Dubai has ranked 12th among the world’s leading maritime cities, retaining its position as the Middle East’s top maritime hub, while Abu Dhabi climbed seven places to secure 15th position in the 2026 Leading Maritime Cities report.

Published by DNV and Menon Economics, the report highlights the growing competitiveness of the UAE’s maritime industry, as both emirates expand their capabilities in shipping, logistics, infrastructure, and maritime services.

Dubai also secured fifth place globally for maritime resilience, reflecting its capacity to maintain trade operations amid disruptions to regional shipping routes and supply chains.

According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the emirate’s integrated logistics infrastructure, including Jebel Ali Port, free zones, and multimodal transport networks, has helped sustain cargo movements and strengthen its position as a regional trade hub.

Dubai also made significant gains in attractiveness and competitiveness, jumping from 15th place in 2024 to sixth in 2026. It ranked second globally for human capital and shared the top position for entrepreneurship with Abu Dhabi.

The report also identified Dubai as the second most attractive city worldwide for relocating maritime headquarters, while industry experts placed it third among cities expected to shape the global maritime industry over the next five years.

Abdulla bin Damithan, Chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, attributed Dubai’s performance to sustained investment in maritime infrastructure and efforts to strengthen its appeal to international shipping companies.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi’s rise from 22nd to 15th globally marks its first appearance among the world’s top 15 maritime cities.

The emirate recorded improvements across all five assessed categories, with particularly strong performance in maritime finance and law, as well as in attractiveness and competitiveness.

Its progress comes amid continued investment in port infrastructure, digital technologies, regulatory frameworks, and sustainable maritime operations.

Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport, said the ranking reflects the emirate’s efforts to strengthen its international maritime connections while supporting economic diversification.

“Abu Dhabi’s advancement in the Leading Maritime Cities Report demonstrates the impact of long-term planning and collaborative efforts in building a maritime sector that expands the emirate’s global reach, drives economic diversification, and enhances quality of life,” he said.

Abu Dhabi Maritime, the Integrated Transport Centre, and Maritime Hub Abu Dhabi are among the entities supporting the emirate’s maritime expansion through partnerships, innovation, and industry development.

The report assessed 50 maritime cities using industry data and insights from 208 senior maritime experts. Cities were evaluated on shipping, maritime finance and law, technology, ports and logistics, and overall competitiveness.

Singapore retained the top global position, followed by Shanghai, London, Rotterdam, and Tokyo.

The findings were announced at the inaugural Seatrade Maritime UAE Summit in Dubai, which brought together industry leaders to examine emerging opportunities and challenges in international maritime trade.

The post Dubai retains spot among world’s top maritime hubs as Abu Dhabi rises to 15th appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

The UAE’s banking sector recorded an 11.8% annual increase in total assets, reaching AED 5.81 trillion ($1.58 trillion) in the third quarter of 2026, as lending activity and deposits continued to expand.

According to figures released by the Central Bank of the UAE, banking assets grew 4% compared to the previous quarter, while total deposits increased 12% year-on-year to AED 3.57 trillion.

The latest figures, reported by the Emirates News Agency (WAM), also showed a rise in lending activity, with total bank credit reaching AED 2.91 trillion, up 17.3% annually and 5.5% from the second quarter.

Deposit growth was supported by both domestic and international customers. Resident deposits increased 2.2% during the quarter to approximately AED 3.25 trillion, while non-resident deposits rose 9.1% to AED 317.9 billion.

Government-related entities accounted for the largest contribution to resident deposit growth, adding 1.4 percentage points, followed by private-sector deposits, which contributed 0.6 percentage points.

The expansion builds on gains recorded earlier in the year. The Central Bank’s September 2026 Quarterly Economic Review showed that banking assets had reached AED 5.6 trillion by the end of June, representing annual growth of 12.5%.

The report also projected UAE economic growth of 10.4% in 2027, compared to 1.6% in 2026, supported by an anticipated expansion in hydrocarbon activity. Non-hydrocarbon economic activity is expected to grow 4.9% next year.

