Ghada Ismail

Mining is no longer a background industry in Saudi Arabia’s economic story. As the Kingdom works to reduce its dependence on oil, mining has moved to the forefront of its diversification agenda. Under Vision 2030, the sector is being positioned as the third pillar of Saudi Arabia’s industrial economy, standing alongside oil and petrochemicals. According to the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Kingdom’s untapped mineral wealth is valued at more than SAR 9.3 trillion, including gold, copper, phosphate, bauxite, rare earth elements, and other critical minerals that are increasingly essential to the global energy transition and advanced manufacturing.

This push comes at a moment when global demand for minerals is accelerating, driven by renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, and the digital infrastructure powering modern economies. Saudi Arabia sees an opportunity to establish itself as a major global mining hub. But turning geological potential into long-term value is not straightforward. Mining in harsh desert environments, often far from major population centers, is capital-intensive and operationally complex. Staying competitive requires smarter, safer, and more sustainable ways of working.

This is where artificial intelligence is beginning to change the game.

Across the mining value chain, AI is emerging as a powerful enabler, spanning early-stage exploration to daily operations, safety management, and environmental monitoring. By embedding AI into mining processes, Saudi companies are improving productivity, cutting costs, and making faster, better-informed decisions. At the same time, this shift is opening the door to a broader innovation ecosystem, drawing in startups, research institutions, and technology providers eager to help shape the future of mining in the Kingdom.

AI in Exploration and Operations

Mineral exploration has always been a high-risk, high-cost endeavor. Traditional methods rely on years of geological surveys, drilling campaigns, and lab analysis, often with no guarantee of a viable discovery. AI is helping tilt the odds.

Machine learning models can now process vast volumes of data—satellite images, geophysical surveys, and decades of historical records—to identify patterns that would be nearly impossible for humans to detect. These systems can flag promising areas for exploration with greater accuracy, allowing companies to focus their investments where the likelihood of success is highest and avoid unnecessary drilling.

Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden), the Kingdom’s flagship mining firm, has been actively exploring AI-driven tools to enhance exploration and resource modeling. By integrating advanced analytics into its workflows, Ma’aden has improved its ability to assess ore quality, estimate reserves, and shorten exploration timelines, making investment decisions more efficient and data-driven.

Once a mine is operational, AI continues to deliver value. Autonomous equipment and robotics are increasingly taking on tasks that were once labor-intensive and dangerous. Self-driving haul trucks, AI-assisted drilling systems, and automated processing plants are enabling more consistent, around-the-clock operations with reduced human exposure to risk.

Downtime is another costly challenge in mining. AI-powered predictive maintenance systems help address this by continuously monitoring equipment performance through sensors and real-time data feeds. Instead of reacting to breakdowns after they happen, operators can anticipate failures, schedule maintenance in advance, and extend the life of critical machinery. The result is lower operating costs and more reliable production.

Back in 2023, a notable initiative in this context is Ma’aden’s partnership with OffWorld, which develops AI-driven swarm robotic systems for autonomous mining tasks. These robots can perform repetitive or hazardous operations with minimal human intervention, enhancing safety and operational precision while enabling fully automated mining workflows in the Kingdom.

AI is also transforming ore processing and refining. Intelligent systems can adjust processing parameters on the fly based on the composition of incoming ore, improving recovery rates while reducing waste. For Saudi Arabia, where maximizing the value of each extracted resource is central to long-term sustainability, these efficiencies are particularly important.

AI in Safety and Sustainability

Mining will always carry inherent risks, but AI is helping make worksites safer and more controlled. Advanced monitoring systems now allow operators to oversee conditions across vast and often remote mining sites in real time.

AI-powered cameras, drones, and computer vision tools can detect structural weaknesses, monitor equipment behavior, and flag unsafe practices before they escalate into serious incidents. Video analytics, for example, can identify whether workers are complying with safety protocols, helping reduce accidents without relying solely on manual supervision.

Automation also plays a role in safety. Remote-controlled and autonomous machinery reduces the need for workers to operate in high-risk environments such as deep underground tunnels or extreme heat zones. This not only lowers accident rates but also improves precision and operational consistency.

Environmental sustainability is another area where AI is making a tangible impact. Mining can place heavy demands on water, energy, and land resources, especially in arid regions like Saudi Arabia. AI-driven systems help companies monitor and manage these impacts more effectively.

Water optimization tools analyze usage patterns in processing plants and recommend ways to reduce consumption without compromising output. Energy management systems adjust power usage in response to operational needs, cutting waste and lowering emissions. Satellite imagery and drone-based monitoring enable companies to track land rehabilitation efforts, detect pollution risks early, and ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

These capabilities align closely with Saudi Arabia’s broader sustainability ambitions and its goal of setting higher standards for responsible mining.

Industry Ecosystem and Opportunities

The rise of AI in Saudi mining is not just benefiting large corporations. It is also creating space for startups, technology firms, and research institutions to play a meaningful role.

Lithium Infinity (Lihytech), for example, a Saudi mining tech company, is developing advanced lithium extraction solutions, targeting minerals essential for batteries and the global energy transition. While AI is not yet native to their operations, these technologies are highly compatible with AI-driven optimization and automation.

Incubated by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Lihytech represents a growing ecosystem where innovation meets industrial needs. With government programs supporting AI adoption and workforce development, startups like Lihytech have a chance to bridge technology gaps and accelerate the Kingdom’s journey toward smart mining.

