TRENDS hosts global AI dialogue in Abu Dhabi, focusing on tech diplomacy

Abu Dhabi hosted yesterday the opening of the second annual “Artificial Intelligence Dialogue”, organised by TRENDS Research & Advisory under the theme “Tech Diplomacy in the Middle East and North Africa.”

Held in strategic partnership with the UAE Cybersecurity Council and 23 national and international entities, the event brought together a distinguished group of researchers and global experts from the US Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), as well as representatives from Google, OpenAI, and G42. Academic institutions including Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, Khalifa University, and NYU Abu Dhabi also participated.

Across three main sessions, participants explored the latest developments in artificial intelligence and technological diplomacy. Discussions focused on strengthening US–Gulf partnerships in innovation and advanced technology, the geopolitical dimensions of artificial intelligence (AI) and its influence on global power dynamics and international relations, as well as the role of AI-driven soft power. The sessions also examined digital infrastructure and its contribution to building channels of communication and supporting sustainable development.

Officials and experts from leading global think tanks and technology companies have affirmed that AI and advanced technologies have become a key pillar supporting economic growth, accelerating digital transformation, and enhancing technological security. They noted that the combination of strategic partnerships, trusted governance, and industrial development represents the optimal path toward achieving regional and international influence and ensuring a balance between cooperation and global competition.

This came during TRENDS’ 2nd Annual Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence, organised by TRENDS Research & Advisory in Abu Dhabi under the title Tech Diplomacy in the MENA Region, in strategic partnership with the UAE Cybersecurity Council and 23 technological, academic, and media institutions. The event served as an intellectual platform for policy analysis and foresight on the future of international cooperation in advanced technology. Several distinguished officials, department heads, and senior executives attended it.

AI, a strategic focal point

Participants included representatives from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the United States, as well as speakers from Google, OpenAI, G42, GC REAIM, Khalifa University, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, and New York University Abu Dhabi. They emphasised that AI has become a global strategic focal point, reshaping the balance of power among nations and influencing supply chains, energy, and digital governance.

Speakers highlighted US efforts to integrate AI into its economic and diplomatic agenda, citing the UAE–US AI Acceleration Partnership, which aims to strengthen cooperation in advanced technologies and protect sensitive innovations.

Dialogue recommendations

Participants unanimously stressed the importance of enhancing international and regional cooperation in tech diplomacy and artificial intelligence to ensure responsible innovation and sustainable development. They called for establishing a global alliance to manage the risks and opportunities of emerging technologies, adopting comprehensive AI governance based on protection, innovation, and partnership, and forming joint task forces to develop digital resilience standards. They also proposed launching “digital embassies,” linking AI with sustainable energy, encouraging green data centres, and creating a Global Innovation Alliance that brings together universities and companies to exchange knowledge and talent.

Tech and soft power

In his pre-recorded opening address, generated by AI, Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research & Advisory, said rapid technological developments have gone beyond mere technical tools to become “instruments of soft power” capable of reshaping traditional power structures.

He recalled TRENDS’ first Strategic Dialogue, held in Tokyo, and its conclusions on the need for shared standards for the responsible use of AI. He explained that the Abu Dhabi Dialogue takes place amid a significant geopolitical shift reflected in new US partnerships with regional countries — partnerships he described as “strategic tools for re-engineering the regional order” through AI and digital infrastructure.

Dr Al-Ali emphasised that the conference will discuss key themes, including the evolving US–Gulf relations, the role of technology in shaping soft power policies, and the geopolitical implications of AI for regional security.

Dr Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, addressed the challenges and opportunities from both security and diplomatic perspectives. He called for establishing a sustainable international framework to enhance trust and cooperation in cyberspace and to protect societies from the technological gap between nations.

He affirmed that digital diplomacy has become an essential complement to traditional diplomacy, adding cybersecurity and information security to the foreign policy agenda, and noting that a nation’s technological strength has become a key measure of its diplomatic standing.

Dr Al-Kuwaiti explained that modern technologies support diplomatic work and enable more efficient decision-making, while also warning of emerging threats such as cyberwarfare, disinformation campaigns, and ransomware attacks.

He concluded by praising the UAE’s pioneering role in the cyber and technology fields, which has strengthened its international standing and empowered its digital diplomacy.

Technology, diplomacy, and digital transformation

The panel discussion, moderated by Elyazia Al-Hosani, Senior Researcher at TRENDS, featured a contribution by Ziad Jammal, General Manager for Google Cloud UAE, Levant, and North Africa. He focused on the impact of technology and AI on regional diplomacy and on Google’s strategy to support regional growth.

