Can Oman become the Gulf’s third AI infrastructure hub?

Ten strategic opportunities shaping technology in 2026

As 2026 unfolds, technology companies are operating in an environment shaped by rapid artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, increasing geopolitical complexity and growing pressure to deliver measurable business outcomes.

Asean hopes to tap Greater Bay Area’s tech skills with closer ties: industry chiefs

Asean countries are looking to deepen supply chain integration with the Greater Bay Area to tap expertise in the region’s advanced technologies and manufacturing, with Hong Kong also poised to benefit, industry leaders and officials have said. Panellists at the South China Morning Post’s GBA-Asean Summit 2026 highlighted artificial intelligence (AI) and green technology as key areas for cooperation, while stressing the importance of open data flows and shared digital standards. Tuesday’s summit...

AI’s next compute layer is likely to come from outside Silicon Valley

AI infrastructure is moving beyond hubs like Silicon Valley. Nations like India, Brazil, and the UAE are building sovereign, power-conscious capacity to solve local compute scarcity

Iranian defence official calls for regional Islamic security alliance

Iranian defence official calls for regional Islamic security alliance Iran's acting defence minister, Majid Ibn al-Reza, has called on Islamic countries to establish a regional security belt, arguing that greater cooperation is needed to address shared security challenges. According to the IRNA news agency, al-Reza made the proposal during a telephone conversation with Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif. The remarks come as countries across the Gulf continue to reassess regional security arrangements following the conflict that began in late February. Iran has maintained that its military operations targeted US interests, while several Gulf states have disputed that claim and said civilian infrastructure was also affected.

‘MSMEs must break out of the small comfort zone and grow’

They must shift their focus to building larger, purpose-driven enterprises, says Elgi Equipments MD

UN agency says major plan underway to evacuate 11,000 seafarers through Strait of Hormuz

The UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) outlined the plan, stating that the initiative would require comprehensive coordination with regional administrations and the shipping sector. This large-scale operation will be carried out in close cooperation with Iran, Oman, all other coastal states in the region, the United States and the maritime industry, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.

UAE and KSA Lead Global Agentic AI Deployment, New Confluent Research Reveals

The UAE and Saudi Arabia are among the global leaders in deploying agentic AI solutions, with 38 of organisations in both markets already running agentic AI in production. This figure sits among the highest recorded globally, according to Confluent’s 2026 Data Streaming Report. The findings position the Gulf as a frontrunner in translating AI ambition [] The post UAE and KSA Lead Global Agentic AI Deployment, New Confluent Research Reveals appeared first on Middle East News 247.

UAE’s AIQ in Talks to Launch AI Platform for Egypt’s Petroleum Sector

The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MoPMR) is considering establishing a joint venture with UAE’s AIQ, an Abu Dhabi-based AI champion, to act as a specialized platform for artificial intelligence (AI) applications across the petroleum sector. The proposed venture, to be named AIQ Egypt, would combine data from the Egypt Upstream Gateway (EUG) with [] The post UAE’s AIQ in Talks to Launch AI Platform for Egypt’s Petroleum Sector first appeared on Egypt Oil Gas.

Monitoring systemic drift may guide the next phase of organizational resilience

Artificial intelligence seems to be creating increasingly interconnected enterprise ecosystems, expanding the complexity of how organizations govern technology across their operations. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in critical workflows, maintaining visibility into system dependencies appears to emerge as a significant leadership consideration. According to an AI sovereignty study, 91 of surveyed executives said they do [] This story continues at The Next Web

Beyond Big Tech: Why AI Infrastructure And Energy Are The Next Massive Investment Frontier

Beyond Big Tech: Why AI Infrastructure And Energy Are The Next Massive Investment Frontier

Razer Reframes AI Infrastructure by Starting with the Workload, Not the Cloud

Artificial intelligence has pushed organizations to rethink almost every stage of software development. Infrastructure decisions are changing alongside that shift. Instead of automatically choosing a familiar cloud platform at the beginning of a project, some product teams are asking a different question first: what does this AI workload actually need? A recent discussion with Razer [] The post Razer Reframes AI Infrastructure by Starting with the Workload, Not the Cloud first appeared on KoreaTechDesk | Korean Startup and Technology News.

UAE, US deepen AI and technology partnership at Pax Silica Summit

UAE, US deepen AI and technology partnership at Pax Silica Summit

Uzbekistan explores AI and digital economy cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Uzbekistan explores AI and digital economy cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Air Self-Defense Force begins logistics cooperation with U.S. and Australia

The three nations aim to improve interoperability by flexibly sharing fuel and equipment under the framework.

Syrian-UAE talks explore logistics corridor linking Syrian ports to Gulf via Iraq

Damascus, June.26 (SANA) Syrian and Emirati officials discussed plans to establish a logistics corridor linking Syrian ports with Gulf markets through Iraq, as part of efforts to strengthen regional trade and transport connectivity. Qutaiba Badawi, Chairman of Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Ports, met a high-level delegation that included UAE Chargé d’Affaires Abdul []

How Israeli start-ups are helping ships navigate a contested Hormuz - opinion

Cheap Iranian drones and GPS jamming have choked the world's most vital oil route. A handful of Israeli start-ups think they can help ships find a way through

How will Türkiye’s AI Action Plan unfold between 2026-2030?

The contemporary interstate rivalry makes the use of artificial intelligence a primary variable in defining cyber sovereignty and national security infrastructure. Türkiye, which h...

