Author: Art Ryan

Dubai will host the first international conference on green AI, bringing together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to focus on sustainable artificial intelligence and environmental impact. The event aims to promote solutions that reduce energy use and emissions in AI development and deployment. Conference goals and focus The Green AI Conference will explore ways to make artificial intelligence more environmentally sustainable. Speakers will discuss reducing the carbon footprint of AI systems, improving energy efficiency, and sharing best practices for responsible AI use. The event is designed to encourage collaboration between governments, researchers, and the private sector. Organisers and partners The…

Leidos and OpenAI announced a partnership to deploy artificial intelligence solutions intended to transform federal operations. The collaboration focuses on building and scaling AI tools that can support agency missions in defense, health, and civilian programs. Partnership goals Leidos said the work with OpenAI will help federal customers adopt generative AI and other advanced systems in ways that improve productivity, decision-making, and mission outcomes. The companies plan to combine Leidos’s experience in government technology implementation with OpenAI’s AI models and research capabilities. Focus areas for federal operations The partnership will explore AI applications across several areas within the U.S. federal…

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is holding talks with Middle East investors about raising as much as $50 billion to fund the company’s growth. The discussions focus on securing large-scale capital to support AI development and infrastructure. Funding talks with Middle East investors Altman has met with investors and sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East to explore potential funding. The talks are still at an early stage and have not resulted in a final agreement. The scale of the proposed funding reflects the high costs involved in building and running advanced AI systems. Purpose of the funding The money would…

With only nine days remaining, Web Summit Qatar 2026 is set to once again place Doha at the center of the global technology conversation, as founders, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders prepare to converge for one of the most strategically important tech gatherings of the year. Taking place February 1–4, 2026, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), Web Summit Qatar continues its rapid evolution from a regional extension of the Web Summit brand into a critical global platform connecting innovation, capital, and policy across continents. From Regional Experiment to Global Tech Anchor Now entering its third edition, Web…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — At Machines Can Think 2026, Aiphoria will host a dedicated Executive Workshop focused on one of the most misunderstood areas of applied AI: building production-ready speech technologies. Titled “Building SpeechTech in Production: From Models to Real-World Systems,” the 60-minute hands-on session will explore how automatic speech recognition (ASR) and text-to-speech (TTS) systems are actually developed, deployed, and maintained in live environments—where performance, latency, reliability, and scalability matter as much as model accuracy. Why SpeechTech Is a Production Challenge, Not a Modeling Problem While advances in speech models continue to accelerate, many organizations struggle to move beyond…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — With only four days remaining, anticipation is reaching its peak as Machines Can Think Summit 2026 prepares to open in Abu Dhabi, bringing together some of the world’s most influential voices in artificial intelligence, enterprise technology, policy, and infrastructure. Taking place January 26–27, 2026, at the Park Hyatt Saadiyat Island, Machines Can Think is emerging as one of the most substantive global AI gatherings of the year—focused not on speculation, but on how AI is being built, governed, and deployed in the real world. A Summit Designed for the AI Reality As artificial intelligence moves rapidly…

Intel reported financial results that drew attention to its ongoing turnaround efforts and strengthening demand for chips tied to artificial intelligence and data centers. The results highlighted how AI-related computing needs are influencing Intel’s business performance. The company posted revenue for its latest quarter that beat Wall Street expectations. Sales and earnings figures showed improvement compared with recent periods as demand for data-center products grew. Intel’s turnaround plan has been a central focus for investors, analysts, and industry watchers in 2025 and into 2026. CEO Lip-Bu Tan has been leading the company’s strategic shift since taking over in early 2025.…

Governments and organisations across the Middle East are investing in artificial intelligence as part of long-term strategic plans. Countries in the region are developing policies, funding programmes, and infrastructure to support AI research and adoption. These efforts aim to position the Middle East as a competitive player in the global AI landscape. Several Gulf states have introduced national AI strategies. These plans set targets for AI integration in key sectors, including health care, education, transportation, and energy. They also include goals for developing local talent and attracting international investment. Governments are funding research centres, university programmes, and public–private partnerships to…

The National Experts Program (NEP) has opened applications for Emirati specialists to join its AI track. The programme aims to support the development of artificial intelligence expertise within the UAE. It is part of the UAE’s wider strategy to build local talent in key national sectors. The call was announced by the NEP, which is run by UAE government authorities. The AI track is designed for Emirati professionals who have experience or interest in artificial intelligence. Applications are open to candidates who meet set eligibility criteria, including educational background and professional experience in AI-related fields. The programme will offer selected…

The United Arab Emirates has awarded research grants to scientists working on advanced rain enhancement methods. The funding is part of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, which is overseen by the National Centre of Meteorology. Each selected project will receive $1.5 million over a three-year period. The awarded research focuses on improving rainfall in arid environments. Scientists will explore the use of artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and environmental design to enhance cloud formation and precipitation. These approaches aim to complement existing cloud-seeding techniques used in the country. One area of research involves nanoparticles designed to interact with clouds…

