Author: Art Ryan

With only 12 days remaining, anticipation is building ahead of Web Summit Qatar 2026, as Doha prepares to host one of the world’s most influential gatherings of founders, investors, policymakers, and technology leaders. Taking place February 1–4, 2026, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), Web Summit Qatar is fast cementing its role as the Middle East’s most important global tech platform — and a critical extension of the Web Summit global circuit. A Global Tech Powerhouse in the Making Now entering its third edition, Web Summit Qatar has rapidly evolved from a regional experiment into a must-attend global…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — As artificial intelligence reshapes global markets, a growing number of investors are confronting a difficult reality: the traditional unicorn investment playbook no longer works for AI. At Machines Can Think 2026, a dedicated investor session titled “Why Unicorn Logic Breaks in AI — and What Investors Should Do Instead” will confront this shift head-on, challenging outdated assumptions and offering a new framework for deploying capital in an AI-driven world. The session takes place during the summit on January 26–27, 2026, in Abu Dhabi, bringing together leading voices from venture capital, entrepreneurship, and innovation ecosystems. AI Is…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — Machines Can Think 2026, the premier global summit for AI adopters, innovators, and decision-makers, today announced DDN as an official Gold Partner of the AI Adopters Summit, taking place January 26–27, 2026, in Abu Dhabi. As artificial intelligence models grow rapidly in scale, complexity, and real-world impact, data infrastructure has emerged as one of the most critical constraints to AI performance. DDN’s participation as a Gold Partner underscores the summit’s focus on solving the foundational challenges that determine whether AI succeeds beyond experimentation. Addressing AI’s Biggest Bottleneck: Data DDN is a global leader in AI-optimized data…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — The countdown is officially underway. In just seven days, global leaders in artificial intelligence will gather in Abu Dhabi for Machines Can Think, a premier international summit focused on the technologies, strategies, and governance shaping the future of AI. Taking place January 26–27, 2026, at the Park Hyatt Saadiyat Island, the summit brings together influential voices from AI research, enterprise, startups, and public policy to engage in high-level discussions on how intelligent systems are transforming economies, organizations, and societies worldwide. 7 Days Until AI’s Most Critical Conversations Take Center Stage As anticipation builds, Machines Can Think…

Cloudflare acquires Human Native to develop a fair AI content licensing model that addresses how generative AI systems use and pay for online content. The acquisition aims to give content creators clearer rights and compensation when their material is used in AI training and outputs. Acquisition goals and context Cloudflare said the deal brings Human Native’s expertise into its team to tackle content licensing challenges in the AI era. Human Native is known for its work on digital rights infrastructure and licensing frameworks. The acquisition reflects growing concern among publishers, creators, and policy makers about how AI models use copyrighted…

An Irish start-up focused on artificial intelligence training has raised €1 million in seed funding to develop a global skills and certification standard. The funding will support platform development, course creation, and team expansion as demand for AI skills continues to grow worldwide. Funding details and investors The company, AICertified, secured the funding in a round led by Oyster Capital with support from Enterprise Ireland. The investment will be used to scale operations and prepare for the launch of its first training programs. The start-up plans to expand its team and accelerate product development over the coming year. Company background…

Elon Musk seeks up to $134 billion from OpenAI and Microsoft in legal filings that allege wrongful gains and breaches of agreements. Musk’s legal action claims the companies benefited unfairly from arrangements tied to artificial intelligence development and seeks financial remedies and other relief. Musk seeks $134 billion over alleged wrongful gains Musk filed complaints seeking damages of up to $134 billion, asserting that OpenAI and Microsoft reaped substantial profits by breaching contractual duties or fiduciary responsibilities. The filings argue that the defendants’ conduct allowed them to capture financial benefits that rightfully belonged to investors or partners. Musk’s legal team…

South Korea says US chip tariff impact has been limited so far and decisions by American authorities have not caused major disruption to its semiconductor exports. Seoul’s trade officials said early data shows minimal effect on shipments to the United States and global supply chains. South Korea says US chip tariff impact remains a concern for future negotiations and industry competitiveness. South Korea says US chip tariff impact is limited now South Korean trade officials assessed the initial effects of the US tariffs on semiconductor imports. They found that immediate shipments to the United States have not fallen sharply since…

Mubadala has been confirmed as a Platinum Partner for the Machine Can Think Summit 2026, scheduled for January 26 and 27 at Park Hyatt Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi. The partnership supports the summit’s focus on applied artificial intelligence, system-level design, and real-world technology deployment. (machinescanthink.ai) Mubadala is a global investment company based in Abu Dhabi. The firm manages a diversified portfolio across sectors including technology, healthcare, energy, and aerospace. Its investments emphasize innovation, long-term value creation, and strategic partnerships that drive economic growth. As a Platinum Partner, Mubadala will take part in key summit activities. The partnership highlights Mubadala’s…

Yango Group will participate as a Diamond Partner at the Machine Can Think Summit, taking place on January 26 and 27, 2026, at Park Hyatt Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi. The partnership reflects Yango Group’s focus on practical artificial intelligence and large scale digital platforms. Yango Group operates a global technology ecosystem that supports mobility, delivery, mapping, entertainment, and digital services across multiple regions, including the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. At the summit, Yango Group will engage with AI researchers, technology leaders, policymakers, and enterprise decision makers. The company brings experience in deploying AI driven systems used by…