Opportunities are emerging in areas such as geological data analytics, drone-based surveying, autonomous systems, and digital twins—virtual replicas of mining operations that allow companies to simulate scenarios, test improvements, and optimize workflows without disrupting live operations.

Challenges Are Still Ahead

At the same time, where the field is rich in opportunities, challenges remain. One of the biggest is data fragmentation, with geological and operational information often spread across disconnected systems. Startups specializing in data integration and AI compatibility could play a key role in bridging these gaps.

Workforce readiness is another hurdle. As mining becomes more data-driven, demand is growing for skills in AI, automation, and digital systems. Training platforms, simulation tools, and AI-enabled upskilling solutions will be essential to preparing the next generation of mining professionals.

Government support is helping accelerate this transition. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has been actively promoting digital transformation across the sector, while programs under Vision 2030 aim to localize mining technologies and encourage collaboration between miners and tech providers. Initiatives such as the Saudi Geological Survey’s National Geological Database are improving access to critical mining and geological data, enabling researchers, investors, and industry players to make more informed decisions. The National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) is supporting the sector by fostering innovation, local technology adoption, and integration across industrial value chains. Meanwhile, the Kingdom’s National Strategy for Data and AI, led by SDAIA, provides a strong framework for adopting AI technologies across industrial sectors, including mining, helping drive digital transformation and long-term competitiveness under Vision 2030.

Recent Industry Milestone
The sector’s momentum was highlighted at the fifth Future Minerals Forum, held in Riyadh in January 2026, which drew over 21,500 participants from governments, investors, and technical experts worldwide. The forum, themed “Dawn of a Global Cause,” showcased Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a hub for responsible mineral development and innovation. Over the course of the event, participants signed 132 agreements and memoranda of understanding worth approximately USD 26.6 billion, covering exploration, financing, R&D, innovation, and sustainability initiatives. Key recommendations emphasized accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies, strengthening regulatory frameworks, expanding investment incentives, and fostering global collaboration to secure resilient and sustainable mineral supply chains. The forum’s outcomes underline the Kingdom’s commitment to both technological innovation and long-term sustainability in mining.

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping Saudi Arabia’s mining sector, changing how minerals are discovered, extracted, and processed. By improving exploration accuracy, streamlining operations, enhancing safety, and strengthening environmental stewardship, AI is helping the industry overcome long-standing challenges.

Beyond operational gains, AI is also catalyzing a broader innovation ecosystem, creating new opportunities for startups, technology providers, and research institutions to contribute to the Kingdom’s mining ambitions. Backed by government support and growing private sector investment, Saudi Arabia is steadily building a smarter, more resilient mining industry.

As global competition for critical minerals intensifies, the Kingdom’s AI-driven approach offers a compelling model for sustainable and technology-led resource development. By combining vast mineral resources with advanced digital capabilities, Saudi Arabia is not just diversifying its economy but also redefining what modern mining can look like in the decades ahead.

Noha Gad

Commerce worldwide is entering a new era where artificial intelligence (AI) agents not only assist but also act. Agentic commerce represents a fundamental shift from manual clicks to autonomous, goal-driven systems that can reason, plan, and transact on behalf of users. Unlike traditional automation, AI agents operate through a complete cognitive cycle: possessing goals, memory, and specific instructions, offering enormous potential for companies to transform their operations as never before. Agentic AI represents a sophisticated framework with tools and protocols that enable intelligent systems to interact seamlessly with other systems, agents, and humans. 

In Saudi Arabia, the e-commerce sector is booming. According to recent figures by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), online spending via Mada cards surged to SAR 90.9 billion in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025. This growth is driven by a young, tech- savvy population and extensive Internet access. In recent years, the retail experience has been transformed by the move from cash to digital payments. The emergence of agentic commerce in Saudi Arabia will bring an era of hyper-personalized, automated shopping experience, where AI agents can anticipate needs, show the best choices, restock essentials, and manage purchases in real time.

“Agentic commerce could be highly rewarding for retailers ready to seize its opportunities and efficiencies. Merchants that act now will put themselves in a strong position to prosper,” said Rob Cameron, Global Head of Visa Acceptance Solutions. In his recent article, Cameron highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts to embrace new shopping ways. In 2024, non-cash retail transactions in the Kingdom reached 79%, surpassing Vision 2030’s target of 70%. He emphasized that Saudi residents are likely adopt agentic commerce with the same enthusiasm, highlighting that the challenge for merchants will not just be to deliver the goods, but to do so in ways that keep both human and silicon shoppers coming back.

How it works

Saudi Arabia views agentic AI as a booster for the national economy, as SDAIA’s ALLaM model and HUMAIN localizing tech for different industries, notably e-commerce. Agentic commerce in the Kingdom centers on AI agents autonomously managing shopping, payments, and supply chains, triggered by Vision 2030's digital economy goals and high non-cash transaction rates. AI agents execute full shopping journeys, from need anticipation and deal negotiation to payments, shifting from shopper-led to agent-led processes with human oversight at key points such as approvals. For merchants, those agents enable hyper-personalization, restocking, fraud detection, and back-office tasks, such as invoicing, ultimately bolstering customer engagement via chatbots and recommendations. 

Saudi Arabia is an ideal proving ground for agent-driven cross-border commerce, thanks to a combination of national payment strategies, digital infrastructure readiness, and regulatory ambition, represented in fintech sandboxes. 

