Middle East bets on AI research to strengthen its universities

Focusing on artificial intelligence research is emerging as a strategic lever for Middle Eastern governments seeking to strengthen universities, retain talent and reduce dependence on Western institutions, say experts. Countries including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have made “major strides in AI research”, with institutions such as the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Abu Dhabi singled out as a regional pioneer, according to a Times Higher Education report published on 18 February 2026.

“Bridge between Western and Asian AI”

Christopher Davidson, a fellow at the European Centre for International Affairs and an expert in Middle Eastern politics, said the Gulf has both political and economic backing for AI and benefits from geographic links with China and the US. He described the region’s ambition as becoming a “bridge between Western and Asian AI” and praised MBZUAI as a “pioneering” institution that “deserves credit” for establishing a “visionary” AI presence.

Context and developments

Experts point to several drivers reshaping higher education in the Gulf. Davidson argued that the region is embedding AI into curricula and contrasted this with what he called a “Luddite” mentality in the West: “The key difference to the West – where there’s this sort of dance going on where everyone pretends they have no interest in AI, or that it’s cheating and not to be used – is that almost everyone is using it within the Gulf States and it’s becoming embedded in curriculum.” He added that the Middle East could become a “West Asian hub, where they have the capital to invest and the infrastructure to become a major AI infrastructure hub.”

Mowafa Househ, professor in health informatics at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar and co-developer of the Human-Inspired Knowledge by Machine Agents project, said there is “hyper excitement” around AI in the region and hopes it can “build on the momentum that’s happening in the region”. Househ highlighted his own experiments, noting he hosted the “world’s first AI-powered academic conference, which was produced entirely by the technology,” and said he is looking to develop “the world’s first AI-powered university.”

• Policy and strategy: Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and other diversification plans are cited as catalysts for investment in AI and higher education.
• Projects and campuses: Even as the Neom giga project has been scaled back, commentators say its accompanying university could still become an AI development hub.
• International ties and competition: Gulf states’ connections to the US and China are seen as advantageous for building AI capabilities.

Outlook

There is cautious optimism about the region’s prospects. Househ suggested the Arab region could “rival and outstrip the research output of Canada and Europe” as economies shift from oil to knowledge. But concerns remain about the balance between public and private provision. Annalisa Pavan, an independent researcher on Saudi Arabia, noted the country aims to rank among the top 15 nations for AI and warned this “requires a very strong HE system where universities, both public and private, [to] play a strategic role.” She cautioned that foreign campuses — “including the University of New Haven” — “will offer programmes that help make Saudi Arabia a global leader in AI” while being “private and expensive,” and asked: “Are Saudi public universities ready to face competitive foreign private universities?”