Meanwhile, liquidity in the banking system continued to increase in September. The broad money supply measure M3 rose 1.2% to AED 3.50 trillion, supported by higher deposits in the government sector.

M2, which includes cash, monetary deposits, and quasi-monetary deposits, increased by 0.6% to more than AED 2.93 trillion, while M1 stood at approximately AED 1.02 trillion.

Banks also recorded a 31.3% increase in reserve balances held with the Central Bank, reaching AED 304.7 billion.

Banking transactions remained substantial during the first nine months of 2026, with transfers totaling AED 21.73 trillion. Bank-initiated transactions accounted for AED 13.35 trillion, while customer transfers reached AED 8.38 trillion.

During the same period, more than 16.24 million cheques were processed, with a combined value exceeding AED 990.5 billion.

The post A bigger banking footprint: UAE assets climb to AED 5.81 trillion appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

Investors in the GCC are increasingly open to artificial intelligence playing a role in wealth management, although they continue to favor human involvement in investment decisions, according to Avaloq’s Wealth Insights 2026 research.

The report found that more than two-thirds of surveyed GCC investors  (67%) are comfortable with their bank or wealth manager using AI, with a clear preference for services that support advisers rather than replace them.

Investors are most receptive to AI assisting a human adviser in making product recommendations (53%), handling portfolio inquiries (52%) and providing investment advice (52%).

Meanwhile, that figure drops significantly when services are fully automated, with acceptance peaking at just 23% in areas that include portfolio analysis and making investments.

For banks, the challenge is to use AI to meet rising service expectations while preserving the personal relationships clients value.

That balance matters particularly in the Gulf, where investors have high expectations for responsiveness. Some 71% communicate with their bank, wealth manager, or adviser at least once a week, while 35% expect a response within an hour. Both figures were the highest across the markets surveyed.

“Clients expect their banking relationships to evolve alongside them,” said Ajay Kumar, executive vice president for group asset and wealth management at QNB Group.

“We see innovation as a way to simplify complexity and help clients navigate important financial decisions with greater confidence,” Kumar said. “The goal is not technology for its own sake, but helping clients make informed decisions and pursue their long-term ambitions.”

Growing wealth and more complex financial needs are putting pressure on institutions to provide timely information, tailored advice and consistent support across digital and personal channels.

The demand for digital tools also increases with wealth, according to the global findings. Eight in ten investors who have a net worth of between $10-30 million in investable assets place more importance on portfolio insights and planning tools.

Access to wealth managers across multiple channels is also a matter of trust for wealthier clients. Among the same investors, 76% consider it important, rising to 80% among those with at least $100 million.

Meeting those expectations will require wealth managers to improve how advisers work behind the scenes. Globally, 84% of professionals expect AI to become integral to their work within two years, with the same proportion believing it could help them deliver more personalized service.

“The next phase of wealth management will not be defined by technology alone, but by how effectively firms use it to adapt, scale and serve clients,” said Pascal Wengi, chief commercial officer at Avaloq.

“Whether the focus is AI, personalization or digital service delivery, the common requirement is a strong foundation of high-quality data, efficient processes and empowered advisers.”

Those foundations remain a challenge. Wealth professionals identified data privacy, accuracy and regulatory compliance as leading barriers to AI adoption, with 29% naming privacy as their biggest concern.

For banks, improving efficiency will therefore depend on building confidence in how the technology handles information and supports advice.

“Organizations that get this balance right will be better placed to grow while preserving the relationships clients value most in an increasingly digital environment,” Wengi said.

The post GCC investors favor AI-assisted wealth advice, but fully automated services are a harder sell appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

DAMAC Group aims to increase the planned capacity of its global data center portfolio to 10 gigawatts by the end of 2027, up from about 6GW, as it expands to meet demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

Hussain Sajwani, founder and Chairman of DAMAC Group, said the UAE developer is pursuing projects across 14 countries through its global digital infrastructure company, DAMAC Digital. Its current planned capacity includes about 1 GW in the United States and 2.5 GW each in Europe and Asia.

The expansion will span Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Finland, Spain, Greece, Italy, Türkiye and the United States. Sajwani said the group is also in advanced negotiations to acquire a large site in Australia and is exploring further growth in the United Kingdom.

