Cisco Expands AI Dominance with Key Middle East, U.S. Alliances

Edelman, General Counsel of G42; His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC); His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister; Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA; Sam Altman, Co-founder and CEO of OpenAI; Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group; His Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates; Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer of Cisco; Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42; Mike Sicilia, EVP Global Industries of Oracle; His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Vice-Chairman of AIATC; His Excellency Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Mubadala Investment Company and Member of the AIATC.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Cisco, a global leader in networking and security, today unveiled a series of strategic initiatives aimed at advancing AI infrastructure across the United States and the Middle East. These efforts reinforce Cisco’s position at the forefront of the global AI revolution, providing secure, scalable, and trusted technology solutions.

Building AI Futures in the Middle East

Following visits by CEO Chuck Robbins and EVP & Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, Cisco announced new partnerships to support the Gulf’s growing AI ambitions. Robbins met with leaders including Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, focusing on fostering AI innovation, infrastructure development, and talent cultivation.

“The Gulf’s AI momentum is extraordinary, and Cisco is committed to ensuring its growth is secure and intelligent,” said Robbins. Patel added, “The time to invest in AI infrastructure and skills is now, and Cisco is excited to help drive this transformation.”

Key Announcements:

·       AI Infrastructure Partnership (AIP): Cisco joins AIP, led by BlackRock, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and others, aimed at unlocking $30 billion in capital for secure and scalable AI infrastructure projects globally.

·       HUMAIN Collaboration in Saudi Arabia: Cisco partners with HUMAIN, Saudi Arabia’s new AI enterprise, to develop an open, resilient, and cost-effective AI infrastructure, positioning the Kingdom as a leader in digital innovation.

·       Extended Partnership with G42: Cisco and UAE-based G42 deepen their collaboration to advance AI innovation and infrastructure, including potential joint go-to-market strategies leveraging Cisco’s secure AI solutions and G42’s regional expertise.

·       Qatar’s Digital Transformation: Cisco signed a letter of intent with Qatar’s Ministry of Interior to collaborate on AI-driven digital transformation, infrastructure development, and cybersecurity initiatives.

These strategic partnerships underscore Cisco’s commitment to building the next generation of AI infrastructure, ensuring countries and organizations worldwide are prepared to thrive in the AI-driven future.