Ankabut pioneers AI-driven EdTech infrastructure in UAE's education sector

The UAE has ambitious AI goals, including for the education sector. What is the enabling AI infrastructure required and what is Ankabut’s role here?

The conversation around AI often jumps straight to applications, but the real enabler is infrastructure. For education, infrastructure encompasses secure cloud and edge computing, high-capacity networks, trusted data platforms and governance frameworks that respect sovereignty, privacy and academic integrity. AI cannot scale in isolation.

Ankabut’s role has always been to build and operate the invisible backbone of the sector, unlocking human potential through EdTech and responsible AI. We connect institutions, aggregate demand, and enable shared platforms that reduce cost and complexity. Increasingly, we are also orchestrating AI-ready environments; where data, connectivity and compute come together safely. We empower institutions to focus on outcomes, not obsess over plumbing.

As a leading regional EdTech provider, how is Ankabut transforming the education value chain? What are the other areas that the sector should be looking at, beyond the AI hype?

AI is powerful, but it is not a strategy on its own. Universities in the UAE and across the region need to rethink the entire education value chain; how learning is delivered, how operations run, how decisions are made, and how students are supported end-to-end.

At Ankabut, we go beyond tools to create integrated systems, such as data-driven governance, smart research environments, digital campuses, integrated student experiences and lifelong learning platforms. Areas like interoperability, process redesign, digital trust and analytics maturity matter just as much as AI models. Institutions that modernise holistically will succeed over those that chase isolated pilots or headlines.

As AI reshapes software and education, how is the organisation focusing on building trusted, secure and scalable AI solutions? Why is this important?

The true challenge as AI becomes embedded in education is not speed of adoption but rather responsibility at scale. Universities operate in high-trust environments; therefore, AI must be safe, open and in alignment with national priorities.

We therefore prioritise safe, scalable and regulated AI environments from the outset. This calls for zero-trust architectures, compliance with national policies, explainable models and clear accountability. Without these foundations, AI adoption creates more risk than value.

Our approach is deliberately balanced. We invest in developing our own IP and platforms where it advances the UAE’s education and research agenda, particularly around data, integration and sector-specific use cases. At the same time, we build on proven international technologies through trusted partnerships. This allows innovation without fragmentation, and scale without compromising trust.

How is Ankabut leveraging technology partnerships to strengthen its service capabilities? Talk about your global partnerships and what they mean for the UAE. 

We see partnerships as a force multiplier, not a shortcut. We stand on the shoulders of giants. By building on advancements by world leaders, we combine best-in-class international technologies with robust in-house capabilities and nationally developed platforms.

We accelerate innovation while maintaining solutions coherent with UAE priorities and regulatory frameworks through long-term partnerships across cloud, AI, cybersecurity, data and education platforms. Instead of just reselling, this model enables us to localise, integrate and scale. For UAE and GCC educators, it means faster adoption, lower risk and sustainable capability building. This way, global expertise is anchored by a national platform and a long-term commitment to the education sector.

What is the long-term vision for Ankabut, and how does this align with the UAE’s education vision?

Our long-term vision is to evolve into a regional digital platform leader; one that is rooted in education but is designed to travel across sectors and geographies. Education remains our anchor, because it shapes talent, research, and national capability. From there, the same trusted platforms, data foundations and digital services can support adjacent sectors with similar needs for scale, security and intelligence.

This direction aligns closely with the UAE’s ambition to export knowledge, technology and leadership across the region. We will be increasingly reflecting this broader mandate: more integrated, more outward-looking and more platform-driven, while remaining deeply committed to education as our core purpose.