Unlike traditional e-commerce, where shoppers manually execute every step, agentic commerce transforms the shopping process into agent-led execution, where AI agents handle tasks autonomously on the user's behalf, according to predefined instructions, only waiting for human approvals on final steps like payment or substitutions. Additionally, agentic systems elevate AI to proactive autonomy, using shopper constraints to add items to carts, negotiate deals, or resolve issues, such as out-of-stock swaps, adapting in real-time via APIs. 

Agentic commerce could be highly rewarding for Saudi retailers across several key areas:

• Double revenue and conversion growth. AI agents can boost cart conversions and reduce cancellations through proactive interventions like real-time guidance and deal negotiations.
• Enhance operational efficiency. By automating inventory management, dynamic pricing, and catalog updates, AI agents minimize manual effort and enable real-time decisions, ultimately cutting inventory costs.
• Improve customer experience. Hyper-personalization at scale fosters loyalty by anticipating needs, guiding multi-channel journeys, and handling post-purchase support, shortening decision cycles.
• Prevent fraud and reduce risks. Real-time fraud detection via agent verification and cryptographic checks secures payments, while backend agents manage settlements.

Challenges and Concerns

The path to implementing agentic commerce in Saudi Arabia presents distinct challenges that must be carefully addressed for successful adoption:

• Regulatory and compliance hurdles. Retailers face challenges in encoding SAMA and Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) regulations into AI agents to ensure autonomous transactions comply with local payment rules, such as Mada authentication, without human intervention. Data sovereignty demands under SDAIA guidelines require agents to process Arabic data locally, complicating cross-border remittances flow; thus, merchants must adapt application programming interface (APIs) for agentic access, as traditional sites risk invisibility to AI shoppers scanning for real-time pricing and stock.
• Technical integration and adoption barriers. Legacy systems hinder agent integration, with many Saudi small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lacking open APIs for dynamic pricing or inventory. Additionally, reskilling the human workforce could be a major challenge for merchants transitioning from manual e-commerce to overseeing autonomous systems. 
• Consumer trust. Successful adoption of agentic commerce in Saudi Arabia hinges on overcoming key barriers to consumer trust, which stem from privacy risks, accountability gaps, and a lack of transparency. These issues require specific, proactive mitigations.
• Privacy concerns. Autonomous agents require extensive user data, raising fears about compliance with the SDAIA's Personal Data Protection Law and general data security.
• Accountability gaps. Errors in agent-led transactions create ambiguity over liability, demanding updates to frameworks to address non-human actors.
• Transparency and bias. A lack of clarity in AI decisions, coupled with risks of cultural bias in Arabic-language models, fails to meet the expectations of mobile-savvy Saudi consumers accustomed to manual control.

The question is not whether agentic commerce will arrive in Saudi Arabia, but whether it will become the defining force of the Kingdom's next economic chapter. The foundations are certainly strong: a booming digital payments infrastructure, a strategic national vision actively promoting technological adoption, and a young, mobile-first population eager for innovation. The potential rewards for Saudi retailers are transformative, enabling doubled conversion rates, streamlined operations, and an unprecedented hyper-personalized customer experience that builds lasting loyalty. 

The future of agentic commerce in Saudi Arabia hinges on navigating critical challenges: regulatory integration, technical interoperability, and, above all, building robust consumer trust.

Ultimately, the trajectory of agentic commerce in the Kingdom will be decided by a strategic collaboration between retailers, regulators, and technologists to build an agentic future that is not only efficient and profitable but also secure, trustworthy, and authentically aligned with Saudi consumer values. 

Noha Gad

Saudi Arabia’s agricultural sector contributed $31.5 billion to the Kingdom's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, triggered by rising production and initiatives that strengthened food self-sufficiency. According to recent official data from the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, total agricultural and food production exceeded 16 million tons in 2024, reflecting progress toward building resilient, sustainable food systems.

Despite almost 90% of the country being desert, Saudi Arabia is undergoing a remarkable transformation, actively expanding domestic crop production and reducing reliance on imports, cultivating a future where fresh, locally-grown produce is a cornerstone of its economy and food security. This shift is central to the ambitious goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes self-sufficiency and economic diversification.

Historically dependent on imports to meet its population's needs, the Kingdom now views its fresh produce sector as a strategic priority. According to figures published by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), total imports of crops in the Kingdom reached 18.7 million in 2024, an increase of 10.8% compared to 2023. Additionally, the cultivated area of open-field vegetables reached 89,700 hectares, with a production volume of 2.7 million tons in 2024, marking an increase of 8.4% compared to 2023. 

Evolving landscape of Saudi fresh produce

The structure of Saudi Arabia's fresh produce market is experiencing a fundamental change, transitioning from a model of heavy import reliance to one of strategic local empowerment. For many years, the majority of fruits and vegetables consumed within the Kingdom were imported from global sources. Guided by the objectives of the National Agriculture Strategy, this sector is shifting as substantial public and private investments target a significant increase in domestic production capacity.

Saudi Arabia is emerging as a surprising leader in advanced agricultural technologies, moving decisively beyond water-intensive practices toward a model defined by precision, control, and data-driven intelligence. From vast, climate-controlled greenhouses to sophisticated vertical farms, the nation is redefining what is possible in desert agriculture. At the heart of this agricultural revolution is the strategic adoption of cutting-edge technologies. Innovations in controlled environments, automation, and water conservation are building a resilient foundation for growth. Crucially, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now being deployed as the central nervous system of this modern sector, optimizing every aspect from seed to harvest.

