President of the AIoT Association: Gulf States Poised to Become a Global AI Hub

The founder and chairman of the board of directors of the Internet of Things Artificial Intelligence Association, Sheikh Mohammed Ahmed Al-Sabah, affirmed on Tuesday that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries possess the strategic, economic, and technological foundations that qualify them to become a leading global hub in the field of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, supported by massive investments allocated by the region’s countries to develop digital infrastructure and attract major global technology companies.

This statement came during Sheikh Mohammed Ahmed Al-Sabah’s participation in a dialogue session at the Capital Exchange 2026 conference, held in Dubai as part of the side events of the Dubai Future Financial Sector Week, organized by the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) from November 2 to 6, with the participation of a select group of government and economic leaders, investors, and international experts in the fields of technology, finance, and innovation.

Sheikh Mohammed Ahmed Al-Sabah participated in a dialogue session titled “The AI Ecosystem: From Infrastructure to Applications,” which discussed the future of the artificial intelligence ecosystem, digital sovereignty, and the role of governments, the private sector, and investors in building an economy based on advanced technologies.

During his intervention, he clarified that Gulf countries have made significant strides in attracting investments and global companies specializing in artificial intelligence by developing an attractive investment environment, providing advanced digital infrastructure, expanding the establishment of data centers and cloud computing facilities, and launching ambitious national strategies to support digital transformation and innovation.

He pointed out that the substantial investments pumped by the region’s countries into technological infrastructure reflect the vision of their leadership toward building sustainable, knowledge-based economies, emphasizing that the next phase requires transitioning from investing in infrastructure to developing practical AI solutions and applications that deliver tangible economic and developmental value.

Sheikh Mohammed Ahmed Al-Sabah stressed that building an integrated and sustainable AI ecosystem does not rely solely on attracting global companies and advanced technologies, but also requires investing in human capital and empowering national cadres capable of developing, managing, and efficiently utilizing these technologies.

In this context, he outlined the role of the Internet of Things Artificial Intelligence Association in supporting this direction by working to train and qualify national cadres in Kuwait and the Gulf countries, enhancing cooperation with universities, research centers, and global technology institutions, and developing specialized programs to transfer knowledge and build national capacities in the fields of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.

He explained that the association aims to attract leading global companies in these fields to Kuwait and the region, and to build strategic partnerships between government institutions, the private sector, and international technology companies, thereby contributing to the localization of modern technologies, the transfer of global expertise, the creation of high-quality job opportunities for Gulf youth, and the support of entrepreneurship and startups specializing in technology and innovation.

He also highlighted the importance of integration between artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things as one of the main drivers of economic and technological transformation in the coming phase, pointing out the potential of these technologies to develop vital sectors including energy, oil and gas, smart cities, infrastructure, and government services.

He clarified that deploying these solutions contributes to improving operational efficiency, enhancing resource management, reducing costs, and strengthening service quality, thereby supporting the competitiveness of Gulf economies and enhancing their ability to keep pace with global technological transformations.

He emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation and integration among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the fields of artificial intelligence, knowledge exchange, and joint capacity-building, thereby contributing to consolidating the region’s position among the global centers influential in the technology and digital economy sectors.

At the conclusion of his speech during the session, Sheikh Mohammed Ahmed Al-Sabah affirmed that the future of artificial intelligence does not depend solely on the volume of available data or the possession of the latest technologies, but is fundamentally based on the quality, organization, accuracy, and reliability of data. He stressed that possessing organized, clean, and high-quality data represents the critical factor in achieving optimal results from AI applications.

He stated that “excellence in the age of artificial intelligence will not belong merely to those who possess the largest volume of data or the most advanced technologies, but to those who have organized, clean, and reliable data and can deploy it efficiently. The true value of artificial intelligence lies in the quality of the data it relies on, not in its quantity.”

The session discussed several topics related to developing sovereign AI infrastructure, investing in data centers and advanced computing capabilities, and the importance of startups in developing the technological ecosystem, alongside the role of family offices and investment funds in financing innovation and enhancing investment opportunities in AI-related sectors.