EY to launch regional IT outsourcing hub in Egypt 

Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Raafat Hindi, and leaders of Ernst Young (EY) Middle East and North Africa on Thursday discussed the company’s expansion plans in Egypt, including the establishment of a regional center for IT outsourcing and consulting services. The meeting, attended by senior officials from EY and Egypt’s IT Industry Development [] The post EY to launch regional IT outsourcing hub in Egypt appeared first on Egyptian Gazette.

This AI Infrastructure Stock Could Benefit From a Connection Crisis

AI needs more than chips. This overlooked infrastructure stock could reveal one of the market's most important hidden bottlenecks.

Qatar: Arab States Working on New Security Framework with Iran

The Qatari Prime Minister said that Gulf Arab states are speaking with Iran about developing a new regional security framework. The Gulf Arab states, which host US military bases, became targets of Iranian missiles during the war. “Part of what we are doing now, as regional countries, is to create this regional security framework between []

Use AI, unmanned systems to boost maritime security: Odisha CM Mohan Majhi

Use AI, unmanned systems to boost maritime security: Odisha CM Mohan Majhi

Looking to a decade of delivery: The Three Seas Initiative charts its course forward

The Three Seas Initiative aims to bolster investment in cross-border energy, digital, and transport infrastructure to fuel regional prosperity and security. The post Looking to a decade of delivery: The Three Seas Initiative charts its course forward appeared first on Atlantic Council.

Agentic infrastructure operations begin with accurate, reliable infrastructure data

Organizations are racing to apply AI across the enterprise, and infrastructure is one of the most compelling targets: automated provisioning, The post Agentic infrastructure operations begin with accurate, reliable infrastructure data appeared first on The New Stack.

Iran grateful to Pakistan for mediation efforts, president says

Masoud Pezeshkian expressed confidence that, by joining efforts, Islamic countries would be able to establish a new regional security architecture

Three Sovereignties, One AI: State, Corporate, and Indigenous Techno-Sovereignty

Sovereign AI has become a national priority, replacing the old dream of a borderless internet with state-backed control over computing hardware. The digital economy is fragmenting along geopolitical lines, as nations reshape global digital infrastructure around competing tech alliances. Power in this new landscape no longer comes from controlling territory alone. Instead, it flows through [] The post Three Sovereignties, One AI: State, Corporate, and Indigenous Techno-Sovereignty appeared first on Modern Diplomacy.

Presidential policy chief calls for aggressive investment in AI infrastructure

The presidential policy chief said Wednesday that the advent of a new artificial intelligence era requires new state infrastructure, calling for aggressive investment to bolster the country's potential growth trajectory in AI. Kim Yong-beom, presidential chief of staff for policy, made the point at a discussion hosted by the Kwanhun Club, a senior journalists' association, amid a stock market boom in South Korea driven by record profits and stock gains by AI-related chipmakers. If the ongoing s

The AI Arms Race Is Replacing Globalization

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence as though it is simply the next technology boom. They are missing the bigger picture. The country that controls the chips, the data centers, the electricity, and the manufacturing capacity will hold the strategic advantage for decades. This is no different than steel before World War I or oil []

EY MENA Launches Regional Consulting and Technology Hub in Egypt

Agreement with Egypt’s ITIDA to create more than 1,000 jobs and expand technology and consulting exports The company selects Egypt as offshoring business grows, underpinned by skilled talent and engineering depth Cairo, Egypt, July 3, 2026 — EY Middle East and North Africa (EY MENA) has launched a regional consulting and technology hub in Egypt, The post EY MENA Launches Regional Consulting and Technology Hub in Egypt appeared first on Egypt Independent.

Dubai Selects Teams for Key Contracts of $22B Sewer Tunnel Megaproject

The emirate's government recently picked two consortia for major packages in the Dubai Strategic Sewerage Tunnels project, a public-private venture to modernize and upgrade Dubai's wastewater handling and treatment infrastructure.

The AI boom and geopolitics are rewiring Asia’s oceans

New cables between data centres are avoiding China and chokepoints

The Battle Over AI Dominance Starts With The States

As artificial intelligence transforms the global economy, America faces a choice that will shape our economic and national security future for decades to come. Will we build the infrastructure needed to lead the AI age here in the United States, or will we allow regulatory barriers, political opposition, and short-sighted policymaking to push investment elsewhere? ...

Iran FM proposes collective regional security pact

TEHRAN, Jun. 29 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called for an inclusive, home-grown security mechanism among Persian Gulf coastal states free of foreign military intervention.

Chevron and Microsoft Partner on 2.7-Gigawatt West Texas AI Infrastructure Project

Chevron and Microsoft are reportedly partnering on a major AI infrastructure project in West Texas that could become one of the largest privately powered data center developments in the country.

Claude Code Espionage Campaign Exposes a New Enterprise AI Risk

Anthropic’s AI-run espionage report shows why enterprises need stronger governance for AI agents, MCP connectors, and enterprise data access. The post Claude Code Espionage Campaign Exposes a New Enterprise AI Risk appeared first on TechRepublic.

Israel launches initiative to strengthen eastern border against emerging threats

'Looking ahead, an incursion from the east is an emerging threat that we must prepare for,' Baram said. The post Israel launches initiative to strengthen eastern border against emerging threats appeared first on World Israel News.

Abu Dhabi Wealth Fund to Take TAQA Private

Abu Dhabi has spent years building one of the Gulf’s fastest-growing stock markets through a wave of blockbuster IPOs, only to now take one of its biggest companies private. Bloomberg's Laura Gardner Cuesta reports. (Source: Bloomberg)

Iran, Oman hold first joint Hormuz committee meeting in Muscat

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, ambassador-at-large at Omani Foreign Ministry discuss future management of sea passageway

AI in focus, Iran talks advance - What’s moving markets

AI in focus, Iran talks advance - What’s moving markets