Author: Art Ryan

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Sofia Ghacham, Moroccan Ambassador of Women in AI and an industry leader in Morocco, shared perspectives on AI governance, regional readiness, and Africa’s growing role in global technology discussions during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Ghacham spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke following her participation in a dedicated AI safety roundtable at the summit. Ghacham emphasized the importance of Machines Can Think as a forum that brings together policymakers, industry leaders, and public and private sector stakeholders to examine how artificial intelligence is shaping societies and economies. “This summit puts everyone in one room…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Prof. Henrik von Scheel, Chairman of the World Economic Forum AI Committee and widely recognized as the originator of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Digital Revolution, delivered a candid and far-reaching assessment of artificial intelligence during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Prof. von Scheel shared his views in an interview with Justin Cooke at the summit. Von Scheel positioned the global AI landscape firmly within a hype cycle. While expectations are high, he cautioned that most organizations are still far from realizing AI’s promised value. “We are in the hype bubble,” von Scheel said. “What…

Abu Dhabi, UAE. Alessandra Sala, Senior Director of AI and Data Science at Shutterstock and Global President of Women in AI, delivered a powerful message on trust, inclusion, and ethical responsibility during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Sala shared her insights in an interview with Justin Cooke following a landmark roundtable discussion at the summit. Sala brings a unique global perspective to AI governance and adoption. In addition to her role at Shutterstock, she leads Women in AI, a nonprofit active in more than 150 countries focused on education and inclusion. She also works closely with United Nations agencies,…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Anastasia Gusentsova, Founder and CEO of LiFT Agency, shared how artificial intelligence is reshaping personal brand building and content production during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Gusentsova spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke, focusing on AI’s role as a practical instrument for growth rather than a replacement for creativity. LiFT Agency specializes in promoting personal brands for business leaders and entrepreneurs. AI now plays a central role in the agency’s operations, supporting content creation across text, visuals, and video. “For us, AI is an instrument,” Gusentsova said. “It helps us work faster, smarter, and…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Anton Shestakov, Head of Global Marketing at Aiphoria, outlined how enterprises in highly regulated industries can safely adopt AI agents during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Aiphoria participated as a summit sponsor, with Shestakov sharing insights in an interview with Justin Cooke. Aiphoria provides an enterprise AI agent platform designed for industries where data sovereignty, privacy, and regulatory compliance are critical. The platform is deployed fully on-premise, allowing organizations to retain complete control over customer data while still benefiting from advanced AI agent capabilities. “Our mission is to help regulated enterprises adopt AI agents without…

Abu Dhabi, UAE. Lin Lu, Chairman of Jupiter E-Power Wi-Fi Technology Company, and Michael A. Bonney, Founder at Jupiter E-Power Technology, outlined their vision for AI-powered, sustainable robotics in the lawn, garden, and property maintenance sector during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. The discussion took place in an interview with Justin Cooke at the summit. Jupiter E-Power develops battery-electric, AI-enabled robotic equipment designed for large-scale lawn and garden maintenance. The company focuses on serving professional contractors, large estates, municipalities, and golf courses with tools that reduce labor dependency while improving efficiency and sustainability. “Our goal is to minimize labor…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Daniel Alexandre Pinto Almeida, Co-Founder and CEO of Orbit, shared how his company is redefining enterprise decision-making through pragmatic AI during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Almeida spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke, outlining Orbit’s vision for reducing complexity and cognitive load across modern organizations. Orbit is a Portuguese AI startup building what it calls an intelligence-led platform. The solution sits on top of an organization’s existing technology stack, including productivity tools, CRMs, ERPs, and collaboration platforms, and acts as a unifying intelligence layer. “In most companies, people become the integration layer,” Almeida said.…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Sean Conaty and Ruairi Tubrid, Co-Founders of HealthStay.io, outlined how their company is transforming international patient management for healthcare providers during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. The founders spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke, reflecting on their growth journey and the role of the UAE in scaling a health technology business. HealthStay.io provides digital infrastructure that enables hospitals, clinics, and longevity centers to manage international and domestic patients across the full care journey. The platform supports every stage of the patient engagement process, from initial inquiry and onboarding to coordination, communication, and follow-up. “In…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Richard Morton, Director of the Institute of Foundation Models at the Mohammed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), shared insights on the current state and future direction of artificial intelligence during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Morton spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke following his panel appearance at the summit. Morton began by addressing widespread misconceptions around AI. While adoption and attention have accelerated rapidly, he emphasized that today’s systems remain fundamentally tools for synthesis rather than engines of true discovery. “AI today is an extraordinary calculator,” Morton said. “It allows us to…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Andrey Doronichev, CEO and Founder of Optic (formerly Bioptik), shared how artificial intelligence is reshaping the pharmaceutical industry during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Doronichev spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke, outlining the company’s vision for an AI-native operating system for pharma. Optic is an AI-native pharmaceutical platform headquartered in San Francisco, with a growing subsidiary and research presence in Dubai. The company applies artificial intelligence across the full pharmaceutical value chain, from molecular discovery to clinical trials, regulatory processes, and commercialization. “When people talk about AI in pharma, they usually focus only on…

