Tags: UAE

OpenAI announced a partnership with Malta that will give every Maltese citizen and resident free access to ChatGPT Plus for a year after they complete a government‑backed AI literacy course. The "AI for All" program, developed with the University of Malta, rolls out this month and also covers Maltese nationals abroad. Officials say the move is part of a broader push to embed AI education into public services, while similar discussions are underway in the United Arab Emirates. Read more

Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced a two‑year program that will push the emirate’s entire private sector toward agentic artificial intelligence. The initiative, run through the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, includes specialized training for business councils, government‑funded incubators and dedicated investment funds. It follows a federal directive that aims to deliver half of UAE government services through autonomous AI agents by 2028. Officials say the push will make Dubai the world’s leading economy in agentic AI, but experts warn that governance and infrastructure gaps could hinder rapid rollout. Read more

Bilal Abu‑Ghazaleh, a former Scale AI executive, has founded 1001 AI to bring an AI‑native operating system to high‑stakes sectors such as aviation, logistics, construction and oil and gas in the Middle East and North Africa. The two‑month‑old startup raised a $9 million seed round led by CIV, General Catalyst and Lux Capital, with participation from a roster of global and regional angels. Abu‑Ghazaleh says the platform will cut inefficiencies worth more than $10 billion in the Gulf alone by automating decision‑making and orchestrating real‑time operations. Early deployments are slated for construction projects by the end of the year, with the company eyeing broader roll‑outs across the region’s megaprojects. Read more