KUWAIT CITY, Sept 13: The launch by Kuwait Oil Company of its Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center (AIIC) represented a milestone in the process of digital transformation in the country’s oil sector. The Center, supported by the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), is meant to keep abreast of the world’s latest technological trends through making use of AI and innovative technologies to reduce costs, ensure quality, and speed up decision-making.

Under the auspices and in the presence of Minister of Oil Tarek Suleiman Al-Roumi, AIIC was inaugurated on August 7, 2025, in collaboration with Microsoft, Halliburton Co, and Ghaia.ai, KOC’s CEO Ahmad Jaber Al-Eidan said in statements to KUNA on Saturday. The Center, supervised by KOC’s division of South and East Kuwait, opened a new chapter in digital transformation in Kuwait. It is part of KOC’s strategic partnership with Microsoft, one of the world’s top five technology conglomerates; Halliburton, the world’s second-largest oil service provider; and Ghaia.ai, a leading developer of autonomous artificial intelligence systems (Agentic AI), he said.

Ghaia.ai, as strategic partner of Microsoft, is in charge of operating the AIIC on its G Agent platform. “G Agent, the fruit of cooperation between Microsoft, Halliburton and Ghaia.ai, deploys smart digital agents that think, act, and evolve—working for humans to unlock new levels of efficiency and innovation,” Al-Eidan pointed out.

More than automation, G Agent provides a dynamic mesh for collaboration between agents and humans across departments and teams, which will help enhance the operating capacity of KOC and facilitate the decision-making process. From oil and gas to retail and government, it delivers impactful outcomes in the most complex environments.

Agentic AI, one of the pioneering projects in autonomous AI systems, is capable of setting goals, making decisions, and performing complex tasks with minimal human intervention, acting independently to achieve objectives, he affirmed. “It will give a momentum leap to KOC in the areas of data analysis and provision of precautionary solutions and support the realization of the goals of Kuwait Vision 2035,” Al-Eidan went on.

AIIC will keep abreast of innovations and the latest changes around the globe, and give guidance relating to the development of the oil sector in Kuwait, he said. He voiced hope that cooperation between KOC and its partners will open new horizons for digital transformation of the energy sector not only in Kuwait but in the entire region as well.

On his part, Naim Yazbek, President of Microsoft Middle East and Africa (MEA), said that KOC leads a bold vision for the future of the energy sector in Kuwait, where AI and human innovation work towards a speedier digital transformation. Microsoft maintains a firm commitment to helping Kuwait develop the skills of its national cadres and leading the transformation to a smarter and more sustainable future in the oil sector, he said in a similar statement to KUNA.

Expressing Microsoft’s pride in its partnership with KOC, Yazbek said the AIIC is not only a training center but also an integrated platform for joint innovation. The Center serves as a strategic cornerstone in the drive to achieve a distinctive operating capacity, provide innovative solutions in energy, and meet the unique aspirations of the State of Kuwait, he added.

The center, supported by the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), aims to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence technologies within KOC, which will contribute to raising operational efficiency, reducing costs, and improving productivity, while ensuring quality and speed of decision-making through investing in the latest innovative digital solutions.

The Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center is being established in cooperation with Microsoft, Halliburton, and Ghaia.ai. It represents a qualitative pioneering step within the digital transformation path of the company’s operations in this vital sector.

In this regard, KOC CEO Ahmad Al-Eidan told KUNA on Saturday that the South and East Kuwait Directorate supervises the center at the company, and its launch embodies a new phase of digital transformation in the State of Kuwait.

Al-Eidan added that the center comes within the context of the strategic partnership with Microsoft, which is among the top five technology companies in the world; Halliburton, a leading oil and gas services company; and Ghaia.ai, a leading partner in the field of agentic artificial intelligence (AI).

He explained that Ghaia.ai, as a strategic partner of Microsoft, will lead and operate the AI Innovation Center, which will be built on the G Agent platform, developed by Microsoft to serve as an integrated platform for developing and applying agentic artificial intelligence solutions in the company’s operations and future projects.

He stated that G Agent is the fruit of this collaboration between Microsoft, Halliburton, and Ghaia.ai, as it allows the company to benefit from advanced AI solutions to develop the management of drilling rig resources and achieve a qualitative leap in system integration and real-time data analysis, in addition to enhancing operational efficiency and accelerating decision-making.

He pointed out that this cooperation has resulted in one of the most important pioneering projects in this field, namely the Agentic AI project for rig scheduling, which has achieved tangible results in increasing productivity and improving the quality of planning and operation, representing a qualitative leap in enhancing the company’s capabilities to manage and analyze operational data in real-time, in addition to providing proactive solutions that contribute to improving operational efficiency. It also supports the achievement of the New Kuwait 2035 vision.

Al-Eidan stated that the center is the first fruit of the strategic partnership between the State of Kuwait and Microsoft, and at the same time, it is the first of its kind in Kuwait and a fundamental pillar in the application of artificial intelligence, as it helps train national cadres on the latest technologies and how to use and apply them to daily work, contributing to their better implementation.

He explained that the center is dedicated to innovation, keeps pace with continuous changes around the world, and provides guidance on how to innovate and export the latest technologies from Kuwait to serve the oil sector and other commercial sectors.