Key technologies bolstering the industry

Today, the Saudi fresh produce sector is enabled by various advanced technologies that contribute to creating optimal growing conditions while conserving water resources. These technologies include:

• Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). Structures such as high-tech greenhouses and indoor vertical farms use automated systems to precisely manage temperature, humidity, light, and carbon dioxide levels. Within them, advanced irrigation and fertigation systems, such as automated drip networks, deliver water and nutrients directly to plant roots. This method eliminates waste and provides crops with an ideal, consistent climate year-round, independent of the harsh external desert conditions.
• Smart water management. Systems employing sophisticated sensor networks can monitor real-time soil and plant moisture data. Also, advanced wastewater treatment and recycling technologies are becoming standard, ensuring that every drop is used multiple times within a closed-loop system to maximize conservation.
• Automation and Robotics. They play a pivotal role in increasing the scale and precision of farming operations. From automated seeding and planting robots to autonomous drones that scout fields for pests, technology is handling repetitive and labor-intensive tasks. Additionally, post-harvest, automated optical sorters and packing lines use sensors to grade produce by size, color, and quality at high speed.

Main applications of AI in the fresh produce industry

Along with the previously mentioned technologies, AI emerged as the central intelligence that optimizes them all. By processing vast amounts of data from sensors, drones, and satellites, AI algorithms generate actionable insights, moving the sector from reactive management to proactive decision-making. Key applications of AI include:

• Predictive analytics and precision farming. AI models analyze historical climate data, real-time sensor readings, and plant physiology to forecast optimal growing conditions. AI-powered computer vision by drones and cameras captures detailed imagery, which AI software scans to detect early signs of disease, pest infestation, or nutrient deficiencies.
• Smart automation and resource optimization. Machine learning algorithms dynamically adjust irrigation schedules and nutrient delivery in real-time based on plant needs and evaporative demand, achieving unprecedented water and fertilizer efficiency. 
• Supply chain and post-harvest processes. AI can predict market demand fluctuations, helping to align harvest schedules with pricing trends and reduce waste. In packing facilities, AI-powered vision systems perform consistent, high-speed grading and sorting, ensuring only produce meeting strict quality standards proceeds.

Despite significant technological progress, the growth of Saudi Arabia's high-tech fresh produce sector faces different challenges. The initial capital investment required for advanced greenhouses, AI systems, and automation remains substantial, potentially limiting access for smaller-scale farmers. Additionally, the energy demands of controlled environment agriculture, particularly for cooling and lighting, present an ongoing operational cost and sustainability consideration. Success also depends on developing a skilled local workforce with expertise in data science, agronomy, and tech maintenance, requiring continued investment in specialized education and training programs.

Finally, Saudi Arabia’s fresh produce sector reflects a broader national transformation under Vision 2030. By strategically deploying controlled-environment agriculture, precision water management, and intelligent automation, the Kingdom has turned its agricultural challenges into a catalyst for innovation. Harnessing cutting-edge technology and forward-thinking policy will enable the Kingdom to secure its food future while contributing to a more sustainable and innovative model of agriculture.

Noha Gad

Saudi Arabia is witnessing a historic transformation in its labor market, driven by Vision 2030 and a commitment to building a dynamic, inclusive, and globally competitive workforce. Recent figures from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) revealed that the overall unemployment rate in the Kingdom, for Saudis and non-Saudis, reached 3.4% in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, showing a yearly decrease of 0.3 percentage points compared to the same quarter in 2024. 

The ‘State of Hiring in Saudi Arabia’ report by Jisr, which surveyed over 360,000 hiring cases across more than 4,700 Saudi companies and establishments, stated that new hires in the Kingdom saw a dramatic %154.5 surge between January 2024 and January 2025. In the first half (H1) of 2025, the average number of new hires per month increased by 51.5% to 24,155 from 15,942 in 2024. Additionally, the Saudi market saw a remarkable surge in manpower from January 2024 to July 2025, as the total number of employees increased by 124% in 19 months from 140,562 to 315,250 employees.

The food and beverages (F&B) sector led the hiring activity in the Saudi labor market with 71,120 new hires, followed by retail, wholesale, and distribution (over 41,500 new hires), general services (nearly 37,247 new hires), construction and building (nearly 28,777 new hires), and healthcare and medical services ( 20,141 new hires).

The human resources (HR) sector plays a pivotal role in driving the Kingdom’s economic growth, with Vision 2030 driving major changes such as Saudization, which aims to increase jobs for Saudi nationals. To support this shift, HR teams now focus on skills training, talent hiring, and employee well-being.

According to Jisr’s report, Saudis accounted for 49% of the hiring landscape, making up nearly one-third of all new appointments. 51% of companies now rely more heavily on national talent, while 45% of surveyed HR practitioners reported a decline in the number of foreign employees compared to local hires over the past two years.

As rapid workforce expansion creates needs for better recruitment, performance tracking, and staff retention, traditional HR methods often struggle with high volumes of data and changing job demands. This paved the way for new tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to improve efficiency. The integration of AI into HR can speed up hiring by screening resumes and matching candidates to roles, predict employee turnover, and personalize training programs. 

