turkish companies’ growth and their development of artificial intelligence applications, according to a new report.  The report, issued by Turkey’s state statistics agency Turkstat, found some sectors had a strong uptake of ecommerce sales and services. Almost half of all accommodation and food service providers took advantage […]

Saudi Arabia's minister of communications and IT Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha met with Groq CEO and founder Jonathan Ross in the US in July

Aramco partners with US startup Groq for AI data centre

Saudi Aramco’s digital arm is partnering with US semiconductor startup Groq to build the world’s largest artificial intelligence inferencing data centre.  Unlike regular data centres, which handle a range of computing tasks, an AI inferencing data centre is designed specifically to run AI models that make rapid predictions or decisions.  The facility will use Groq’s […]

Agility Korek

Iraqi telecoms firm loses appeal against $1.5bn corruption award

A $1.5 billion decision against an Iraqi telecom operator and a prominent Iraqi businessman has been upheld by the International Court of Arbitration, part of the  International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The arbitrators found that Korek Telecom and its chairman and top shareholder, Sirwan Saber Barzani, had “participated in a corrupt scheme” to defraud the […]