AGP Executive Report

UAE Digital Services: DEWA says it hit 7.4 million digital transactions in H1 2026, with digital adoption at 99.5% by end-June, supported by AI-enabled service channels and 115+ integrations with 65 partners. AI & Web Discovery: Cloudflare launched an AEO Visibility Dashboard to show whether AI assistants recommend or mention brands, giving marketers a clearer view of AI-driven discovery. UAE Tech/Space: Abu Dhabi’s observatory captured a Falcon 9 rocket stage impact on the Moon, adding to local space-science momentum. Regional Trade & Security: UAE trade minister Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi pushed for reopening the Strait of Hormuz at BRICS Trade Ministers talks in Jaipur, citing risks to shipping and MSMEs. UAE Energy/Shipping: The UAE condemned an Iranian missile attack on an ADNOC tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it piracy and urging full reopening. UAE Business: Emaar reported strong H1 2026 results, with net profit before tax up 23% to AED 12.8bn and a large revenue backlog. UAE Mobility Tech: UITP India Bus Conference highlighted AI as a way to make bus transport smarter and more reliable, with UAE participation noted.

UAE Sanctions & Crypto Compliance: The US sanctioned the Dubai-based Shelbit exchange and linked entities, alleging they helped Iran’s IRGC move and launder digital assets, underscoring how UAE crypto firms face tighter cross-border scrutiny. Border & Aviation Digitalisation: A UAE delegation met Zimbabwe’s president to discuss digitising aviation and border management systems—aimed at stronger security and smoother immigration. Dubai Policing Innovation: Dubai Police launched Horizon X to turn future-focused ideas into real projects, expanding use of AI, predictive tech, and autonomous systems for next-gen policing. AI in Healthcare (Abu Dhabi): DoH Abu Dhabi and Eight Sleep rolled out an AI-powered sleep study for sleep apnoea, pushing earlier diagnosis for a widely under-detected condition. Sustainability Reporting: VFS Global published its 2025 sustainability report, highlighting Responsible AI integration, e-waste recycling gains, and higher CSR investment. Stablecoin Payments (UAE-linked): Bitlipa (backed by Velex Investments) launched instant stablecoin settlement across 18 African markets to cut cross-border payment delays. Regional Tech Policy Watch: X geo-blocked at least 65 accounts in Saudi Arabia at authorities’ request, spotlighting growing government control over online information.

AI Security & Sovereignty: Nvidia-backed Open Secure AI Alliance launches to share open tools for securing autonomous AI, with UAE’s G42 among members. Energy AI at Scale: ADNOC shifts from isolated pilots to enterprise-wide agentic AI via ENERGYai, aiming to speed tasks from seismic interpretation to emissions forecasting. Smart City Leadership: Dubai is ranked the world’s second-leading intelligent city, with top AI adoption scores for public services and digital infrastructure. Future-Ready Policing: Dubai Police rolls out Horizon X to turn emerging trends into next-gen policing projects. Water Tech Upgrade: DEWA’s Hydro Insight AI now monitors 1.1mn smart water meters every 15 minutes, cutting data processing time by 87.5%. Construction AI Expansion: Preckon, an AI-native construction intelligence platform, officially launches in the UAE to automate planning, cost estimation and document analysis. Tokenized Markets: Bybit expands xStocks Dual Asset with four new tokenized stock pairs, extending on-chain access to equities. Waste Management Data: EAD and DMT strengthen Abu Dhabi Waste Management Strategy with data-driven clean-up campaigns.

AI Infrastructure & Investment: The UAE is considering a major AI data center investment in Japan, with Mubadala reportedly weighing up to $6.3B for a 500MW facility in Akita Prefecture, potentially pulling in wider infrastructure spending. Smart Cities & AI Adoption: Dubai has been ranked No.2 worldwide in BCG’s Intelligent Cities Index, with the report highlighting Dubai’s top performance in AI and smart city adoption. UAE Digital Finance: The UAE’s federal payments push continues with Aani and Jaywan expanding how people pay fees digitally. Cyber & Enforcement: Dubai Customs foiled a sophisticated 460g gold smuggling attempt, with the metal concealed inside a suitcase’s rubber frame and inner structure. Identity & AI in Finance: ruya, the UAE’s Islamic bank, has gone live with agentic AI in production as it partners to build an AI-native banking experience. Autonomous Mobility: Moove raised $250M at a $2.1B valuation to scale robotaxi operations, backed by Mubadala. Regional Tech Diplomacy: India will chair the BRICS Education Ministers’ meeting in Bhubaneswar, with the UAE among participating countries discussing ECCE, TVET, research and innovation.

