Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Microsoft aims to train 3 million Africans in AI this year to counter the growing influence of China’s DeepSeek. Through a partnership with MTN Group and a $330 million infrastructure investment in South Africa, Microsoft is pushing for widespread adoption of its Copilot ecosystem. Projections suggest AI could contribute $1.5 trillion to Africa’s GDP by 2030.
Grameenphone and ZTE have signed an MoU to deploy agentic AI and LLMs for autonomous network operations in Bangladesh. Utilizing ZTE’s AIR Net solution, the partnership aims to automate fault handling and service management. The project also involves TM Forum collaboration to set global standards for AI-driven telecommunications efficiency.
NeutraDC and F5 are collaborating to launch managed AI connectivity services in Indonesia. By integrating F5’s security and application delivery into NeutraDC’s data centers, the partnership aims to support complex AI workloads and multi-cloud architectures, enhancing infrastructure reliability and security for enterprise customers navigating the country’s evolving digital landscape.
Saudi Arabia has designated 2026 as the Year of AI to accelerate its Vision 2030 goals. With $9.1 billion in sector funding and the launch of a new national “AI-Palm” logo, the Kingdom is focusing on large-scale infrastructure like the Hexagon Data Center and global events like the 4th Global AI Summit. The initiative aims to unify national efforts across government and private sectors while training over 11,000 specialists to lead the new digital economy.
Morocco has launched the “AI Made in Morocco” initiative to develop locally designed technological solutions for Industry X.0 and healthcare. As part of the Digital Morocco 2030 Strategy, the government also established the Al-Jazari Institute of Industry X.0 to foster collaboration between universities and industry. The plan seeks to position Morocco as a regional digital hub and capture a share of the projected $4.8 trillion global AI market.
Samsung plans to convert its global production sites into fully autonomous “AI-Driven Factories” by 2030. Utilizing Agentic AI and digital twins, the company will automate quality control, logistics, and safety monitoring. The strategy includes deploying humanoid robots and establishing strict AI governance to ensure responsible and efficient autonomous manufacturing operations worldwide.
Egypt has approved its 2025–2030 National AI Strategy, focusing on cross-sector integration and the launch of a new open data policy to empower startups. The plan includes AI safety guidelines for children and a partnership with UNESCO to train government personnel across Africa. By seeking membership in global committees like CDNET, Egypt aims to cement its role as a regional hub for data and innovation.
Saudi Arabia and UNESCO have launched a collaborative framework for sustainable AI under Vision 2030. The initiative focuses on “Greening of AI” to reduce energy consumption and “Greening with AI” to solve global environmental issues. By embedding ethics and human-centered design, the Kingdom aims to lead global responsible AI governance.
Saudi Arabia is scaling back the residential scope of The Line to prioritize the construction of massive AI data centers, leveraging the project’s renewable energy infrastructure to meet the global demand for high-performance computing.
Tech Mahindra and Microsoft have launched a governed, ontology-driven Agentic AI platform to help telecom operators automate data mesh transformation and enable auditable, real-time decision-making across complex network and revenue domains.