du and Open Innovation AI Partner to Strengthen UAE Sovereign Agentic AI Ecosystem
In a significant move to bolster the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) sovereign artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, du, a leading telecommunications and digital services provider, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Open Innovation AI, a UAE-based provider specializing in AI infrastructure and workload orchestration. This collaboration is poised to enhance the UAE’s AI ecosystem, aligning with national security and digital priorities.
Strategic Collaboration to Accelerate AI Adoption
The MoU was formalized during the Digital Readiness Retreat 2026 held in Dubai, a key forum focused on national digital transformation. The agreement was signed by Jasim Al Awadi, Chief ICT Officer at du, and Dr. Abed Benaichouche, Co-Founder and CEO of Open Innovation AI, in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cyber Security Council. This high-profile endorsement highlights the critical intersection of AI capabilities and national security.
The partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of Agentic AI across government entities and enterprises, leveraging du Tech’s National Hypercloud platform, which has recently received certification from the Cyber Security Council (CSC). This certification ensures that the platform adheres to local governance standards, thereby supporting the UAE’s AI-driven economy.
Enhancing National Security Through AI
Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti emphasized the importance of sovereign AI as a national security priority. He stated, “Following our recent certification of du Tech’s National Hypercloud, this homegrown collaboration represents the secure in-country AI infrastructure orchestration the UAE requires to protect its data and digital future.” The UAE Cyber Security Council is committed to fostering an environment where AI is securely governed within UAE jurisdiction, making this initiative a vital step toward enhancing national AI innovation.
Technical Integration and Collaborative Opportunities
The partnership combines du’s advanced digital infrastructure and cloud capabilities with Open Innovation AI’s expertise in AI infrastructure orchestration, GPU resource management, and AI security. By integrating du Tech’s National Hypercloud with Open Innovation AI’s fabric, the collaboration aims to enable both public and private organizations to deploy and scale autonomous Agentic AI workloads with unprecedented speed and regulatory compliance.
Under the MoU, both parties will explore various collaborative avenues, including technical integration between du Tech’s National Hypercloud and Open Innovation AI’s platform. This will facilitate GPU orchestration, resource management capabilities, sovereign AI platform development, and joint go-to-market initiatives.
Jasim Al Awadi remarked, “True digital sovereignty requires an infrastructure capable of powering tomorrow’s cognitive workloads today. By merging du Tech’s CSC-certified National Hypercloud with Open Innovation AI’s orchestration platform, we are delivering the foundational compute engine required for secure, in-country Agentic AI deployment.”
Building a Secure AI Infrastructure
The collaboration aims to establish sovereign AI and GPU orchestration capabilities on du Tech’s National Hypercloud infrastructure. This will enable secure access to AI compute resources, fostering innovation across both public and private sector ecosystems. The initiative is expected to contribute to the development and deployment of AI solutions and agentic AI agents that meet the UAE’s growing demand for trusted and locally governed AI services, with security and data sovereignty embedded at the infrastructure level.
Dr. Abed Benaichouche stated, “This MoU with du marks a meaningful step toward building the foundations of sovereign AI in the UAE. By bringing Open Innovation’s Sovereign AI Fabric together with du Tech’s National Hypercloud, we aim to give government entities and enterprises secure, in-country access to the compute that AI workloads demand.”
Expanding the AI Partner Ecosystem
This agreement not only reinforces du’s position as a primary sovereign infrastructure enabler under its sub-brand du Tech but also expands its growing AI partner ecosystem. The collaboration is designed to embed cybersecurity governance at the core of its operations, ensuring that the UAE’s digital future remains secure.
The partnership between du and Open Innovation AI represents a strategic alignment of resources and expertise, aimed at enhancing the UAE’s capabilities in the rapidly evolving field of AI. As the nation continues to prioritize digital transformation and cybersecurity, this initiative stands as a testament to the UAE’s commitment to fostering a robust and secure AI ecosystem.
For further information, visit the original source: techafricanews.com.
Keep reading for the latest cybersecurity developments, threat intelligence and breaking updates from across the Middle East.