A Chinese robotics firm seeks investors in UAE to support a major manufacturing and research project. The company, Lianhe Sowell International Group, is listed on Nasdaq. It plans to invest $200 million in a robotics industrial base in the United Arab Emirates. The facility would become the firm’s first major production and research hub outside China. The project targets global markets across multiple regions. Investment Plans and Project Scope The Chinese robotics firm seeks investors in UAE to help finance construction and operations. The planned site will integrate robot research, manufacturing, and international sales. The company is in discussions with…

Dubai cybersecurity AI smart infrastructure efforts are being strengthened to support the city’s expanding use of artificial intelligence and connected digital systems. Dubai is redesigning its cybersecurity framework to protect AI-driven services and smart infrastructure across public and private sectors. These measures align with the city’s long-term digital transformation and smart city programs. Government-led initiatives such as Smart Dubai and Dubai 10X continue to integrate AI into transportation, healthcare, utilities, and public services. Cybersecurity has become a core requirement to ensure system resilience and data protection. Secure-by-Design Framework for Dubai Cybersecurity AI Smart Infrastructure Dubai is adopting a secure-by-design approach…

Philippine film Portrait No 72 has been named one of five finalists in an international artificial intelligence film competition held in Dubai. The short film was created by Filipino filmmakers using generative AI technology. It was shortlisted under the AI Film Award category during the One Billion Summit, a large-scale event focused on digital media, content creation, and emerging technologies. The competition received thousands of entries from different countries. Only five films advanced to the final stage. Portrait No. 72 was the only Philippine entry to be selected among the finalists. Filipino Filmmakers Behind Portrait No. 72 AI Film Dubai…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Alexander Khanin, Founder of Polynome and Founder of the Machines Can See and Machines Can Think Summits, shared reflections on the evolution of the event and the state of artificial intelligence during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Khanin spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke at the summit. Khanin described the third edition of Machines Can Think as a milestone moment. Returning attendees, long term partners, and growing international participation signal sustained impact. “This year I met many people who told me this was their third time attending,” Khanin said. “That shows continuity, trust, and…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Nikita Gavrilov, Regional Head of Yango Tech Autonomy at Yango Group, shared progress on autonomous delivery vehicles during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Gavrilov spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke, outlining how pilot programs in Dubai are moving into broader deployment. Gavrilov leads autonomous delivery operations at Yango Tech Autonomy. The team focuses on sidewalk based delivery robots designed for last mile logistics in urban communities. “We reached near scale readiness,” Gavrilov said. “Pilots over the past nine months delivered strong operational results.” Yango Tech Autonomy completed pilots at Expo City Dubai and in…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Dr. Ahmed Dabbagh, Managing Director of Polynome AI Academy, outlined how leadership education and workforce readiness drive national AI ambitions during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Dr. Dabbagh shared these insights in an interview with Justin Cooke at the event. Polynome AI Academy operates in partnership with Abu Dhabi School of Management and delivers executive education and professional training programs focused on artificial intelligence. Programs target government leaders, industry decision makers, SMEs, and working professionals. Training spans agentic systems, generative AI, and core artificial intelligence fundamentals. “Our role is capacity building,” Dr. Dabbagh said. “The…

Abu Dhabi, UAE. Ahmed Gamal, Regional Director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa at VAST Data, shared insights on AI infrastructure, adoption, and regional growth during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Gamal spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke at the event. Gamal leads regional operations for VAST Data, a company delivering an AI operating system and unified data platform designed to support large scale AI projects across industries. “Machines Can Think brings together AI experts, government leaders, vendors, and system integrators,” Gamal said. “This setting helps align on real use cases and the AI roadmap for 2026…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Sonali Maheshwary, Director of Digital Marketing and Transformation and Consultant, spoke at the Machines Can Think Summit 2026 about the role of artificial intelligence in marketing, communications, and digital transformation. Maheshwary appeared in an interview with Justin Cooke during the event. Maheshwary brings more than two decades of regional experience, having lived in the UAE for 25 years. Professional roles include leadership positions at AD Ports Group, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Abu Dhabi. Current work focuses on digital marketing transformation and advisory services across public and private sectors. Maheshwary…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Valerie Hawley, Founder of SCAI, shared her perspective on the global AI landscape, investment priorities, and the UAE’s strategic role during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Hawley spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke at the event. Hawley described Machines Can Think as a content driven forum that brings global AI expertise to Abu Dhabi while reinforcing the UAE’s position on the international AI map. “This event brings together experts from around the world and feeds meaningful discussion on AI for Abu Dhabi,” Hawley said. “It places the UAE firmly on the global AI stage.”…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Walid El Zayani, CGI and VFX Director at Alwasl Media, shared a grounded perspective on artificial intelligence and creative work during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. El Zayani spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke, focusing on how AI fits into real world creative workflows without replacing human input. El Zayani brings more than two decades of experience in media, visual effects, branding, and digital production across the UAE. Originally from Benghazi, Libya, he has worked in Abu Dhabi and Dubai since 1999. His recent focus centers on integrating AI tools into established creative processes.…