Humanitarian Tech in Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed inspected the UAE’s 100-bed Floating Hospital at Zayed Port, a Level III trauma facility with smart medical-gas production, water purification, wastewater treatment and a nurse-call system, plus emergency, imaging, labs, outpatient clinics and operating theatres. Customs & Security: Dubai Customs says a gold smuggling “suitcase trick” was caught, highlighting upgraded airport screening tech and specialist inspector training. UAE Islamic Finance: ruya (UAE’s digital-first Islamic bank) went live with agentic AI in production with Magure, speeding onboarding and routine workflows while keeping human review for key decisions. AI in Healthcare: Abu Dhabi’s DoH and Eight Sleep launched an AI-powered sleep study on sleep apnoea, linking smart-bed data with the emirate’s intelligent health system. UAE AI Infrastructure Push: Mubadala is reportedly weighing a ¥2 trillion AI data center bet in Japan (up to ¥1 trillion for a single site), as the region competes for AI compute capacity. Identity & Education Security: BIO-key and Maktabi Tech are bringing passwordless biometric IAM to Saudi education, with UAE-linked cybersecurity support. Fintech Deal: Dubai-based ICC Loyalty was acquired by India’s Mintoak, expanding its banking and merchant engagement platform across 20+ countries.

UAE Telecom & Networks: e& UAE is upgrading its future-ready DWDM backbone with Ciena coherent optics and automation to handle surging bandwidth for hyperscalers and data centres. UAE Digital Governance: The UAE is rolling out a fully integrated AI-powered judicial platform, aiming to modernise court processes. Media Integrity: A new International Centre for Combating Media Disinformation (ICCMD) is set to coordinate Arab and global efforts on fact-checking, research and training. Fintech & Trading: XS.com appoints Andreas Achniotis as Head of Affiliates to grow its partner network. Tokenised Markets: Binance adds 10 new bStocks tokenised stocks (including Netflix and ASML) with spot access and spot algo trading enabled. UAE Consumer Tech: Forecasts suggest iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max UAE pricing could jump due to costlier 2nm chips and memory. Food Labelling: Abu Dhabi’s Nutri-Mark front-of-pack nutrition labels are expanding, with 3,500+ products registered. Aviation Disruption: UAE airlines continue schedule changes and cancellations on select Gulf routes amid evolving security advisories.

AI & Smart Cities: Dubai ranks second globally in BCG’s Intelligent Cities Index, with top marks for AI adoption and smart-city solutions. Digital Governance & Safety: UAE’s National Media Authority meets Meta to strengthen online safety and digital governance. Telecom Infrastructure: e& UAE deploys Ciena coherent optics to scale its DWDM network for hyperscalers and data centres. Autonomous Mobility Funding: UAE mobility firm Moove is valued at $2.1bn after a $250m Mubadala-led Series C to expand robotaxi fleets and its robotics-first depot infrastructure. Border Tech: Bahrain and the UAE sign an MoU for a “One-Stop” air passenger pre-clearance system, enabling secure data exchange and faster processing. Longevity Research: Longevium raises $7m to build an AI-powered longevity research lab in Dubai Science Park. Climate & Waste: Arctic monitoring finds marine debris composition shifting toward plastics, with UAE-origin items detected. Energy/Industry: ADNOC and SLB roll out an AI platform across 120+ drilling rigs to cut workload and improve upstream performance.

UAE Energy & AI: ADNOC and SLB are deploying an AI platform across 120+ rigs to manage drilling operations, aiming to cut workload and boost upstream performance. UAE Space & Data: The UAE’s Rashid 2 Rover is set to build a detailed lunar database on the moon’s far side, pushing local deep-space capability. UAE Healthcare Tech: King’s College Hospital London in Dubai launched a therapeutic apheresis service for complex blood, immune, neurological and renal conditions, using a DHA-licensed setup. UAE Robotics & Innovation: A viral humanoid-robot “wedding” in Dubai keeps attention on the UAE’s fast-growing robotics scene. UAE Mobility & Roads: RTA road changes and traffic solutions are reported to cut congestion by 30% on key stretches. UAE Digital Economy: The UAE is expanding federal payments via Aani and Jaywan, with more channels for fee payments. UAE Business & Talent: Lockheed Martin is seeking deeper UAE work and local partnerships, including chiplet design/assembly and cybersecurity initiatives.

