Zain Strengthens AI Governance Dialogue

Zain Kuwait announced its strategic partnership for the fourth edition of the Gulf AI and Cybersecurity Forum 2026, hosted by the American International University in Kuwait (AIU), with the participation of a distinguished group of decision-makers, government, academic, and technological leaders, as well as experts and specialists from Kuwait and the region.

Zain’s participation extends its role in supporting platforms that bring together the private sector, academic institutions, and decision-makers, opening avenues for exchanging knowledge and expertise on the major transformations underway in the technology sector, particularly given the rapid acceleration in AI applications and the associated challenges related to governance, cybersecurity, privacy, ethics, and the responsible use of technology.

The two-day forum featured a comprehensive program focused on the future of AI and cybersecurity, including policies, large language models (LLMs), agentic AI, digital transformation, and governance. The first day brought together executive and government leaders for strategic dialogues, while the second day, held on the university campus, focused on the next generation of technical talent through workshops, panel discussions, and practical demonstrations.

In his opening remarks, Al-Khesheti stated, “Zain’s strategic partnership with the forum comes at a time when AI is undergoing rapid development, reshaping the way we work, innovate, and create value for society.”

He added, “At Zain, we believe in the importance of public-private-academic partnerships, especially since dealing with emerging technologies cannot be done in isolation. The private sector provides practical expertise and real-world application, while the academic sector offers research, knowledge, and young talent that will help shape the future.”

Al-Khesheti continued, “Zain is among the leading companies in Kuwait to implement responsible AI usage across several of its business units, including solutions based on large language models (LLMs). Importantly, these capabilities are developed and managed internally by our national talent and operated within Zain’s internal infrastructure, ensuring data sovereignty and enhancing security and privacy.”

He emphasized that innovation and cybersecurity must advance together, noting that Zain continues to strengthen its cybersecurity capabilities and foster a strong cybersecurity culture across the organization, alongside investing in the next generation by empowering youth with digital skills and AI and cybersecurity competencies that will be essential for the future of Kuwait’s digital economy.

Al-Khesheti concluded, “The real opportunity lies not only in adopting AI at a faster pace, but in doing so responsibly and securely, creating sustainable value for all.”

Zain participated in several panel discussions aimed at bridging practical expertise with academic knowledge, including the session “AI Policies and Governance: Shaping Responsible Adoption,” in which Hessa Al-Omairi, Head of Cloud Systems and Databases Team at Zain Kuwait, took part. The session explored practical approaches for governments, institutions, and companies to build effective frameworks for the responsible adoption and governance of AI.

The discussion focused on how to balance supporting innovation with establishing appropriate controls, alongside issues of accountability, transparency, trust, privacy, security, risk management, and the responsible use of technology, while highlighting the specificity and requirements of the regional context.

Zain also participated on the second day of the forum in the session “From Education to Innovation: Preparing the Next Generation for a Digital Future,” which featured Hamoud Al-Khamis, Director of Cloud Network Management at Zain Kuwait. The session addressed the importance of developing digital skills among youth and enhancing the integration between academic education and practical application, thereby helping students keep pace with emerging technologies and evolving labor market demands.

The session also highlighted the role of partnerships between the academic and private sectors in transforming knowledge into practical experience and preparing young talent to participate effectively in the innovation ecosystem and the digital economy.

The forum discussed several issues dominating the current technological landscape, including the future of AI-related policies, governance and ethics, large language models, agent-based AI, digital transformation, and the growing relationship between the advancement of AI technologies and cybersecurity requirements. The program included specialized sessions and workshops with participation from regional and international experts, aiming to shift the dialogue around these technologies from forecasting opportunities and challenges to actionable practices and recommendations.

This partnership aligns with Zain’s ongoing efforts to support Kuwait’s innovation ecosystem, strengthen collaboration between the private sector and academic institutions, and contribute to developing national skills in advanced technological fields, thereby supporting the construction of a more secure, innovative digital economy capable of leveraging the opportunities offered by future technologies.