In Saudi Arabia, the AI HR market, valued at $330 million, saw a profound growth driven by the increasing adoption of AI technologies in human resources, aimed at enhancing efficiency and decision-making processes, as stated in a recent report by Ken Research. The demand for AI-driven solutions is fueled by the need for improved recruitment, employee engagement, and performance management systems, with over half of Saudi companies expected to adopt AI-powered HR systems for these functions. AI-powered recruitment platforms are transforming hiring processes through automated resume screening, intelligent candidate matching, and predictive analytics, supporting Saudization goals and reducing time-to-hire by up to 60%. Jisr is one of the key players in the Saudi market, serving more than 700,000 users across the Kingdom. As a leading AI-powered recruitment platform in the Kingdom and the MENA region, Jisr integrates all HR operations into one platform, enabling organizations to grow and innovate by providing the necessary tools to make the most of HR technology.

Applications of AI in the HR sector in Saudi Arabia

• Talent acquisition and recruitment. AI screens large applicant pools, matches skills, drafts job descriptions, reduces bias, and streamlines hiring. It scans resumes using natural language processing (NLP) to match skills and cultural fit, handling Arabic dialects for accurate sourcing and screening. Predictive analytics forecasts candidate success and market trends, minimizing bad hires, while chatbots provide personalized job recommendations and instant feedback, enhancing candidate engagement. 
• Employee management. AI automates onboarding, payroll, attendance, benefits, and policy queries. This automation ensures greater efficiency, accuracy, and 24/7 service for employees. The true strategic value, however, lies in the transformational shift this enables. By removing the administrative burden, freeing HR for strategic tasks. 
• Employee Experience. AI chatbots provide instant answers on policies, benefits, and career support. By offering personalized guidance for career development and internal mobility, AI tools empower employees, reduce friction, and create a more supportive and responsive work environment, which directly strengthens engagement and retention.

Key players in the Saudi market

• Resquad AI is a pioneering provider of AI-driven technical recruitment solutions in Saudi Arabia. It automates key stages of the recruitment process, including screening, matching, pricing, compliance, and payments, allowing companies to reduce hiring timelines by up to 99%. Its AI-powered SaaS solution and global B2B marketplace for developers enable companies to access technical talent beyond geographical boundaries. 
• SBR is an AI-powered platform, specializing in evaluation technologies and data analytics using AI. It leverages AI algorithms to analyze candidates beyond resumes, measure real competencies, and reveal hidden indicators, providing a comprehensive and objective report that supports confident hiring decisions. Its system relies on analyzing past hiring and performance data to predict candidate efficiency and retention likelihood, enabling HR departments to make decisions based on realistic, data-driven performance indicators.
• Talowiz is an AI-powered Source-to-Hire solution that automates recruitment with intelligent sourcing, personalized outreach, and seamless applicant tracking systems (ATS) integration. Talowiz’s AI Recruiting agents are trained to instantly build talent pipelines using the Largest Talent Database, engage them across channels, and manage the entire hiring process. Its AI Reachout Agent can reach 10x more candidates and connect across channels, providing personalized outreach and instant responses.
• Hurr is a Saudi-based digital platform that established itself as a leader in the freelance market, thanks to its secure, user-friendly platform that supports both entrepreneurs and freelancers. It connects owners with the best professional freelancers in over 100 fields across the Arab world, helping them complete tasks easily and securely. In a recent interview with Sharikat Mubasher, Founder and CEO, Muna Balhamar, noted that Hurr focuses on advancing its AI-powered tools, such as AI-generated job descriptions, smarter AI matching to connect owners with the best candidates instantly, and automated filtering to reduce time spent on reviewing profiles.

Concerns about integrating AI in HR

While AI promises transformative efficiency in the HR sector, its integration raises critical concerns that demand careful navigation:

• Data privacy and compliance with the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL).
• Algorithmic bias and fairness in hiring processes.
• AI hallucinations and accuracy in candidate matching.
• Talent and skill shortages for AI implementation.
• Job displacement fears among HR professionals.
• System integration challenges with legacy tools.

In conclusion, the labor market in Saudi Arabia is undergoing a foundational transformation, powered by ambitious national projects and the strategic imperatives of Vision 2030. This growth places the HR function at the very center of national progress, entrusted with the dual mandate of scaling the workforce efficiently and ensuring its long-term competitiveness and satisfaction. 

As evidenced by platforms like Jisr, Resquad AI, and SBR, AI-powered tools are accelerating hiring by intelligently matching Saudi talent to new opportunities, automating administrative burdens to free HR for strategic roles, and personalizing the employee journey to foster engagement and retention. This technological integration directly supports core national goals such as Saudization by making talent processes more objective, data-driven, and scalable. 

To succeed, companies must address key challenges like data privacy, biased algorithms, and employee training. This requires a careful balance: using AI as a powerful tool that is always guided by human judgment, strong ethics, and ongoing investment in people's skills.

Noha Gad

The global hospitality industry is experiencing a profound transformation, driven by the robust advancement of artificial intelligence (AI). Globally, AI is transitioning from a novel innovation to an operational imperative, reshaping every step of the tourist’s journey, from initial booking and personalized marketing to in-stay experiences, predictive service, and backend logistics. This technological shift is not merely about automation or novelty; it is fundamentally about achieving unprecedented levels of efficiency, hyper-personalization, and scalable, consistent service quality in an increasingly competitive landscape.

A recent survey conducted by the professional services firm PwC revealed that the use of AI in the Middle East’s hospitality sector is accelerating, with 91% of industry leaders already using or piloting AI-related tools, yet only 3% of respondents have achieved full enterprise-wide implementation. Also, 85% of regional tourism and hospitality leaders reported moderate to significant cost savings and efficiency gains from AI implementation. The report stated that 68% of CEOs in GCC acknowledged improved efficiencies in their own time at work, compared to 53% globally, while 63% reported efficiencies in employees’ time, compared to 56% globally.