He explained that the center aims to innovate and implement advanced solutions that enhance operational efficiency and accelerate decision-making, while providing specialized training programs to transfer technical knowledge to national cadres.

Al-Eidan expressed hope that this cooperation between KOC and its partners will constitute a pivotal step towards a promising digital future that enhances the company’s position in leading the digital transformation in the energy sector, not only in Kuwait but also in the entire region.

Yazbek affirmed the firm commitment to developing national skills to ensure the empowerment of Kuwaiti competencies to lead the transformation towards a smarter and more sustainable future for the Kuwaiti oil sector, indicating that by investing in developing the capabilities of engineers, analysts, and technical experts, the company is establishing the foundations of a flexible digital economy supported by local capabilities.

He expressed Microsoft’s pride in its partnership with KOC in this journey, noting that through their cooperation, an integrated innovation center for artificial intelligence was established, which is not just a training center but an integrated platform for joint innovation.

He added that the center is considered a strategic pillar for achieving operational excellence and developing smart energy solutions in line with the unique and ambitious aspirations of the State of Kuwait, explaining that the partnership with Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) is based on empowering national competencies, enhancing collaborative innovation, and improving the efficiency of operational networks.

He pointed out that by combining KOC’s operational expertise with Microsoft’s advanced capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence and data analysis, “we are working together to develop smart solutions that enhance the speed and accuracy of decision-making and improve the efficiency of resource management.”

He stated that Microsoft, in cooperation with its partners, is turning ambition into tangible reality, starting from adopting artificial intelligence technologies to enhancing entrepreneurship and from using technology to innovating it.

He reiterated Microsoft’s commitment to supporting the digital transformation process in the State of Kuwait and contributing to unleashing the full potential of artificial intelligence to shape a brighter and more innovative future.

DOHA, Sep 11: Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has temporarily suspended the operations of the food delivery platform Talabat for one week.

In a statement shared on X, the ministry cited “repeated violations and multiple substantiated complaints” against the company as the reason for the closure. Talabat’s services went offline early Wednesday, with users unable to access the platform via its app.

The ministry said the violations involved displaying and advertising products with misleading or false information. Under Articles 7 and 11 of Law No. 8 of 2008 on Consumer Protection, suppliers are prohibited from deceptively presenting goods or services. Article 7 forbids any supplier from offering false or misleading descriptions, while Article 11 obliges them to provide refunds or correctly deliver services when guarantees are not met.

According to reports shared on Reddit, some consumers had submitted screenshots of allegedly misleading offers, prompting direct follow-ups from the ministry. “These practices constitute an infringement of consumer rights and breach applicable laws and regulations in Qatar,” the ministry emphasized in its announcement.

Responding to the suspension, Talabat Holding plc confirmed the one-week administrative closure, effective immediately. Khaled Al Fakesh, the company’s Chief Finance Officer, stated that Talabat is working closely with authorities to address their concerns and resolve the matter swiftly. An internal review is also underway to evaluate the situation and any potential financial impact.

“Talabat is taking steps to minimise disruption for its customers, partners, and delivery riders and will provide updates as the situation develops,” the statement added. Reports Doha News

Founded in Kuwait in 2004, Talabat is a leading food delivery platform across the region and the market leader in Qatar.

DUBAI, Sep 11: Israeli defense companies have been barred from participating in one of the world’s largest aerospace exhibitions in the United Arab Emirates, as Gulf anger grows over Israel’s ongoing Gaza offensive and this week’s unprecedented airstrike on Qatar.

Organizers of the Dubai Air Show, scheduled for November, notified several Israeli firms in an official letter stating they would not be admitted this year, according to a senior official familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. The letter, dated September 9 — the same day Israel struck Doha in an attack targeting Hamas political leaders that killed several people — cited “professional shortcomings” as the reason for excluding the firms. However, the official noted that organizers had already indicated informally that they planned to bar Israel from the event. Israeli media first reported the decision.

The Doha strike sparked outrage in Qatar, which had been mediating truce efforts in Gaza, and angered Gulf leaders more broadly. The move even drew rare criticism from Washington, despite the Trump administration’s usually close alignment with Israel’s hardline position.

Dubai’s government media office did not respond to requests for comment. Israel’s Defense Ministry confirmed it had received notification from the Air Show’s organizers but withheld details. Israel Aerospace Industries referred inquiries back to the ministry, while Elbit Systems, another major Israeli defense firm, declined comment. Two additional Israeli companies did not issue a response.

The decision follows a pattern of mounting restrictions on Israeli participation in international arms fairs. The UK barred Israeli officials from its premier defense expo earlier this week, while in June, French officials blocked several Israeli firms at the Paris Air Show, saying weapons linked to Gaza could not be promoted on French soil.

Israeli companies were still permitted to attend the International Defense Exhibition in Abu Dhabi last February and participated in the last Dubai Air Show in 2023, which took place in the early weeks of the Gaza conflict. However, five years after normalizing ties through the Abraham Accords, Emirati-Israeli relations have come under increasing strain, eroded by Israel’s prolonged 23‑month Gaza campaign and widening proxy clashes with Iran