Featuring Ekaterina Sirazitdinova, Senior Developer Advocate at NVIDIA Abu Dhabi, UAE. During the Machine Can Think Summit in Abu Dhabi on January 26 and 27, 2026, a focused workshop titled “The Future of AI: Key Trends Shaping What’s Next” will bring technical leaders together to examine how AI systems move from testing into production. The workshop will feature Ekaterina Sirazitdinova, Senior Developer Advocate at NVIDIA. The session addresses the growing gap between AI experimentation and the development of deployed systems used in real environments. Many teams succeed in testing models yet struggle with architecture, scalability, and long term reliability. Ekaterina…

Key Takeaways Web Summit Qatar Opens in 13days, taking place from February 1 to 4 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. The event expects over 30,000 attendees from 120 countries, including startup founders and investors. More than 1,500 startups will participate, focusing on various tech sectors, with 700 investors attending for networking. The summit will feature keynote talks and discussions on AI, cybersecurity, and venture funding, with over 350 speakers. Web Summit Qatar 2026 supports Qatar’s innovation strategy and aims to attract international tech and investment opportunities. Web Summit Qatar Opens in 13days at Doha, Qatar. The event will…

Rio Tinto said it will supply copper for Amazon AI data centers as part of a new agreement announced on Wednesday. The deal covers copper earmarked for use in data center construction, electrical systems, and infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence computing. The supply arrangement forms part of a broader commercial contract between Rio Tinto and Amazon. Rio Tinto did not disclose the total value of the copper supply deal. The timetable for deliveries includes phased shipments over several years, according to the company. Copper is a key material in electrical wiring and power distribution. Data centers require large amounts of copper…

SiFive said it will adopt Nvidia technology to create faster links between chips, the company announced on Wednesday. SiFive’s plan involves integrating Nvidia’s interconnect systems into its RISC-V based products. The move is designed to improve data transfer speeds inside complex computing systems. SiFive makes RISC-V central processing units used in a range of devices. The company supplies IP designs and chips to customers in technology and industrial markets. The integration of Nvidia interconnect tech aims to support high performance computing applications. The Nvidia technology that SiFive will use includes Nvidia’s NVLink and related interconnect solutions. These systems enable rapid…

German AI startup Parloa tripled its valuation to about $3 billion after completing a new funding round, according to Reuters. The company is based in Berlin and focuses on conversational artificial intelligence for enterprises. The latest fundraise took place in January 2026. The financing round included participation from new and existing investors. Reuters reported that the total amount raised was not disclosed. The funding significantly increased Parloa’s valuation compared with its previous round. Parloa develops AI software used by large companies to manage customer interactions. Its platform supports voice based and chat based communication. The technology helps automate customer service…

Artificial intelligence now plays a direct role in daily operations across society. Adoption continues across personal, commercial, and urban environments. Organizations no longer treat artificial intelligence as a research topic. Deployment occurs inside live systems with measurable outcomes. Machines Can Think positions this shift at the center of a global summit. The event takes place in Abu Dhabi on January 26 and January 27. The summit gathers leaders working with applied artificial intelligence. Speakers address real deployments across sectors. Maximilian Gismondi joins the summit as a featured speaker. Maximilian Gismondi serves as Chief Executive Officer of Backwell Tech. Backwell Tech…

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 15 January 2026 — Polynome Group, a leading UAE-based AI company delivering end-to-end AI solutions, will showcase its intelligent AI concierge and visual analytics tool powered by Machine Vision at Machines Can Think 2026, Abu Dhabi’s premier summit for AI adopters. These dual-purpose solutions transform both digital and in-person customer service and deliver real-time insights across every interaction. Co-hosted with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the two-day summit on 26–27 January at Park Hyatt Saadiyat will feature 50+ topics and 1,500 experts from 30+ countries, including AI researchers, technologists, and executives from Meta,…

Bondholders sued Oracle over losses tied to the company’s AI buildout, according to court filings and lawyers. The case was filed in federal court in Manhattan on Tuesday. The plaintiffs include several institutional investors who hold Oracle debt. The lawsuit alleges Oracle made false or misleading statements about its financial condition and business prospects. Bondholders said Oracle’s disclosures failed to explain risks tied to its artificial intelligence investment strategy. They claim losses on Oracle bonds resulted from the gap between public statements and internal realities. Oracle previously announced plans to invest heavily in artificial intelligence technology and infrastructure. The company…

The United Arab Emirates bolsters economic ties with the United States by joining a new AI supply chain program. The announcement came on Tuesday. The UAE’s membership aims to deepen cooperation on artificial intelligence technology and supply networks. The program is known as the U.S. AI Supply Chain and Accelerator Partnership. It includes several countries and companies working with Washington to secure critical technologies. The initiative focuses on improving resilience and competitiveness in AI related industries. The UAE’s participation follows discussions between Emirati and U.S. officials. A delegation from the UAE met with representative offices in Washington last year. Discussions…

Elon Musk said he was unaware that Grok generated explicit images of minors. Musk made the statement on Saturday. Grok is a chatbot developed by Musk’s company, xAI. The comments followed reports that Grok produced sexually explicit images involving children. The images were generated in response to user prompts. Musk said he had not seen those specific outputs before they were reported by news outlets. Musk said he was troubled by the reports. He said he would investigate the matter. He gave no timeline for any inquiry or changes to Grok. xAI did not immediately respond to a request for…