Amid this transformation, national strategies for tourism and economic diversification are increasingly intertwined with digital and technological infrastructure, most notably in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom embarked on a historic and ambitious journey under Vision 2030, aiming to actively diversify its economy and establish itself as a leading global tourism destination, which is targeting 100 million visitors annually by 2030.

To achieve these monumental goals, Saudi Arabia recognizes that building world-class infrastructure alone is not sufficient. The scale, complexity, and global expectations of modern tourism demand intelligent, agile, and data-driven operational frameworks. Thereby, the Kingdom is strategically positioning AI as a critical enabler of its hospitality ambitions, aiming to streamline massive operations, optimize resource use, and craft uniquely personalized and seamless experiences for a diverse international clientele.

Why Saudi Arabia integrates AI into the hospitality industry

The Kingdom is strategically adopting AI in its hospitality sector to support its ambitious national goals and address specific challenges. Key reasons include:

• Managing growth and mega projects. As Saudi Arabia builds new tourist destinations from scratch, such as NEOM, Diriyah, and the Red Sea Project, AI plays a pivotal role in managing complex operations, such as logistics, energy use, and thousands of guest requests, efficiently and without overwhelming human teams.
• Delivering top-notch and personalized services. To offer exceptional and tailored experiences, the Kingdom leverages AI to analyze guest data to provide personalized recommendations, anticipate needs, and deliver consistent, high-quality service to visitors from around the world.
• Optimizing resources and promoting sustainability. AI allows properties to meet ambitious Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives without compromising guest comfort or profitability.

“Digital tourism will improve travel experiences in the Kingdom by seamlessly implementing tools such as AI and data analytics to better predict travel trends and adjust prices,” said Abdulrahman Al Bassam, Board Director of Baheej Tourism Development Company. In an exclusive interview with Sharikat Mubasher, Al Bassam emphasized that AI helps the company analyze social media platforms to spot new travel preferences and help optimize offerings accordingly. “For Baheej, this means we can utilize AI to offer more personalized services. By tailoring travel itineraries and providing customized recommendations, we can provide our guests with unique and enjoyable experiences.”

The next generation of hotel portfolio management systems leverages AI in hospitality to balance resource efficiency with world-class guest experiences. AI models absorb real-time data from building systems, IoT sensors, PMS, and BMS/BAS platforms, providing key advantages:

• AI-powered hospitality management systems optimize heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, and hot water, cutting unnecessary use while preserving comfort.
• AI asset management software predicts and prevents equipment breakdowns for higher uptime.
• Smart hotel management tools anticipate occupancy patterns and adapt services accordingly, improving productivity and reducing waste.
• AI hotel automation platforms provide deep analytics for accurate sustainability reporting and forecasting.
• AI-driven performance dashboards allow stakeholders to see emissions, costs, and operational trends across entire portfolios in real-time.

AI applications in the Saudi hospitality sector

AI is being integrated across the entire guest journey and behind-the-scenes operations in Saudi Arabia. For intelligent guest interaction and service, AI systems can handle routine communication and service tasks through chatbots, voice assistants, and service robots. A voice-controlled assistant can help guests request services, while a delivery robot brings amenities to the room, freeing staff for more complex guest needs. AI algorithms also analyze vast amounts of data, including local events, airline traffic, and competitor pricing, to enhance revenue management, optimize room rates, and target marketing campaigns. Additionally, AI-powered video analytics and monitoring systems can enhance safety, security, and crowd management. 

The most notable example of leveraging AI to enhance travelers' experience and manage crowds is Hajj 2025, when the Kingdom welcomed over 1.6 million male and female pilgrims, as stated by official figures from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). In the Hajj 2025 season, authorities in Saudi Arabia utilized cutting-edge AI tools to streamline everything from spiritual guidance to crowd movement. Among these tools were the Smart Enrichment Assistant and the Digital Mutawwif.

Developed by the Agency for Religious Affairs at the Prophet’s Mosque, the Smart Enrichment Assistant provides real-time updates on prayer times, imam schedules, and locations of religious activities in numerous languages. It aims to reduce logistical stress while deepening spiritual engagement for pilgrims. Meanwhile, the Digital Mutawwif is designed to serve as a digital companion for Umrah pilgrims, which includes navigation tools for tawaf and sa’i, a library of audio-visual supplications, and built-in ritual counters to help pilgrims stay focused and on track.

Baseer is one of the sophisticated AI platforms developed to address the enormous logistical demands of Hajj. Using computer vision and machine learning (ML), Baseer tracks and analyzes the movements of over one million worshippers a day inside the Grand Mosque, helping authorities predict crowd surges and prevent dangerous bottlenecks. 

The Kingdom also introduced Manarah 2, a multilingual robot equipped with a smart touchscreen. It provides real-time information and guidance to pilgrims in several languages, along with a dedicated application to help non-Arabic speakers recite Qur’an verses correctly. Saudi Arabia’s strategic investment in AI set global standards for how digital transformation can serve humans better amid the extreme heat, massive crowds, and time-sensitive rituals.