Space & Research: MBRSC is gearing up to send the Rashid 2 rover to the moon’s far side later this year, aiming to build a detailed lunar surface database and study terrain, composition, thermal behavior, and plasma activity. Energy Tech: ADNOC and SLB are deploying an AI Real-Time Operations Centre across 120+ rigs, cutting engineering effort by 30–40% and speeding issue detection to reduce downtime. AI in Enterprise: Darwinbox launched Cortex, an AI-native HCM platform built to understand organizations and act within trusted guardrails, with pilots and partners including Microsoft and Slack. Quantum-Safe Privacy: Casper partnered with AmericanFortress to bring quantum-safe, zero-knowledge privacy and compliance features to regulated real-world assets. Logistics & Trade: Emirates SkyCargo opened the Taipei–Hyderabad–Dubai freighter corridor, boosting high-value shipments like pharma, semiconductors, and perishables. Smart Cities: Dubai’s RTA added lanes and U-turn capacity on Latifa Bint Hamdan Street to reduce peak congestion. UAE Business & Policy: The UAE restructured the UAE-Syria Business Council to expand trade and investment in areas including logistics, energy, tech, and digital transformation. Cyber & Risk: IBM says Middle East breach costs average $8m in 2026, highlighting the urgency of stronger security.

Autonomous Logistics in Dubai: Dubai Future Foundation and Oxa (via SHIFFT) opened an Autonomous Logistics Future Lab to develop and test self-driving logistics for ports and airports, targeting commercial rollout before end-2027. Fintech Expansion: Mintoak, a Dubai-headquartered payments and engagement platform, acquired ICC Loyalty to add loyalty and rewards for banks across the Middle East and beyond, with ICC serving 30+ banks and 11M customers. UAE Connectivity for Aviation: FlexiRoam signed a two-year master agreement with Etihad to unify staff connectivity, aircraft operational data, and pilot iPad connectivity across 125+ countries. AI in Business Growth: 2PointZero Group reported H1 2026 revenue of AED 21.9B and net profit of AED 7.7B, citing AI co-workers and cost optimisation. Cyber & Safety Signals: UAE was ranked among the safest countries in a 2026 risk report, while the UAE also expanded federal payment channels with Aani and Jaywan. Market Watch: Gulf stocks ended higher, led by Dubai’s Emirates NBD and Abu Dhabi’s Alpha Dhabi Holding.

Autonomous Logistics in Dubai: Dubai Future Foundation teamed with Oxa to launch SHIFFT, a joint venture to develop, test and validate autonomous logistics tech, with a first commercial port/airport deployment targeted for before end-2027. Autonomous Transport Push in Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Mobility ran multi-sector workshops (drones, maritime, heavy & delivery vehicles) to speed smart and autonomous transport adoption and align regulators, operators and tech partners. UAE Payments Upgrade: The UAE Ministry of Finance adopted national payment platforms Aani and Jaywan as new channels for federal service fees and fines, paving the way for rollout across federal entities and collection banks. Cybersecurity Cost Spotlight: IBM’s 2026 report says the average data breach cost in the Middle East hit $8m, with AI-enabled attacks a growing share of malicious incidents. Drone Delivery Growth: Keeta Drone highlighted UAE BVLOS operations and how autonomous drone delivery can cut last-mile time and congestion. Energy/Industry Tech: DEWA says its IWPP model has attracted over Dhs47.4bn in investments over 12 years, earning a seven-star recognition. Trade & Cargo Tech: Emirates SkyCargo reported strong UK export growth, including aircraft parts and pharmaceuticals. AI Agents Drive: Outworks’ Sprint 30 challenges Middle East institutions to deploy governed AI agents in 30 days, aiming to close the gap between AI ambition and real scaling. Bybit Compliance Leadership: Bybit appointed Peter Loo as Chief Legal & Compliance Officer to strengthen its global regulatory strategy.

UAE Smart Utilities: DEWA says its AI-powered push is already cutting customer service turnaround times (including security deposit refunds) and scaling its virtual assistant, Rammas, with generative AI. UAE Tech & Engineering: SharpMinds opens a new Dubai office in Jumeirah to support integrated, human-centric architecture and engineering delivery. Dubai Real Estate Tech: Al Seeb awards the main contract for The Chedi Private Residences on Sheikh Zayed Road, with smart home and building management systems aimed at WELL and sustainability standards. UAE Space/Science: Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project marks a milestone with Foxy, a satellite-tracked green sea turtle missing a flipper, returning to the wild. UAE Safety & Travel Tech: UAE experts warn about power bank risks on flights, stressing airline cabin-baggage rules. Global Tech/Finance (UAE-linked): Rasmala Global Sukuk Fund wins LSEG Lipper awards for best fund over 10 years, highlighting continued demand for Shariah-compliant fixed income. UAE AI Cities: Dubai and Abu Dhabi rank among the top 20 in an Intelligent Cities Index 2026, reinforcing the region’s AI and smart-city momentum.

