In 2026, governments worldwide are grappling with a new strategic question: what it means to be AI-native. The UAE offers an early example of how a pro-AI state is built.
As AI transforms global industries, finance is entering its most consequential shift yet. To move from hindsight to foresight, it must work across the enterprise and get data right. Without trusted data, AI stalls; but with it, finance becomes proactive and strategic.
Data management has evolved from physical storage to virtualized infrastructure and cloud-scale environments. As Saudi Arabia and the UAE accelerate digital transformation, leaders are rethinking how data is stored, governed, and scaled—while grappling with rising licensing costs, vendor lock-in, and the complexity of legacy systems.
This edition of MIT SMR Connections, hosted in partnership with SAS, brings together senior government leaders, technologists, and policy thinkers to chart a path forward. Through focused dialogue, the session will explore how public sector organizations can build resilient governance frameworks, scale AI capabilities responsibly, and ensure that trust remains central to every stage of AI deployment.
Digital government initiatives in Saudi Arabia are moving rapidly from pilot programs to large-scale deployment.
Digital transformation in the Middle East is no longer a question of ambition—it is a question of execution.
This edition of MIT SMR Connections, powered by e& and Genesys, will convene senior customer experience decision-makers to explore how AI is reshaping the future of customer engagement—and how organizations can lead in this next era of competitive differentiation.
Explore the future of autonomous intelligence in the Middle East at the AI Research Forum 2025. Delve into agentic AI, strategic insights, frameworks, and research-led discussions on autonomy, governance, and organization-level transformation.
This edition of MIT SMR Connections, in partnership with Appian, will bring together senior business and technology leaders to explore how AI, when embedded directly into the fabric of operations, is unlocking new levels of speed, efficiency, and adaptability.
This edition of MIT SMR Connections, presented in collaboration with Xebia and AWS, brings together insurance leaders to examine how execution across functions can be improved without adding complexity.