The future ahead

The integration of AI in the hospitality industry paves the way for emerging trends that are expected to redefine the sector. This includes the use of generative AI to craft unique and on-demand experiences, and the use of the Metaverse to enable visitors to take immersive virtual tours of hotels and destinations via the metaverse. Saudi hotel operators can also leverage digital twins, virtual AI-powered replicas of their physical properties, to simulate everything from crowd flow during an event to the impact of any planned changes. 

Saudi Arabia steadily moves toward utilizing AI to deepen cultural connections. AI-powered augmented reality (AR) guides at historical sites like Diriyah or AlUla can overlay historical visuals and narratives in the guest's native language. 

Finally, the strategic adoption of AI is more than a technological upgrade for Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector; it is a fundamental pillar for realizing Vision 2030’s ambitious tourism goals. By leveraging AI, the Kingdom is intelligently addressing the dual challenge of scaling unprecedented development while delivering the world-class, personalized service that modern travelers demand.

From optimizing massive operations and ensuring sustainability to crafting unique guest journeys, AI provides the necessary tools to build a sector that is both efficient and exceptionally welcoming. Saudi Arabia’s success will hinge on its ability to harmonize this cutting-edge technology with its rich, human-centric hospitality.

Noha Gad

Emerging technologies are reshaping the future of agriculture and farming in the Middle East. Advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, and IoT-powered sensors, are pivotal in transforming crop scanning speeds and harvest precision, addressing challenges including water scarcity, labor shortages, and arid conditions. In Saudi Arabia, autonomous farming robots are used to sow, fertilize, and apply pesticides in a single pass, enabling round-the-clock operations while cutting labor costs, aligning with Vision 2030's push for innovation.

Farming in the Kingdom is becoming more efficient and sustainable than ever before, thanks to AI-powered technologies. For instance, predictive systems could help farmers avert up to 30% of crop losses due to pests and disease before an outbreak goes out of control, according to a report released by Tanmeya Capital. In high-tech farms, AI-powered robots have increased harvesting efficiency by 50% and broader AI-driven automation has reduced labor costs by up to 35%, addressing the Kingdom’s labor shortages and rising operational expenses.

The agricultural autonomous robots market in Saudi Arabia is seeing significant growth, triggered by the urgent need for enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability. According to recent estimates released by Mobility Foresight, one of the global market research firms specializing in mobility and tech domains, the market size is valued at nearly $100 million and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 20% over the next five years. In 2028, the Saudi market is anticipated to hit $250 million, driven by the integration of AI and machine learning into agricultural robots, which will ultimately enhance their capabilities, making them indispensable for modern farming operations. 

This growth will be fueled by increasing investments in agricultural technology (agri-tech), and the adoption of innovative farming practices will play a vital role in ensuring food security and economic diversification.

The increasing amount of data generated by autonomous systems paves the way for developing analytics platforms that help farmers make informed decisions based on real-time data. Additionally, supporting startups and companies that focus on innovative solutions in the agri-tech space can yield high returns, especially those that integrate robotics and automation into farming practices.

How autonomous robots revolutionize agriculture and farming in Saudi Arabia

Various types of autonomous robots transform agriculture and farming in Saudi Arabia. For example, drones are used for aerial monitoring, crop spraying, and data collection, while harvesting robots can identify ripe crops and harvest them with precision. IoT-powered sensors can also monitor soil health and nutrient levels, providing valuable data for farmers. Additionally, automated tractors can carry out planting, tilling, and other field operations without human intervention. The use of autonomous robots in agriculture is expected to revolutionize traditional farming methods, leading to sustainable practices, improved crop management, and higher productivity. 

One of the key benefits of integrating smart robotics in agriculture is that it targets labor-intensive tasks, like planting, harvesting, and monitoring, using AI, sensors, and drones to enhance precision in arid conditions. For planting automation, autonomous robots plant seeds at optimal depth and spacing, applying fertilizers and pesticides precisely during sowing, which reduces waste and frees farmers for strategic tasks. They operate 24/7 and adapt to soil data for uniform crop establishment, especially vital in Saudi Arabia's vast farmlands. Robotic harvesters use high-precision visual sensors to identify ripe fruit, navigate trees, and pick without damage, operating continuously to increase output. 

Earlier this year, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) developed a new robotic system designed to automate date palm harvesting, aiming to disrupt the agriculture industry and position Saudi Arabia as a leader in agriculture innovation.  The project, headed by KAUST Assistant Prof. Shinkyu Park, focused on automating critical tasks in date palm cultivation, including harvesting, pollination, and tree maintenance. By integrating robotics with AI, the project is expected to improve efficiency and deliver higher yields of more nutritious dates, fulfilling the need to modernize and automate traditional practices in the date palm industry in the Kingdom.

Crop monitoring drones with cameras and sensors fly over fields to detect pests, diseases, and health issues early, enabling rapid interventions and minimizing losses. Meanwhile, autonomous ground robots are used to analyze soil for nutrients, pH, and moisture, recommending precise fertilizer applications to maximize yields without excess. This data-driven approach enhances soil health in the long term, reducing costs and promoting efficient resource use in Saudi farms.

For Saudi farmers, agricultural robotics can deliver substantial benefits by tackling core challenges, such as water scarcity, labor shortages, and low productivity in arid environments, ultimately advancing food security under Vision 2030. This includes:

• Reducing costs and labor expenses by automating repetitive tasks.
• Conserving water by utilizing precision irrigation systems from robots to deliver water where needed.
• Improving yields through AI-powered monitoring and harvesting.
• Reducing chemical runoff through targeted spraying, which contributes to protecting soil and biodiversity while complying with the Saudi's green initiatives. 

