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.

Ookla Proposes New Framework to Evaluate AI-Powered Voice Calls at MWC 2026
Ookla presented a new AI voice evaluation framework at MWC 2026, adding three dimensions to assess AI-powered voice calls. A Philippines field study found VoLTE connection rates at only 31%.

MARSS Signs $190M MoU with Nigerian Ministry of Defence for AI-Powered C4I Programme
MARSS has signed a $190 million MoU with Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence to deliver an AI-powered C4I national defence programme. The deal, signed in London on 19 March 2026, is among the largest defence programmes ever commissioned in Africa.

Perplexity Launches Comet Browser iOS with Voice Mode and Deep Research
Perplexity has launched Comet Browser for iOS, bringing AI-powered voice search, Deep Research, and cross-device continuity to iPhone users via the App Store.

Xiaomi MiMo-V2-Pro: A 1-Trillion Parameter Model Challenging Western AI Leaders on Cost and Performance
Xiaomi released MiMo-V2-Pro, a 1-trillion parameter AI model, on March 18, 2026, ranking 10th globally on Artificial Analysis’s Intelligence Index at roughly one-seventh the cost of comparable Western models.

MiniMax M2.7 Model Launches on Agent Platform and API with Self-Improvement Capabilities
MiniMax has released its M2.7 model via the MiniMax Agent and API Platform, featuring reinforcement learning-based self-improvement and a 97% skill adherence rate across 40+ complex tasks.

Innodisk NVIDIA GTC 2026: Edge AI Solutions for Healthcare and Smart Mobility
Innodisk showcased full-stack edge AI solutions at NVIDIA GTC 2026, targeting smart healthcare and smart mobility with NVIDIA Blackwell and Jetson AGX Orin platforms.

Microsoft Unifies Consumer and Business Copilot Teams in Major Reorganization
Microsoft is merging its consumer and commercial Copilot teams under a single leadership structure. The move aims to create a unified product experience as the company works to boost adoption against rivals like ChatGPT and Gemini.

Mistral Forge Lets Enterprises Train AI Models on Their Own Proprietary Data
Mistral AI has launched Mistral Forge, a system that allows enterprises to train AI models on their own proprietary data, internal codebases, and operational records.

LEAP 2026 Scheduled for August 31 to September 3 at Riyadh Exhibition Centre
LEAP 2026 is confirmed for August 31 to September 3 at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre. The fifth edition builds on 200,000+ attendees recorded at LEAP 2025.

DeepRoute.ai Unveils 40-Billion-Parameter VLA Model at NVIDIA GTC 2026 to Scale Autonomous Driving
DeepRoute.ai presented a 40-billion-parameter vision-language-action foundation model at NVIDIA GTC 2026, targeting one million vehicle deployments by end of 2026.
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OpenAI Releases GPT-5.4 mini and nano: Faster Small Models for High-Volume Workloads
OpenAI released GPT-5.4 mini and GPT-5.4 nano on March 9, 2026, offering faster and cheaper alternatives to the full GPT-5.4 model. GPT-5.4 mini runs more than 2x faster than GPT-5 mini and costs $0.75 per 1M input tokens.

DXC Technology Consulting Earns Forbes Best Management Consulting Firms Ranking for Fourth Consecutive Year
DXC Technology has appeared on the Forbes 2026 Best Management Consulting Firms list for the fourth consecutive year. The company recently launched AdvisoryX and the Xponential AI framework to help organizations scale responsible AI adoption.

Milestone Systems Expands Hafnia with Synthetic Data and Training-as-a-Service at NVIDIA GTC
Milestone Systems introduced Hafnia synthetic data tools and a Training-as-a-Service preview at NVIDIA GTC, targeting rare-scenario AI training for smart city applications.

Vertiv Brings Converged Infrastructure to NVIDIA Vera Rubin DSX AI Factories
Vertiv has integrated simulation-ready power and cooling models into the NVIDIA Vera Rubin DSX AI factory reference design. The collaboration aims to reduce deployment risk and accelerate time to operational readiness for large-scale AI infrastructure.

LG Electronics Highlights Smart Home Solutions for Eid Al-Fitr Season
LG Electronics Saudi Arabia presented its connected appliance and home entertainment lineup for Eid Al-Fitr 2026, featuring LG OLED evo TVs, InstaView refrigerators, and the LG ThinQ app for remote device control.

HONOR 600 Lite Teased in Saudi Arabia With 108MP Camera and 6520mAh Battery
HONOR has teased the upcoming HONOR 600 Lite in Saudi Arabia, featuring a 108MP AI camera, a 6520mAh battery, and an ultra-slim metal body with a 6.6-inch display.

Fractal Launches LLM Studio, an Enterprise Platform for Domain-Specific AI Models
Fractal has launched LLM Studio, an enterprise platform for building and operating domain-specific language models using NVIDIA NeMo and NIM microservices. The platform was showcased at NVIDIA GTC 2026 in California.

AWS Transform Mainframe Modernization Relies on AI and COBOL Experts, Executive Says
AWS Transform is accelerating mainframe modernization using AI, but VP Asa Kalavade says COBOL experts remain essential for validating translated code and defining transformation scope.

Manus Desktop App Launches My Computer Feature, Bringing AI Agents to Local Machines
Manus has launched My Computer, a feature within its Desktop app that lets an AI agent execute commands and manage files directly on a user’s local machine. The feature is available now for macOS and Windows.

Nvidia Faces Growing Competition as AI Shifts from Training to Inference Computing
Nvidia faces mounting competition as the AI industry shifts from model training to inference computing. The company is pivoting its product strategy while rivals like Cerebras and Groq gain ground.

Mistral Small 4 Unifies Reasoning, Multimodal, and Coding in One Open-Source Model
Mistral AI has released Mistral Small 4, an open-source model combining reasoning, multimodal, and coding capabilities under the Apache 2.0 license. The model delivers a 40% reduction in completion time and three times more throughput than its predecessor.

Alibaba Plans Major Restructuring to Sharpen Focus on AI and Profitability
Alibaba is planning a major restructuring to prioritize artificial intelligence and improve profitability, according to a Bloomberg report from March 16, 2026.