Dubai Police has launched a new digital platform designed specifically for lawyers in the UAE. The platform is part of a broader upgrade to Dubai Police’s online services. It aims to improve how legal professionals interact with police systems. The new platform allows lawyers to access police-related services through a single digital channel. Legal professionals can submit requests, upload documents, and follow case-related procedures online. Access is available around the clock through the Dubai Police website. Lawyers must log in using UAE Pass, the national digital identity system. This ensures secure access to sensitive legal information. Once logged in, users…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — January 2026 — Every major leap in artificial intelligence has been driven by a single, defining question: how far can the hardware go? At Machines Can Think 2026, that question will take center stage as Marc Hamilton, Vice President of Solutions Architecture and Engineering at NVIDIA, delivers a keynote address titled “The Next AI Datacenter: Accelerated, Energy-Aware, Everywhere.” As AI systems scale rapidly across industries, the limitations of traditional computing infrastructure are becoming impossible to ignore. Training larger models, deploying them globally, and doing so sustainably now represent one of the industry’s most urgent challenges. In…

With only 10 days remaining, Web Summit Qatar 2026 is preparing to transform Doha into a global meeting point for technology, innovation, and investment. From February 1–4, 2026, thousands of founders, investors, policymakers, and technology leaders will converge at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) for one of the most influential tech events in the Middle East. As the region accelerates its push to become a global innovation hub, Web Summit Qatar arrives at a moment when technology is no longer just enabling economies — it is actively reshaping them. From Global Brand to Regional Powerhouse Now entering its…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — January 2026 — NVIDIA will host a high-impact workshop titled “Physical AI: From Generative AI to Digital Twin” at the upcoming Machines Can Think Summit 2026, offering attendees a deep dive into how artificial intelligence is transitioning from digital environments into the physical world. As AI rapidly evolves beyond text and images, Physical AI represents the next frontier — enabling intelligent systems to perceive, reason, and act in real-world environments. This exclusive workshop will explore how AI is now powering robots, smart cities, industrial automation, and digital twins, redefining how machines interact with the world around…

With only five days remaining, anticipation is rapidly building for the Machines Can Think Summit 2026, a high-level global gathering that is set to place Abu Dhabi at the center of the most critical conversations shaping the future of artificial intelligence. Taking place January 26–27, 2026, at the Park Hyatt Saadiyat Island, the summit brings together an influential mix of AI researchers, enterprise executives, policymakers, investors, and infrastructure leaders. Unlike conventional tech conferences, Machines Can Think is designed not around hype or product launches, but around what it truly takes to deploy AI responsibly, securely, and at global scale. Moving…

The .ai domain has officially surpassed 1,000,000 registered domains worldwide, marking a historic milestone for Anguilla and underscoring the island’s unique role in the global artificial intelligence economy. This achievement reflects the explosive growth of artificial intelligence innovation across industries, and positions the .ai TLD as one of the most sought-after country code top-level domains in the world. Equally significant, it represents a powerful example of how digital assets can deliver real, tangible benefits to local communities. Revenue generated from .ai domain registrations has directly supported major national development projects in Anguilla, including airport and road development, tax relief for…

Google-backed AI drug discovery startup Isomorphic Labs has postponed the start of its first clinical trial for an AI-designed medicine. Isomorphic Labs is a biotechnology company that uses artificial intelligence to design drug candidates. It was founded as a spin-out from DeepMind (an Alphabet/Google affiliate). The company had previously planned to begin human clinical testing of drugs designed with its AI models by late 2025. However, those plans have been delayed into 2026, according to sources familiar with the situation. The delay reflects the complex challenges in validating AI-generated molecules and navigating regulatory requirements before human testing can begin. Isomorphic…

OpenAI rolls out an age prediction feature in ChatGPT that estimates a user’s age from text. The new capability is part of OpenAI’s ongoing updates to its chatbot, and it has sparked discussion about privacy, accuracy, and responsible use of AI. New age prediction feature OpenAI said the age prediction feature allows ChatGPT to offer an estimated age range when users request it or when it is relevant to the conversation. The system analyzes text patterns and language clues to make a prediction. OpenAI said the feature is optional and explained in the interface before use. How it works The…

AI startup Humans raised $480 million in a seed funding round that values the company at around $4.5 billion. The financing comes as demand grows for AI tools such as large-language models and personal AI assistants, and reflects strong investor interest in emerging AI firms. Funding round and valuation Humans secured $480 million in its seed round, one of the largest early-stage raises in the AI sector. The round gave the company a valuation of about $4.5 billion, putting it among the higher-valued startups in generative AI even before revenue figures are widely established. Investors and participation The seed round…

Indian artificial intelligence startup Emergent has raised $70 million in a new funding round. The investment was led by Khosla Ventures with participation from SoftBank and other investors, according to a Reuters report. Funding details The funding round included backing from Khosla Ventures and SoftBank Vision Fund 2. Other investors also participated in the raise. The funding highlights continued investor interest in AI companies based in India. Company focus Emergent develops AI-powered tools designed to help users build software with limited coding requirements. The platform aims to simplify software development by allowing users to create applications through natural language prompts…