DAMAC plans to acquire additional land outside the United States over the next 12 to 18 months. Access to electricity, infrastructure and logistics will determine the pace of expansion, he said.

The expansion follows DAMAC’s announcement last year of a planned $20 billion investment in US data centers, unveiled at a press conference with then-President-elect Donald Trump.

Sajwani reaffirmed that commitment, saying that about $9 billion had already been invested. Further development will depend on the availability of suitable land and power.

Much of the reason for that investment comes from the scale of demand concentrated in the United States. Sajwani expects the United States to remain the world’s largest data-centre market, although constraints involving power, land and environmental requirements may encourage companies to increase investment in international markets.

According to Sajwani, data-centre development costs have risen by around 30 percent and could increase by a further 20 to 30 percent. He noted that the United States and Europe are among the most expensive markets for development, while Asian markets offer comparative advantages in labour and equipment costs.

Supply-chain disruption and recurring equipment delays remain major obstacles to completing projects, he said. However, he noted that higher development costs can be managed through pricing and contracts with large corporate customers.

On the outlook for AI, he said he does not consider the sector’s current expansion merely an investment bubble, but rather a long-term technological transformation that will reshape work, production and everyday life.

The challenge now, he says, is for the group to focus on larger data centers, starting at around 100 MW, as well as doubling down on liquid-cooling technologies designed to support AI chips and high-density computing.

Modern liquid-cooling technologies can improve water-use efficiency, while electricity-pricing mechanisms could allow data centers to bear higher costs while providing benefits to consumers, he said.

He described investments in data centers as essential infrastructure for the development of artificial intelligence, warning that delays in building such facilities could affect economies’ ability to keep pace with technological transformation and strengthen competitiveness.

Alongside its infrastructure expansion, Sajwani said his investments in OpenAI, SpaceX and Anthropic had generated gains totaling billions of dollars.

His investment in Anthropic, made less than two years ago, had produced gains comparable to those accumulated over roughly three decades of his earlier business activity, he said.

His technology portfolio also includes xAI, Databricks, ByteDance, Together AI and Reflection AI, alongside investments in about 100 US funds, including venture capital funds.

Sajwani said he expects revenues to grow as adoption broadens, while acknowledging that market valuations could face corrections in the coming years.

Diversification, risk management and identifying companies with strong business models remain central to his investment approach, he concluded.

The post DAMAC targets 4GW increase in data centre capacity by end of 2027 appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

Oman’s sovereign wealth fund, Oman Investment Authority (OIA), has signed its largest-ever package of investment agreements with Chinese institutions and companies in a single day, covering sectors including renewable energy, mining, logistics, digital technology, space, and financial services.

The agreements signal a shift in Oman-China economic relations from traditional trade towards joint investments, industrial development, technology transfer, and long-term capital partnerships.

The deals were signed during Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s state visit to China, the first visit by an Omani ruler to the country, aimed at strengthening bilateral economic ties and supporting industrial development and economic diversification.

OIA signed an agreement with China’s Silk Road Fund to establish an $800 million joint investment fund, with most of the capital allocated to Oman. It also agreed to establish a $300 million fund with China Merchants Bank.

Additional partnerships with IDG Capital, Templewater, and EW Partners involve $735 million in investments across clean energy, digital technology, smart manufacturing, and utilities.

OIA President Abdulsalam Al Murshidi said the agreements reflect the evolution of Oman-China relations towards investment partnerships that support economic diversification, emerging industries, job creation, and knowledge transfer.

He added that most projects would be developed in Oman, bringing investment, technology, manufacturing capabilities, and specialized expertise into the country while connecting local businesses with international production and distribution networks.

In the energy sector, Nama Holding and State Grid International Development agreed to develop battery storage projects worth around $1 billion, with a combined capacity of 1 gigawatt. O-Green and Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group also partnered to develop wind energy capabilities in Oman, including an R&D center and turbine testing facility in Duqm, alongside green ammonia projects.

In mining, Minerals Development Oman awarded Hongda International a $418.7 million, 10-year contract for the Mazoon Copper and Gold Project. A separate $100 million partnership will combine solar energy development with local inverter manufacturing.

