Author: Art Ryan

Abu Dhabi, UAE — With only two days remaining, the global artificial intelligence community is preparing to converge in Abu Dhabi for the Machines Can Think Summit 2026, a high-stakes gathering focused on one of the most urgent questions facing technology today: how does AI move from promise to real-world leadership at scale? Taking place January 26–27, 2026, at the Park Hyatt Saadiyat Island, Machines Can Think brings together senior leaders across AI research, enterprise deployment, infrastructure, investment, and public policy for two days of execution-focused dialogue at a pivotal moment in AI’s evolution. From Breakthroughs to Responsibility: Why This…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — Machines Can Think Summit 2026 today announced Ahmad Ali Alwan, Chief Executive Officer of Hub71, as a confirmed speaker for the upcoming global AI summit, taking place January 26–27, 2026, in Abu Dhabi. As CEO of Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, Ahmad Ali Alwan leads the strategy and scale of one of the region’s most influential startup platforms—connecting founders with investors, national champions, global enterprises, and government stakeholders to help technology companies grow internationally from the UAE capital. A Leader Shaping the Future of Innovation Ecosystems Before becoming CEO, Alwan served as Deputy CEO of…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — Machines Can Think Summit 2026 today announced Hub71 as its official Startup Partner, marking a significant collaboration aimed at accelerating the growth of AI and DeepTech companies through ecosystem-driven innovation. As Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, Hub71 plays a central role in enabling high-growth startups to scale internationally by connecting founders with national champions, global enterprises, institutional investors, and government partners. Its participation reinforces the summit’s focus on moving beyond isolated innovation toward integrated, long-term value creation. Reframing AI Investment for a Capital-Intensive Era As part of the summit program, Ahmad Ali Alwan, Chief Executive Officer…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — Machines Can Think 2026 today unveiled Startup Contest Day, a highly selective, investor-driven pitch competition created for founders building AI and DeepTech companies ready for real-world scale. Hosted in Abu Dhabi on January 26–27, 2026, and organized in collaboration with Hub71 and the Incubation & Entrepreneurship Center of MBZUAI, Startup Contest Day is designed to move beyond demo-day theater — delivering focused capital access, serious investor dialogue, and global visibility. Not a Demo Day. A Capital-Grade Pitch Arena. Startup Contest Day is intentionally limited and highly curated. Out of a global applicant pool, only 12 startups…

Equifax launches an AI-powered tool designed to help financial institutions detect and prevent synthetic identity fraud. The new solution uses machine learning to spot abnormal identity patterns and flag potential fraud earlier in customer onboarding and transactions. What the new tool does The AI-powered solution analyses identity signals from multiple data sources to identify combinations that may indicate synthetic identities. Synthetic identity fraud occurs when criminals create or fabricate personal information to open accounts, obtain credit, or conduct illicit transactions. Equifax’s tool uses advanced models to compare identity elements against known fraud patterns. Focus on early detection Equifax said the…

AI has taken center stage in financial services, automating the research and execution behind algorithmic trading and helping banks more accurately detect fraud and money laundering — all while improving risk management practices and expediting document processing. The sixth annual “NVIDIA State of AI in Financial Services” report, based on a survey of more than 800 industry professionals, found that AI usage in the industry has never been higher. Organizations are deploying and scaling AI use cases, such as fraud detection, risk management and customer service, to improve critical business functions that create meaningful return on investment. New types of AI…

AI-powered content generation is now embedded in everyday tools like Adobe and Canva, with a slew of agencies and studios incorporating the technology into their workflows. Image models now deliver photorealistic results consistently, video models can generate long and coherent clips, and both can follow creative directions. Creators are increasingly running these workflows locally on PCs to keep assets under direct control, remove cloud service costs and eliminate the friction of iteration — making it easier to refine outputs at the pace real creative projects demand. Since their inception, NVIDIA RTX PCs have been the system of choice for running…

Ozelle brings AI-powered scenario-ready diagnostics to WHX Labs in Dubai to offer advanced tools that use artificial intelligence for performance, health, and readiness analysis. The new technology aims to help users and organisations make informed, data-driven decisions. AI diagnostics technology deployed Ozelle said its AI-powered scenario-ready diagnostics platform is now available at WHX Labs, a performance and wellness facility in Dubai. The system uses machine learning models to analyse data and generate predictive insights for individuals or teams across multiple conditions and stressors. Purpose and applications The diagnostics tool is designed to assess readiness, identify strengths and vulnerabilities, and support…