Jammal emphasised that digital infrastructure and AI capacity are measures of a nation’s influence today. He noted that Google launched the AI Opportunity Initiative in 2018 to train more than 2 million people, investing $16 million (Dh58 million) in training and scientific research.

He underlined the importance of effective regulation and trust in adopting technology, calling for flexible laws that keep pace with innovation, and pointed to Google’s efforts to localise AI for Arabic by integrating it into the Gemini model, in cooperation with regional research institutions.

Panel 1: The New Era of US-Gulf Partnerships

Moderated by Enas Refaei from The National, the session discussed U.S.–Gulf relations from technological innovation to strategic cooperation. Bilal Saab, Senior Managing Director of TRENDS’ US Office, said that relations between the two sides are evolving from protecting oil facilities to protecting data centres and AI infrastructure. He affirmed that security remains the core foundation, while emerging technologies are catalysts accelerating defense cooperation.

Mona Yacoubian from CSIS described the region as going through a “defining moment”, with technology and AI now at the heart of economic diversification strategies. She added that US President Donald Trump’s administration focuses on economic and security partnerships, relying on technology as a tool for influence and development.

Alexis Bonnell from OpenAI emphasised that successful innovation partnerships depend on trust and shared vision, calling for focusing on human capacity-building and smart legislation alongside technical progress.

Panel 2: Navigating the Geopolitics of AI

Moderated by Abdulaziz Al-Shehhi, Deputy Head of Research at TRENDS, this session featured experts discussing how AI is reshaping international cooperation and competition. Dr Ebrahim Saeed Al-Hajri, President of Khalifa University, highlighted six key pillars that enabled the UAE’s leadership in AI: clean energy, establishing a dedicated AI ministry, developing sovereign language models, attracting global talent, creating flexible test environments, and converting research into economic ventures.

Professor Sophia Kalantzakos from New York University Abu Dhabi described the US–China race as an “intense competition” for dominance over the 21st century, noting that growing energy demand has become a central geopolitical factor in the AI race.

Henrietta Levin from CSIS compared the current race to the “space race”, noting that the US seeks to develop Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) driven by capital markets. At the same time, China focuses on rapid, practical applications to achieve productivity gains.

Yassin Wetlal, Head of Systems Engineering at CrowdStrike, warned that malicious actors have already begun using AI in cyberattacks, calling for a balance between innovation and effective risk management.

Abdullah Al-Khaja, a researcher at TRENDS, noted that the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 triggered a global AI race requiring more comprehensive and adaptive international legislation.

Panel 3: Soft Power Through AI and Digital Infrastructure

The concluding session, moderated by Paula Noufal from CNN Arabic Business, explored how AI and digital infrastructure are redefining soft power and global diplomacy. Panelists included Dr Saeed Al-Dhaheri, Director of the Center for Future Studies at the University of Dubai; Will Todman from CSIS; Sami Haddadin from Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence; and Najla Al-Midfa from TRENDS.

Speakers affirmed that technology has become a new tool of international influence. They cited the “Stargate Initiative” between the UAE, OpenAI, and Microsoft as a model balancing partnership with digital independence. They explained that “technological humanism” forms the essence of the UAE’s digital soft power — founded on education, ethics, and foresight to build a shared future.

Artificial Intelligence: The New Soft Power

The dialogue concluded that AI has become the new source of geopolitical power, surpassing natural resources and military strength. Soft power is no longer limited to culture and education but now includes digital identity systems, innovative services, and AI models.

Experts warned of the rise of what they termed “sharp power”, as some major powers seek to impose digital dependency by exporting opaque technological models. They emphasised that the success of the global transformation depends on building trust and ethical governance.

The UAE as a Model of Digital Balance

Speakers agreed that the UAE’s experience in AI represents a balanced model combining sovereign capabilities with global partnerships through building sovereign AI infrastructure and massive data centres that support cybersecurity, and diversifying partnerships with East and West to ensure technological decision-making independence.

They affirmed that the UAE’s flexible regulatory environment grants it a global competitive edge and provides a safe testbed for new technologies, enhancing international confidence in its digital ecosystem.

They concluded unanimously that the future of power in the AI era will be determined by nations’ ability to build local capacities, adopt transparent and responsible governance, and use technological partnerships as diplomatic tools to enhance global influence. Artificial intelligence, they stressed, is no longer merely a technology — it has become a new language of diplomacy and a means of shaping a more balanced and just international order.