Logistics partnerships include an agreement between Asyad Group and JD.com to develop facilities at Muscat Airport Free Zone, Khazaen Economic City, and Sohar Free Zone, strengthening Oman’s links to GCC and East African markets.

In technology, agreements cover the government’s digital transformation program, while Omantel signed an MoU focused on deploying Ascend neural processing units and high-performance computing infrastructure.

The post Oman signs $3.3 billion in investment deals with Chinese companies appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

The UAE attracted more than $48.3 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in 2025, accounting for 3.1% of global flows, as the country increasingly focuses on converting foreign capital into long-term economic value through innovation, technology transfer, and skills development.

This is according to a white paper by UAE-based strategic research firm White Paper Media Consulting (WPM), titled The Transformative Intangible Impact of FDI.

The report found that the UAE announced 1,562 greenfield FDI projects in 2025, representing a combined capital expenditure of $34.1 billion, equivalent to 1.8% of the global total.

The country’s evolving investment strategy has also affected the job-creation potential of foreign investment. Between 2019 and 2023, approximately 2,816 jobs were created for every $1 billion received in greenfield FDI, up from 2,265 in the preceding five-year period. Both figures exceeded the OECD averages of 2,318 and 1,880, respectively.

The report points to several initiatives reflecting this shift, including the joint venture between Space42 and ICEYE to manufacture satellites in the UAE, Microsoft’s $15.2 billion investment plan, which includes a commitment to train one million people, and the UAE’s $30 billion pledge to the Alterra climate fund.

According to WPM, the economic returns of FDI increasingly extend beyond capital inflows and direct employment to include knowledge transfer, intellectual property creation, technology adoption, and the development of local capabilities.

The report argues that FDI should increasingly be measured by its contribution to patent creation, skills transfer, data ecosystems, and clean technology development.

While the UAE’s business environment, infrastructure, and supply chain networks have supported its appeal to international investors, its strategy is increasingly focused on knowledge-intensive sectors, innovation, digital capabilities, and human capital.

Aligned with the OECD’s FDI Qualities framework, this approach reflects a broader shift from attracting capital to maximizing its long-term economic impact.

Drawing comparisons with Ireland, Singapore, Costa Rica, and Malaysia, the report traces the UAE’s evolution from market liberalization and infrastructure development between 1985 and 2005 to its current ambition of becoming a global capital and technology hub.

The report outlines seven policy shifts to deepen FDI’s economic impact, including extending free-zone benefits to the mainland, prioritising R&D-intensive projects, embedding skills transfer in major investments, and strengthening intellectual property creation and data governance.

Yazad Darasha, co-founder and director of WPM, said the UAE’s next challenge is translating its position as a leading investment destination into skills development, technology transfer, and greater economic productivity.

The report links this shift to the UAE’s National Investment Strategy 2031, which aims to attract investments that improve productivity and strengthen domestic business capabilities.

Dr Joachim Arnold, CEO of OCO Global and a contributor to the study, said the strategy reflects a shift towards investments that generate lasting economic value, build local capabilities, and help domestic companies improve productivity.

The post UAE attracts $48.3 billion in FDI as investment strategy shifts towards innovation appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

As Al Dhafra’s healthcare sector continues to expand, the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) is strengthening its efforts to support private-sector participation, attract business opportunities, and encourage collaboration across the region’s growing healthcare industry.

Represented by its Al Dhafra branch, the Chamber participated in the fifth Al Dhafra Hospitals Health Forum, held at the Baynunah Educational Complex in Madinat Zayed, where it showcased initiatives to improve business competitiveness and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

According to a statement published by Zawya, Ali Mohamed Al Marzooqi, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Chamber, highlighted the region’s economic potential, particularly in healthcare, where continued infrastructure development is creating new opportunities for companies and investors.

He said the Chamber is committed to expanding access to its services and strengthening connections between businesses and relevant stakeholders to support long-term growth.

The Chamber’s participation comes as Al Dhafra records significant growth in healthcare infrastructure.