Doha, Qatar — Web Summit Qatar 2026 is set to convene an unparalleled lineup of global technology, enterprise, and financial leaders, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most important platforms for innovation, investment, and digital transformation. The summit will take place February 1–4, 2026, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC). As part of the 2026 edition, Web Summit Qatar will welcome participation from an elite group of international partners that represent the backbone of today’s global digital economy. Confirmed Global Partners Include: Together, these organizations span cloud computing, artificial intelligence, enterprise software, cybersecurity, financial services, healthcare,…

Abu Dhabi, UAE — Machines Can Think Summit 2026 today announced Tahaluf Al Emarat Technical Solutions (تحالف الإمارات للحلول التقنية) as an official Gold Partner of the summit, taking place January 26–27, 2026, in Abu Dhabi. A leading UAE provider of sovereign digital, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence solutions, Tahaluf plays a critical role in enabling national-scale, mission-critical systems across government and strategic sectors. Its participation underscores the summit’s focus on real-world AI deployment, digital sovereignty, and resilient infrastructure. Shaping the Future of AI, Cities, and Society As part of its Gold Partnership, Tahaluf leaders and partners will take the stage…

As artificial intelligence systems grow more capable, a deeper question is beginning to surface across technology, enterprise, and policy circles: is AI evolving beyond intelligence toward awareness? At the upcoming Machines Can Think Summit, this question will take center stage in a keynote by Joshua “Scotch” McClure, Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Maxwell Biosciences, and a partner of Tahaluf Al Emarat Technical Solutions. Titled “From Intelligence to Awareness: The Next Layer in Enterprise AI,” McClure’s keynote will explore what comes after automation — and why the next phase of AI development may redefine how organizations, governments, and societies interact with…

With only eight days remaining, Web Summit Qatar 2026 is poised to bring the international technology ecosystem together in Doha, as founders, investors, innovators, and policymakers prepare for one of the most strategically significant tech gatherings of the year. Taking place February 1–4, 2026, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), this rapidly growing edition of Web Summit is cementing its role as a must-attend global platform for innovation, investment, and cross-border collaboration. From Regional Outpost to Global Tech Hub Now entering its third year, Web Summit Qatar has quickly evolved from a regional offshoot of the Web Summit…

With only three days remaining, Machines Can Think Summit 2026 is set to open in Abu Dhabi, bringing the global artificial intelligence community to a critical inflection point. As AI transitions from experimental breakthroughs to systems that shape economies, governments, and daily life, this summit arrives at exactly the right moment. Taking place January 26–27, 2026, at the Park Hyatt Saadiyat Island, Machines Can Think is not positioning itself as another technology conference—it is emerging as a strategic forum for how AI is actually built, governed, and sustained at scale. Beyond Hype: A Summit for the AI Reality The AI…

Spotify launches an AI-driven prompted playlist feature for Premium users in the U.S. and Canada, allowing subscribers to generate music playlists using text prompts. The tool uses artificial intelligence to tailor playlists to user descriptions of mood, activity, or context. Feature rollout and usage The new feature lets Premium listeners type a text prompt — such as a mood, activity, or specific theme — and receive a custom playlist generated by AI. Spotify said the tool aims to make music discovery more interactive and personalized. The feature is available within the app for users in the United States and Canada.…

A Dubai health arm called Hub and Brisbane-based partners are strengthening collaboration on artificial intelligence in healthcare. The agreement focuses on research, technology testing, and developing AI-driven health solutions to benefit both regions. Partnership details and goals Officials from Dubai’s health innovation division and Brisbane organisations signed a memorandum to increase cooperation in AI for health. The initiative aims to explore how data analytics, machine learning, and other AI technologies can improve diagnosis, treatment planning, and operational efficiency. The partnership is designed to bring together expertise from both the Middle East and Australia. Focus areas for AI in health Collaborators…

Dubai’s DAMAC secures capacity worth $1.2 billion for U.S. AI data centres as part of its expansion into global technology infrastructure. The company said the investment will support development of facilities that host artificial intelligence compute and storage resources for enterprise clients. Details of the capacity deal DAMAC said it has secured long-term capacity commitments valued at about $1.2 billion with data centre partners in the United States. The agreement covers space, power, and network infrastructure needed to operate large-scale AI workloads. The capacity is intended to meet growing demand from cloud, enterprise, and AI service providers that require robust…

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…