Artificial Intelligence
Latest news and developments in artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative AI, and large language models transforming industries across Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.
Google Acquires Wiz: Cloud Security Platform Joins Google Cloud as AI Threats Accelerate
Google has officially closed its acquisition of Wiz, the cloud security company. Wiz will continue operating as a multi-cloud platform while integrating with Google Cloud and Gemini AI.
Claude for Excel and PowerPoint Gains Shared Context and Repeatable Workflow Skills
Anthropic updated its Claude for Excel and PowerPoint add-ins on March 11, 2026, adding shared context across both apps and a new Skills feature for repeatable workflows.
Cursor Marketplace Adds 30+ New Plugins from Atlassian, GitLab, Datadog, and More
Cursor added more than 30 new plugins to its marketplace, including integrations from Atlassian, Datadog, GitLab, and PlanetScale, expanding AI agent capabilities across the development workflow.
Anthropic Launches the Anthropic Institute to Study AI’s Societal and Economic Impacts
Anthropic launched the Anthropic Institute on March 11, 2026, to research AI’s societal, economic, and governance challenges. Co-founder Jack Clark leads the body in a new role as Head of Public Benefit.
AI Agents Guide: How Non-Technical Users Can Build Practical Workflows
Venture capitalist James Wang published a step-by-step guide on March 11, 2026, showing non-technical users how to build AI agent workflows using Projects, morning briefings, and a 38-subagent meeting pipeline.
Perplexity Personal Computer Brings AI Agents to Mac Mini Files
Perplexity Personal Computer allows AI agents to access files on a Mac mini by coordinating multiple AI models to complete user tasks. The product is currently available via waitlist only.
Ad
Cursor AI Startup in Talks for $50 Billion Valuation, Nearly Double Its Previous Worth
Cursor, the AI-powered coding tool, is in preliminary talks for a funding round at a $50 billion valuation — nearly double its November 2025 figure of $29.3 billion.
Speechmatics Launches Arabic-English Bilingual Model with First-Ever Medical Variant for MENA
Speechmatics has launched an Arabic-English bilingual model achieving 6.3% Word Error Rate on mixed-speech benchmarks, alongside the first Arabic-English bilingual medical model designed for clinical settings across MENA.
GSMA Releases User Experience Specifications for AI Calling Services at MWC 2026
GSMA published a white paper at MWC 2026 in Barcelona defining user experience specifications and evaluation models for AI calling services on native telecom voice networks.
Ant International Positions FinAI as Backbone for Agentic Commerce Growth
Ant International positions FinAI as essential infrastructure for secure agentic commerce, with AI-facilitated spending forecast to reach $8 trillion by 2030.
LG Smart Telematics Solution Debuts at MWC Barcelona 2026 with Integrated TCU-Antenna Module
LG Electronics debuted an integrated TCU-antenna telematics module at MWC Barcelona 2026, holding a 23 percent share of the global telematics market in 2025.
Hikvision ESG Award: Company Wins DMCC Global Enterprise ESG Leader Recognition
Hikvision received the inaugural DMCC Global Enterprise ESG Leader Award on March 12, 2026, recognizing its environmental, social, and governance performance across its Middle East operations.
Uber, Wayve, and Nissan Sign MOU to Launch Tokyo Robotaxi Pilot in Late 2026
Uber, Wayve, and Nissan have signed an MOU to launch a robotaxi service in Tokyo by late 2026, marking Uber’s first autonomous vehicle partnership in Japan.
Ericsson and Future Technologies Venture Expand Collaboration to Accelerate Private 5G Adoption in North America
Ericsson and Future Technologies Venture have expanded their collaboration to accelerate private 5G adoption across North American manufacturing, logistics, energy, and transport sectors.
Meta Acquires Moltbook, an AI Agent Social Network, to Expand Superintelligence Labs
Meta Platforms has agreed to acquire Moltbook, an experimental social network for AI agents, with the team set to join Meta’s Superintelligence Labs.
Nvidia Backs Thinking Machines Lab with Investment and 1-Gigawatt Compute Deal
Nvidia and Thinking Machines Lab have struck a multiyear deal to deploy at least 1 gigawatt of Vera Rubin compute power, alongside a direct investment in the Mira Murati-led AI startup.
China Restricts OpenClaw AI Platform Use Across Government Agencies and State Banks
China has moved to restrict OpenClaw AI platform use across government agencies and state banks, citing data security risks. Tencent and JD.com continue to promote adoption in the private sector.
Anthropic Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over National Security Blacklisting
Anthropic filed a lawsuit on March 9, 2026, challenging the Trump administration’s decision to designate the AI company as a national security supply-chain risk. The move follows the cancellation of a $200 million Pentagon contract.
Saudi Arabia AI Sector Reaches $9.1 Billion in Funding as Cabinet Designates 2026 the Year of Artificial Intelligence
Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet designated 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence as the Kingdom ranked 14th globally in the 2025 AI Index and AI companies secured $9.1 billion in funding.
Cequence Security Named Co-Chair of TM Forum’s Agentic Interaction Security Initiative
Cequence Security has been named co-chair of TM Forum’s Agentic Interaction Security Blueprint, taking on a leadership role in defining global standards for secure agentic AI in telecommunications.
ZTE Unveils Telco Service Agent at MWC Barcelona 2026, Targeting AI-Driven 5G Personalization
ZTE unveiled its AI-native Telco Service Agent at MWC Barcelona 2026, enabling natural language control of personalized 5G experiences and a shift toward on-demand “Experience as a Service” for operators.
Samsung Seeks AI Partnerships to Close Gap with Apple in Smartphone Market
Samsung Electronics is seeking new AI developer partnerships to strengthen its Galaxy lineup against Apple, as global smartphone shipments face a forecast 12 percent decline in 2026.