According to a statistical report prepared by the Chamber using data from the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi, the number of clinics in Al Dhafra reached 233 in 2025, marking a 17.7% increase from the previous year and more than tripling from 73 clinics in 2018.

Hospital bed capacity also increased by 6.4% to 448 beds in 2025, reflecting continued investment in healthcare services across the region.

Growth has extended across the emirate, with Abu Dhabi recording a 7.4% increase in clinics to 925 in 2025, while the number of physicians rose by 6% to 13,811.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Chamber’s membership data showed 1,816 active healthcare sector members across the emirate as of October 2026, including 65 in Al Dhafra.

To support this expansion, the Chamber highlighted several initiatives designed to strengthen business capabilities and encourage sustainable growth.

These include the Members’ Privileges Initiative, which offers exclusive benefits and discounts through partnerships with participating organisations, and the Abu Dhabi Chamber Sustainability Label, which encourages companies to adopt sustainable business practices.

The Chamber also showcased its SME Upskilling Programme, aimed at equipping smaller businesses with the skills and capabilities needed to improve competitiveness and pursue expansion opportunities.

Through its participation in the forum, the Chamber engaged with healthcare providers and businesses to identify industry needs, explore potential partnerships, and strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors.

The efforts form part of the Chamber’s broader strategy to support economic diversification in Al Dhafra by enabling businesses to capitalise on emerging opportunities in healthcare and other high-growth sectors.

The post Abu Dhabi Chamber steps up efforts to attract healthcare investment in Al Dhafra appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

Dubai has launched the UAE-China Smart Transport Centre, a year-round platform designed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in clean and smart mobility, accelerate technology adoption, and create new investment opportunities in the transport sector.

Announced during the UAE-China Industrial Cooperation Forum on green and smart mobility, held alongside the Dubai International Electric Vehicle Exhibition and Conference 2026, the initiative seeks to transform industry discussions into projects and commercial partnerships.

According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Dawood Al Shezawi, President of the Dubai International Electric Vehicle Exhibition and Conference 2026, said the centre would establish a framework for sustained collaboration between UAE stakeholders and Chinese companies to support the development and deployment of advanced mobility solutions.

The centre will focus on three areas, beginning with regulatory support for Chinese companies entering the UAE market. It will provide guidance on licensing, vehicle certification, safety standards, and electric vehicle charging requirements.

It will also facilitate partnerships among Chinese vehicle manufacturers, UAE fleet operators, charging infrastructure providers, industrial companies, and investors through regular meetings to identify business opportunities.

A third area will focus on pilot projects involving autonomous taxis, driverless logistics, and advanced charging and energy technologies. These initiatives will enable companies to test solutions in the UAE before expanding into regional markets.

Al Shezawi said the centre was established following discussions with government representatives and Chinese companies, who highlighted challenges related to regulatory approvals, charging infrastructure compatibility, and access to local partners.

The initiative comes amid strengthening economic ties between the two countries, with UAE-China non-oil trade surpassing $100 billion for the first time last year, up 24.5%.

The partnership aims to combine China’s expertise in electric vehicles, battery manufacturing, and autonomous driving technologies with the UAE’s advanced infrastructure and ambitions for sustainable transport.

The collaboration also supports Dubai’s target to transition its entire taxi and limousine fleet to electric- and hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2040.

Beyond vehicle manufacturing, the two countries are exploring opportunities in charging networks, ports, aviation, research and development, and supply-chain localisation.

Al Shezawi said the centre would serve as a permanent framework for cooperation rather than a conventional headquarters, with progress to be reviewed at the next edition of the exhibition.

The initiative is expected to strengthen the UAE’s position as a regional testing ground for Chinese mobility technologies and support their expansion into markets across the Middle East and beyond.

The post UAE and China launch smart transport centre to drive EV and autonomous mobility appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

The Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) has published a study assessing the Kingdom’s progress in artificial intelligence (AI), covering seven key pillars and 15 sub-pillars, including regulation, investment, digital infrastructure, data governance, human capital, research and innovation, and institutional adoption.

