Technology

EA office building in Austin, Texas, USA.

Gaming giant Electronic Arts taken private in $55B Saudi-backed buyout

The transaction represents a significant deal involving entities close to the Saudi Arabian and US governments.

Analysis

Gulf investors emerge as key players in US social media giants TikTok, Snap, X

With UAE tech investor MGX set to take a stake in TikTok's US operations, investors from the Middle East could cement their role in America's social media landscape.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

PayPal headquarters pictured in San Jose, California, on Oct. 15, 2015.

PayPal bets $100M as Middle East’s Gulf fintech giants amplify competition

The move from the US payments giant comes amid a flurry of activity that has further cemented the Gulf’s fintech sector on the map for global investors — including Saudi Arabia's Tamara, which recently secured a $2.4 billion financing deal.

United Arab Emirates

Google Pay, China’s Alipay+ launch in Saudi Arabia amid cashless push

Both payment platforms will use mada, the kingdom’s national payment system.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Latest News

China-made flying car makes first test flight in UAE: What to know

An Xpeng AeroHT X2 Flying Car is seen on display in Hong Kong on May 17, 2024

United Arab Emirates

Lebanon grants license to Musk's Starlink in bid to address sluggish telecomms

Ray of sun over the box and antenna during Unbox reliable data transmission and connection with SpaceXs Starlink.

Iran eyes launch of 4 satellites, open Chabahar space port by spring 2026

A picture obtained on Dec. 14, 2013 from Iran's ISNA news agency allegedly shows the launch of the Pajohesh (research) rocket containing a live space monkey named Fargam (Auspicious) at an undisclosed location in Iran.

After sanctions, GitHub reopens to Syrian coders in boost for digital revival

A photo illustration shows a laptop screen displays welcome screens and messages on the Github developer platform website, on February 23, 2024 in London, England.

Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (C), who was recently named to head the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, looks at a model of the Capital City District project.

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala invests in UK cloud data center developer Yondr

It marks Mubadala’s third major investment in cloud data centers in three years, as the wealth fund looks to cash in on the ballooning demand for data center infrastructure.

United Arab Emirates

PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi PIF signs deals worth up to $50B with six Chinese institutions

As one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, the $925 billion Saudi PIF is already heavily invested in China.

Empty baggage trucks are seen by a Turkish airlines Boeing 777, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Jan. 11, 2023.

Turkish Airlines cancels 84 flights amid global IT outage

The Turkish transportation minister said the government expects the disruption to end “within hours.”

Google reportedly offers $23B for Israeli cybersecurity firm Wiz

Israel's Wiz is one of the world’s fastest-growing startups, having reached $350 million annual recurring revenue last year, and provides services to more than 40% of Fortune 100 businesses.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (L) listens to a speech by United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi (R) during the inauguration of the newly built floating solar power plant on the water that can generate 192 mega watts of peak electricity in cooperation between the Indonesian government and Masdar from the UAE, at Cirata Reservoir, West Java, on November 9, 2023. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP) (Photo by BAY ISMOYO/AFP via Getty Images)

Interview

G42-Microsoft partnership in Kenya 'just the beginning,' says UAE trade minister

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi discusses momentum in UAE trade with the US, the benefits of economic diversification and Africa’s priority in UAE trade policy.

Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi

Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade

NVIDIA's founder and CEO Jensen Huang.

NVIDIA to deploy AI across Middle East amid increasing US-China tech tensions

It was reported in August 2023 that Washington planned to curb exports of some AI microchips from NVIDIA, as well as from Advanced Micro Devices, beyond China to some unspecified Middle Eastern countries.

UAE National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan meets Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in Seattle on June 7, 2024.

Analysis

With China rivalry in mind, UAE's Sheikh Tahnoon hits tech reset in US visit

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates’ national security adviser and an influential brother of the country’s president, visited Washington this month.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

US reportedly slows AI chip exports to Mideast as Saudi Arabia turns to China

Washington has further restricted imports of critical components for AI systems to certain countries, including some undisclosed ones in the Middle East.

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MAY 6: Elon Musk, co-founder of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of X Holdings Corp., speaks at the Milken Institute's Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton Hotel,on May 6, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. The 27th annual global conference explores various topics, from the rise of generative AI to electric vehicle trends and features participants, soccer star David Beckham and actor Ashton Kutcher. (Photo by Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal invests in Elon Musk’s $24B AI startup

Kingdom Holding Company also holds a stake in Elon Musk’s social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images

Huawei launches Egypt public cloud service as China ties grow

Last September, Huawei announced that it would pump $430 million into North Africa to build the firm's first cloud center there as well as train thousands of developers and tech specialists.

A Turkish Bayraktar TB2 combat drone is on view during a presentation at the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Siauliai, Lithuania, on July 6, 2022.

Turkey's fastest drone plays key role locating Iran helicopter crash site

The location of the helicopter crash site was identified by Turkey’s Akinci drone, according to Turkish officials, after Ankara sent teams to help Iran's search mission.

Juergen Schmidhuber in an undated photo. @SchmidhuberAI

Interview

AI pioneer Schmidhuber bets on Saudi Arabia for trillion-dollar breakthrough

Juergen Schmidhuber, a pioneering AI researcher told Al-Monitor that Gulf players have opportunities to take on traditional tech powerhouses in this high stakes AI race.

Juergen Schmidhuber

Juergen Schmidhuber

AI computer scientist