Zain Strategic Partner with I'tilaq to Enable Business Leaders to Leverage Agentic AI

Zain Kuwait announced its strategic partnership with “I’tilaq” to deliver The Agentic AI Experience in Kuwait, a joint initiative aimed at supporting the adoption of emerging technologies and transforming artificial intelligence potential into practical capabilities that serve the business sector, contributing to enhancing Kuwait’s innovation ecosystem and digital economy.

The experience, created and organized by “I’tilaq,” empowers business owners, executives, and leaders to build and practically deploy teams of AI agents tailored to their business needs.

The announcement was made during an event hosted by Zain at its Shuwaikh headquarters, attended by Dr. Khaled Al-Zamil, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Public Authority for Communications and Information Technology (CITRA); Nawaf Al-Gharbally, CEO of Zain Kuwait; Stephen Butler, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait; Khaled Al-Zanaki, Founder and CEO of I’tilaq Consulting; and Nida Al-Daihani, General Manager of the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Talent and Creativity.

The intensive training program will be held at the Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) from November 2 to December 2, 2026. Sessions will take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM Kuwait time. These hours refer specifically to the intensive training component and do not represent the full duration of the entire experience, which includes additional elements. Registration is available via the link: https://www.theagenticaiexperience.com/

The experience begins with participants’ business needs, linking them to practical applications of agent-based AI—systems that enable AI agents to execute specific tasks and coordinate work under human supervision. The goal is to empower each participant to build a functional team of AI agents that addresses those needs, within clearly defined responsibilities, authorities, and specific checkpoints requiring human approval, without requiring a technical background.

In his remarks, Dr. Khaled Al-Zamil, Chairman of the Board of Directors at CITRA, said: “Our ambition is to see local talent build solutions that serve our community and carry Kuwait’s name to broader competitive horizons. Every skill our youth acquire today expands what they can achieve tomorrow. CITRA’s role in the field of agentic AI relates to regulating information technology services, protecting users, and safeguarding their data privacy. As these systems can perform actions on behalf of users, defining their authorities and assigning responsibility for their actions becomes a fundamental requirement.”

Nawaf Al-Gharbally, CEO of Zain Kuwait, stated: “Artificial intelligence is undergoing rapid development that is reshaping the business environment and granting organizations new capabilities for innovation and growth. Agentic AI represents a crucial stage in this new shift. At Zain, our ambition extends beyond keeping pace with and adopting new technologies; it is about leveraging them to create real value within a framework that preserves the role of human decision-making while enhancing accountability, security, and responsible governance.”

He added: “Our strategic partnership with The Agentic AI Experience initiative is an extension of our role in supporting Kuwait’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, enabling entrepreneurs and startups to access modern technologies, knowledge, and practical skills that help them develop, grow, and contribute effectively to the digital economy. As Zain continues its transformation from a telecommunications company to an integrated technology company, we remain committed to leveraging technology to create tangible impact and build a comprehensive digital ecosystem that balances innovation and growth on one hand, with security, governance, and responsibility on the other.”

Stephen Butler, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, said: “The U.S. Embassy is proud to support this program as a direct investment in Kuwait’s talented youth and in the future of the Kuwaiti economy. We are living through an exceptional moment in the world of technology, as today’s technologies far surpass anything previously imaginable. As President Trump stated, leading technological systems today ‘double human ingenuity and open doors to new forms of creativity.’ They make the impossible possible in science, medicine, and nearly every other field.”

Eng. Khaled Al-Zanaki, Founder and CEO of I’tilaq Consulting, who will personally lead the program, said: “The Agentic AI Experience combines my background in computer engineering with over two decades of experience in entrepreneurship and the business sector. This experience is designed to support non-technical business owners and leaders in applying AI agents within their organizations and daily activities. It begins by identifying business needs, then bridges the gap between technology and practical application. The goal is to help participants transition from understanding the capabilities of AI agents to actively using them to achieve specific objectives, under human supervision.”

Nida Al-Daihani, General Manager of the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Talent and Creativity, said: “Our participation in The Agentic AI Experience reflects the Center’s commitment to empowering youth and innovators to explore AI applications and transform knowledge into practical solutions that contribute to building Kuwait’s future.”

In addition to the intensive training program, the experience combines mentoring, dialogue sessions, project showcases, and membership, fostering continuous learning, practical application, and knowledge exchange. This helps participants convert acquired knowledge into actionable capabilities within their business environments.

This methodology supports the development of digital and economic capacities in Kuwait by helping business decision-makers transform emerging technologies into practical tools that address real needs. Empowering business owners, executives, and leaders to deploy AI agents in specific areas of their operations will enhance productivity, contribute to the development of new services, and strengthen the private sector’s capacity for innovation and growth.

This initiative aligns with the priorities of Kuwait Vision 2035 in developing human capital, increasing productivity, and enhancing the role of the private sector in building a diversified, knowledge- and innovation-based economy. In this context, the initiative focuses on building practical capabilities that enable participants to develop effective AI agent teams and guide them responsibly, ensuring that technology serves as a means to achieve tangible value and impact, rather than an end in itself.

The initiative brings together entities from the business, technology, education, innovation, and community sectors. Zain Kuwait participates as the strategic partner, and the Public Authority for Communications and Information Technology (CITRA) as the digital trust partner. “I’tilaq” and the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait participate as launch partners. GUST Startup Lab and the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Talent and Creativity are also involved. Kuwait Cinema Company and BPG serve as media and creativity partners. The American Chamber of Commerce in Kuwait, the Kuwait Economic Association, the Kuwait Engineers Association, and the Kuwait Association for Small and Medium Enterprises act as community sponsors.

Through these partnerships, Zain continues to support initiatives that contribute to building and developing digital capacities, promoting entrepreneurship, and encouraging responsible technology adoption, linking emerging technologies to the actual needs of the business sector. This effort is part of its strategy to enhance the innovation ecosystem, support competitiveness in the private sector, and contribute to the development of Kuwait’s digital economy.