The report highlights Saudi Arabia’s rankings across several international benchmarks. The kingdom ranked third globally for AI talent growth in the 2026 Stanford HAI Index, third globally and first regionally for developing leading AI models in the 2025 index, and fifth for AI sector growth in the 2025 Observer Index.

It also secured 26 awards at the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth and joined the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence in 2026.

In digital infrastructure, Saudi Arabia’s data center capacity grew by 115.8% between 2023 and 2025.

Its computing infrastructure includes the Shaheen III supercomputer, which ranked first in the GCC on the 2026 TOP500 list, and the Hexagon Data Center, a government-owned Tier IV facility with a capacity of 480 megawatts.

By mid-2026, the Kingdom had nine hyperscale cloud regions, with four additional facilities under development by global providers.

The report also outlined growth in the country’s data ecosystem. A total of 515 government systems had been integrated into the National Data Lake under the National Data Bank by 2026, consolidating 5.87 petabytes of data from more than 90 government entities. Open datasets exceeded 21,800 and were contributed by 346 public- and private-sector organizations.

Saudi Arabia also used more than 500 billion Arabic data units to develop its ALLaM 34B large language model in 2025. Meanwhile, the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language’s Falak platform reached 2.2 billion words.

The study found that 84% of the Saudi public was familiar with AI, while more than 1.2 million people had joined the first phase of the SAMAI initiative by July 2026.

Between 2021 and 2025, over 69,300 technical graduates entered the labor market, with domestic AI talent density growing at a 15% compound annual rate.

AI research publications grew by 37.4% annually between 2021 and 2025, while patent filings increased by 34.52% between 2020 and 2024. The Kingdom also developed eight large language models and 58 specialised AI applications, according to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology’s 2026 report.

In government, 90% of entities had an AI strategy, and 97% were deploying or developing AI tools. Additionally, 77% had formal AI governance frameworks, while 63% complied with SDAIA’s national AI principles. Nearly half reported operational efficiency gains of more than 10%.

Saudi Arabia also ranked first globally in women’s empowerment in AI, AI security, privacy and encryption, and digital readiness. It placed third in student adoption of generative AI, sixth in government AI strategy and seventh in financial sector funding.

The post Saudi Arabia’s AI progress spans talent, infrastructure and government adoption, finds SDAIA study appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has launched a large-scale coral restoration facility on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, with the capacity to produce up to 360,000 corals annually.

The KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative (KCRI), a land-based nursery and research campus, is now cultivating corals at scale. The initiative aims to support the restoration of more than two million corals across 100 hectares of reef at Shushah Island by 2030, with the longer-term goal of establishing a resilient reef ecosystem by 2040, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Announced at COP31 in Antalya, the facility is described as the world’s largest coral restoration center. Its launch comes amid mounting pressure on coral reef ecosystems worldwide.

Between 2023 and 2025, the fourth global coral bleaching event affected more than 84% of the world’s reef area, making it the most extensive and severe event on record, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

KAUST said the Red Sea provides a suitable environment for coral restoration research, as its corals have adapted to some of the highest water temperatures and salinity levels found in the world’s oceans. Studying these species could help researchers identify ways to improve coral resilience in other regions.

KCRI combines native Red Sea coral species with KAUST’s marine science research to develop methods for cultivating corals at scale and improving their tolerance to higher water temperatures before reintroducing them to natural reef environments.

The initiative also draws on the expertise of the Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP), an international organization focused on advancing scientific and technological solutions for coral reef conservation and restoration.

According to senior university officials, KCRI integrates four components: a large-scale land-based coral nursery, sea-based nurseries, more than 50 research programs covering areas such as coral probiotics, heat-resistant species, robotics and AI-driven modelling, and eCoral, an AI-powered digital twin designed to guide coral planting and monitor reef conditions.

Saudi scientists, divers and aquarists are also contributing to the initiative, developing specialized expertise in coral cultivation, marine science and reef restoration, university officials said.

Beyond its restoration targets, KCRI is intended to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s long-term marine science capabilities and build local expertise in coral conservation and ecosystem management.

The post KAUST launches world’s largest coral restoration facility in Saudi Arabia appeared first on Fast Company Middle East | The future of tech, business and innovation..