MANAMA: A team from Kuwait University’s College of Engineering and Petroleum has claimed second place at the Green Guardians Hackathon in Bahrain, a competition judged on the quality of ideas and depth of environmental awareness. The university said in a press statement that students from the Department of Chemical Engineering participated in the hackathon, organized by Injaz Bahrain at Exhibition World Bahrain last week. The event brought together more than 100 students from 15 Gulf universities.

The Kuwait University team ranked second out of 21 participating teams, with the competition focused on practical and innovative solutions to energy and environmental challenges, aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.

The team’s project, titled “Kuwait’s Path to Carbon Neutrality,” outlined a roadmap for sustainable energy in Kuwait. It proposed integrating solar energy with small nuclear reactors, engaging the private sector through power purchase agreements, and using green hydrogen as a means of energy storage to ensure supply sustainability and security.

According to the team’s model, Kuwait could achieve full carbon neutrality by 2060 by relying on 70 percent renewable energy and 20 percent nuclear energy—up from the current renewable energy share of just 0.14 percent—positioning the country as a regional leader in the transition to clean energy.

The winners were announced during the Global Water, Energy and Climate Change Congress held in Manama. Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals took first place, while University of Technology Bahrain won third.

Bahrain’s Minister of Oil and Environment and Special Climate Envoy Dr Mohammed bin Daina, praised the participants, saying: “The advanced level of ideas and depth of awareness presented by the teams is impressive. Initiatives like these are a platform to discover promising talent and help prepare a generation capable of leading sustainability efforts efficiently and effectively.”

The hackathon aims to enhance youth engagement in developing practical, sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. Projects focused on creating prototypes and technologies to improve water efficiency, advancing renewable energy ideas tailored to Gulf Cooperation Council countries’ goals, and designing climate resilience strategies and scalable initiatives. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait Oil Company’s (KOC) new Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center has delivered its first major achievement with an AI-powered rig drilling project that improves productivity and planning through Ghaia.ai’s G Agent platform.

KOC Chief Executive Officer Ahmad Al-Eidan told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Saturday that the collaboration with Microsoft, Halliburton and Ghaia.ai enabled Kuwait to adopt G Agent, an intelligent system of AI agents designed to transform how organizations operate.

“The platform allows the company to benefit from advanced artificial intelligence solutions to develop the management of drilling rig resources, achieve a qualitative leap in system integration and real-time data analysis, as well as enhance operational efficiency and accelerate decision-making,” he said.

Al-Eidan said the Agentic AI drilling project has already shown “tangible results in raising productivity and improving planning and operations.” He said it strengthens KOC’s ability to analyze operational data instantly and provide proactive solutions. The initiative also supports New Kuwait 2035, the country’s long-term development strategy.

According to Ghaia.ai, G Agent deploys “digital agents that think, act, and evolve—working for humans to unlock new levels of efficiency and innovation.” Unlike traditional automation, it creates “a dynamic mesh for collaboration between agents and humans across departments and teams,” with applications spanning energy, retail and government.

Ahmad Al-Aidan

‘A promising future’

Launched in August with support from the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority, the AI Innovation Center is the first of its kind in the country. It is part of KOC’s wider digital transformation push and was developed in partnership with Microsoft, Halliburton and Ghaia.ai.

“The center represents 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 cornerstone in applying artificial intelligence,” Al-Eidan said. He added that the facility will train Kuwaiti professionals on the latest technologies and help them integrate digital tools into everyday operations.

He expressed hope that the collaboration will be “a pivotal step toward a promising digital future,” positioning KOC as a leader in digital transformation both in Kuwait and across the region.

Naeem Yazbek, President of Microsoft for the Middle East and Africa, said KOC is “leading a bold vision for the future of Kuwait’s energy sector, where artificial intelligence meets human creativity to accelerate digital transformation.”

Yazbek emphasized Microsoft’s commitment to developing Kuwaiti talent, noting that “through investment in developing the capabilities of engineers, analysts and technical experts, the company strengthens the foundations of a resilient digital economy supported by local capabilities.”

He said the new AI center is not only a training site but “a fully integrated platform for joint innovation” that serves as a strategic pillar for operational excellence and smart energy solutions. — Agencies

KUWAIT: In the backdrop of an increasing growth in the use of artificial intelligence, effective understanding and employment of this technology has become imperative for financial institutions that aim to maintain their leadership. To this end, the Learning and Development Department at the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) launched a series of advanced training masterclasses as part of the AI Leadership Program on the capabilities of artificial intelligence, titled “Preparing for the Future”. The aim of this series of intensive masterclasses is to introduce upper executive management to the latest developments and technologies in the field of artificial intelligence.

NBK is aware that AI is not merely a technological tool, but a key engine that can reshape and transform the banking sector. Therefore, these masterclasses strive to enable NBK employees to explore and apply the endless capabilities of AI by analyzing large data to identify new growth opportunities, enhance client attraction, and develop innovative services and products. Moreover, AI technologies can also contribute to enhancing operational efficiency by automating routine functions, enhancing risk management, and supporting quick decision making.

The workshops was presented by Warren Knight, a digital leader and AI transformation expert who worked alongside large regional and global institutions in the field of current and future AI strategies.

Knight holds wide experience in helping institutions execute innovative technological strategies and enhance performance using AI, and he has in-depth knowledge about the effect of technology on business and how to effectively integrate digital solutions in business development strategies.

Emad Al-Ablani

Commenting on this occasion, Emad Al-Ablani, Group Chief Human Resources Officer said: “We believe that human capital investment is a pillar to achieve sustainable growth and ensure the bank’s excellence and leadership. This is why we are committed to constantly providing innovative training programs that take into consideration the changing market dynamics and strive to keep up with the latest technological updates to build a resilient workforce capable of shaping the future.”

He added: “We continue to provide carefully designed development programs to enhance the integration of technology in the work environment, as we are committed to our strategy that aim to support continued learning and support human-led innovation across the group’s sectors and departments.”

Al-Ablani said that NBK’s learning and development strategy is “inclusive and is aligned with the highest international standards to enable employees to deal efficiently with future challenges amid an accelerating pace of technology, which should consequently help NBK achieve its long-term objectives.”

Finally, Al-Ablani emphasized that understanding the changes in the field of digital transformation and AI developments and their influence on the banking sector directly impacts the strategies and plans of financial institutions to keep up with the latest updates and achieve sustainable growth.

It should be noted that NBK maintains its leadership in the financial sector in Kuwait and the region by embracing a responsible digital transformation path. These initiatives reflect the bank’s unwavering commitment to empowering human talent, accelerating the pace of innovation, and setting new standards for AI-driven transformation in the banking sector, creating long-term value for customers and shareholders.