Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Egypt is rapidly expanding its AI ecosystem, with the sector projected to contribute 7.7% of GDP by 2030. Backed by major investments, rising cybersecurity capacity, and sustainability initiatives, the country is building a digitally skilled workforce and modern infrastructure. Experts stress urgent action to deepen AI literacy and secure inclusive, long-term growth.
Orange Egypt, in partnership with Shaghalni, has launched the country’s first AI-powered job interview system, allowing youth to complete smart virtual interviews for free through Orange branches. The initiative provides rapid skills assessment, job matching and access to leading employers, aiming to modernize recruitment and expand employment opportunities across Egypt.
GSMA Foundry and Khalifa University have partnered to advance telecom-specific AI through new assets such as TelecomGPT and an Open Telco Knowledge Graph. The collaboration addresses gaps in general LLM performance on telecom tasks and leverages the university’s 6G research capabilities to build accurate, efficient, domain-trained AI models for operators.
Katonic AI and AqlanX have launched the Gulf region’s first sovereign AI Centre of Excellence, enabling the UAE to develop and deploy AI models entirely within national infrastructure. Backed by UOWD, Lakeba and DoxAI, the initiative supports the UAE’s AI Strategy 2031 and strengthens national control over data, research, commercialisation and next-generation innovation.
Hub71 has partnered with the UAE–India CEPA Council to strengthen cross-border startup expansion and support India’s most promising founders as they scale in Abu Dhabi. Through the Start-Up Series, Immersion Programme and Access Programme, the collaboration creates structured soft-landing pathways, enabling two-way innovation exchange and advancing CEPA’s entrepreneurship and digital-economy goals.
Sri Lanka’s AI Asia Summit 2025 showcased the country’s rapid progress toward becoming South Asia’s AI innovation hub. With the launch of the Xavier robotics platform, strong government participation and industry-wide demonstrations of applied AI, the summit highlighted Sri Lanka’s readiness to move from experimentation to large-scale deployment across sectors.
Kalimna has launched its iOS and Android mobile app, enabling GCC businesses to monitor their Arabic AI phone agents on the go. The companion app syncs with the Kalimna dashboard to display real-time calls, leads and campaign activity. Designed for regional workflows, it prioritizes simplicity and strong security through encrypted API key access.
The UAE has launched a US$1 billion “AI for Development” initiative to support AI-driven growth across Africa. Managed by ADEX, the program will fund projects in key sectors like education, agriculture, and infrastructure to strengthen digital ecosystems and improve government services. The initiative aims to accelerate sustainable development, deepen UAE–Africa partnerships, and expand economic resilience across the continent.
Morocco is launching a 500MW renewable-powered data center and an AI and energy-innovation institute in Dakhla. The projects aim to boost digital sovereignty, expand cloud and data-processing capacity, and develop national talent in AI and energy technologies. Powered by dedicated solar and wind farms, the initiatives position Dakhla as a strategic regional tech hub.
During a meeting at the 2025 G20 Summit, Egypt’s PM Mostafa Madbouly told Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi that Egypt seeks expanded cooperation with Japan in AI, advanced technology and economic development. He praised decades of partnership and Japan’s contribution to major projects. Takaichi welcomed enhanced collaboration across sectors and affirmed Japan’s commitment to strengthening ties.