Smart Cities & AI Services: DEWA says its AI “virtual smart employee” Rammas has handled 13M+ customer enquiries and helped cut security-deposit refunds from days to minutes, as Dubai and Abu Dhabi land top-20 spots in BCG’s Intelligent Cities Index 2026. Energy Operations: ADNOC sets a new well delivery performance standard, drilling 6,428 feet in 24 hours using its Real-Time Intelligence Centre and live analytics. Autonomous Logistics: Dubai Future Foundation and Oxa launch the Autonomous Logistics Future Lab (SHIFFT) to develop and test autonomous port/airport logistics, targeting a first commercial deployment in Dubai before end-2027. Renewables Deal: UAE-backed Masdar signs an EPC contract for a 25MW wind project in Jordan’s Ma’an, supplying and installing five turbines. Healthcare Growth: PureHealth reports 20% profit growth to Dh1.2B in H1 2026, driven by its Greece acquisition of Hellenic Healthcare Group. Digital Finance & Payments: AIIB explores tokenised payments and digital settlement, with an Abu Dhabi hub and a planned Hong Kong presence. UAE in Global Diplomacy: Zelensky discusses securing Black Sea maritime routes with UAE leadership, linking food security and shipping safety.

UAE Digital Tax Readiness: KPMG in Bahrain and Cygnet.One ran a GCC-focused seminar on e-invoicing readiness, urging UAE and Oman firms to stress-test systems and data governance ahead of mandatory phases. Energy Ops Upgrade: ADNOC set a new well delivery performance standard, drilling sections over one mile in a day using its Real-Time Intelligence Centre for faster decisions and continuous learning. AI Safety Watch: A new CTC Sentinel analysis warns current AI safety measures may not stop terrorist misuse, arguing guardrails can still allow harmful guidance when prompted. UAE Payments Push: Emirates launched Crypto.com Pay to expand digital payment options for customers. Cross-border Fintech Launch: Dubai-based TaqFlow emerged from stealth with a cross-border payments network aimed at cutting settlement delays, fees, and currency volatility. UAE Space & Research: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre is set to participate in COSPAR 2026 in Italy, as UAE space activity continues to ramp up. Sports Tech Spotlight: FIA announced a landmark long-term commercial rights deal for the WRC and ERC, backed by Cosmobilis and Park Square Capital, aiming to grow rally’s global audience. Dubai Culture & Media: Vinyl Souq expanded from record fairs into a UAE-focused label, spotlighting local talent via physical releases.

UAE Space & Research: Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) will take part in COSPAR 2026 in Italy, showcasing UAE mission milestones from Zayed Ambition 1/2, the Emirates Lunar Mission, Rashid Rover 2 and the Hope Probe, while joining technical sessions to deepen international collaboration. Aviation Talent Pipeline: Emirates Engineering launched Material Futures Studio, a six-week programme challenging university students to upcycle retired aircraft materials into new products, linking academia with real maintenance and upcycling work. Oil & Engineering Deals: Técnicas Reunidas secured ADNOC Upper Zakum contracts worth $5.75bn+ for EPCI work, boosting production capacity plans and expanding offshore facilities and subsea infrastructure. Digital Payments: Emirates integrated Crypto.com Pay into its UAE website and app for eligible customers, expanding crypto-enabled checkout within UAE regulatory frameworks. Health Tech & Access: Burjeel opened Al Ain’s first integrated 24-hour urgent care centre for adults and children, bringing walk-in services closer to residential communities. Government Digital Justice: UAE Attorney-General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi hosted senior officials to review the Public Prosecution’s role and its digital transformation in criminal justice.

UAE AI & justice: The UAE launched a world’s first fully integrated AI-powered judicial platform, aiming to modernise case handling and decision support. Semiconductors for AI: UAE-backed GlobalFoundries secured a US$300m award to speed up AI data-centre chips via silicon photonics and advanced packaging. Cyber & trafficking crackdown: Dubai Police convened national and international experts to tackle human trafficking in the digital age, focusing on online recruitment and scam-centre dismantling. Defense tech spotlight: EDGE Group showcased precision-guided “Thunder” munitions on a Mirage 2000, pairing strike capability with ISR pods. Digital payments & fintech: UAE fintech KamelPay obtained key CBUAE licences, while Dubai-linked Shelbit was named in a report alleging $4bn Iran sanctions-evasion via crypto and an online gambling network. Energy & infrastructure: Active Energy said it’s shifting from single projects to a scalable UAE infrastructure pipeline. Health innovation: Medicus Pharma received UAE DOH-Abu Dhabi IND authorisation for a genomics-guided endometriosis study with Teverelix®.