Humans and agricultural robotics

The transition from traditional farming to smart agriculture demands a fundamental shift in the skills base, creating both a challenge of displacement and an unprecedented opportunity for new, high-value employment. 

The automation of repetitive, labor-intensive tasks will inevitably reduce demand for low-skilled seasonal labor. While addressing labor shortages, this shift creates a pressing social and economic imperative: the need for large-scale reskilling and upskilling of the existing agricultural workforce. Government, tech providers, and institutions could offer certified, hands-on training modules, ensuring the current farming community has the required digital literacy to deal with innovations such as tablet-based control systems, dashboards, and software platforms. Therefore, new high-tech agri-tech professions will emerge, redefining what it means to work in agriculture. The sector will no longer employ farmers, but a suite of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals, data analysts, drone operators, agronomy pilots, agricultural robot fleet managers, and agri-tech support technicians.

Finally, the landscape of agricultural autonomous robots in Saudi Arabia is highly competitive and rapidly evolving, driven by a combination of local startups and established global players who develop innovative solutions tailored to the Kingdom’s unique agricultural challenges. By focusing on advanced technologies, like AI, machine learning, and robotics, these companies play a crucial role in creating efficient systems for harvesting, monitoring, and managing crops.

The successful integration of autonomous farming in Saudi Arabia will be measured not only in yield increases and water savings but also in its transition for the workforce. By investing heavily in reskilling programs for today's farmers, the Kingdom can ensure its agricultural revolution builds human capital alongside technological capital. 

Ghada Ismail

For years, Arabic speakers learned how to work around technology rather than with it. We typed in Arabic on apps clearly designed for English. We tolerated clumsy translations, broken layouts, and features that only half-worked once the language was switched. Somewhere along the way, adapting became normal.

That normalization is now being challenged.

Across Saudi Arabia and the wider Arab world, a growing number of startups are doing something deceptively simple but strategically powerful: they are building with Arabic in mind from the very beginning. Not as a translation layer.  But as a core product decision.

These companies are part of a quiet but meaningful shift toward what can be described as Arabic-first startups: ventures that treat language as identity, interface, and competitive advantage all at once.

A Digitally Active Region With a Lingual Gap

The timing of this shift is not accidental. Digital adoption across the Arab world has reached scale. More than 348 million people in the region are now internet users, representing roughly 70 percent of the population. Social media usage is equally significant, with over 228 million active users engaging daily across platforms.

Yet despite this scale, Arabic remains underrepresented online. While it is one of the most widely spoken languages globally, Arabic accounts for only a small fraction of digital content on the web. The result is a persistent mismatch: millions of Arabic-speaking users navigating a digital world that often does not speak to them fluently.

This gap has long been treated as a content problem. Increasingly, startups are recognizing it as a ‘product problem’.

What “Arabic-First” Actually Means

Arabic-first does not mean simply offering an Arabic language toggle. Many global platforms do that. What they rarely do is rethink how products behave once Arabic is selected.

True Arabic-first startups design around the realities of the language itself. That includes right-to-left navigation, typography that respects readability, and interfaces that accommodate longer word structures and contextual phrasing. More importantly, it means building logic, workflows, and AI systems that understand Arabic as a living language that is rich in dialects, nuance, and cultural reference.

In other words, Arabic-first is not about accessibility alone. It is about relevance.

AI That Actually Understands Arabic

Few areas expose the weaknesses of surface-level localization as clearly as artificial intelligence. Arabic’s linguistic complexity—its morphology, syntax, and dialect diversity—has historically made it difficult for AI systems trained primarily on English data to perform well.

This is where local startups are finding their edge.

Riyadh-based Wittify.ai is one example. The company builds conversational AI agents designed around Arabic from the ground up. Its platform supports text and voice interactions across more than 25 Arabic dialects, enabling businesses to deploy AI for customer service, onboarding, and internal workflows without forcing users into English or broken translations.

Another Saudi startup, Maqsam, has taken a similar approach in voice automation. Its AI phone bots handle customer service calls entirely in Arabic, accurately transcribing speech, identifying intent, and responding naturally. In sectors like e-commerce, logistics, and financial services—where call centers remain critical—this kind of automation offers scalability without sacrificing familiarity.

These companies are not competing with global AI platforms on size or funding. They are competing on understanding.

When Arabic Becomes the Brand

Language choice is not limited to product functionality. It increasingly shows up in branding decisions, an area where Arabic was once sidelined in favor of English names perceived as more “global.”

That mindset is beginning to shift.

A notable example is DEEP.SA, a Saudi AI startup that deliberately incorporates the Arabic word عمق (meaning “depth”) into its logo and identity. The choice is both symbolic and strategic. It reflects the company’s focus on deep technology while anchoring its brand firmly in local language and meaning.

In a market where foreign or English brand names have long dominated, using Arabic as a primary identity signal stands out. It communicates intent: this product is built here, for this market, with local users in mind.

DEEP.SA’s approach aligns with a broader realization among founders that Arabic branding can build trust faster than imported terminology, especially in enterprise, government, and consumer platforms where credibility and clarity matter.

The same logic appears in other regional startups. Abjjad, an Arabic social reading platform, draws its name from the first letters of the Arabic alphabet. Yamli, whose name means “he dictates,” was built specifically to help Arabic speakers search using phonetic input. Tamatem, a mobile game publisher, chose an Arabic name while building a business that localizes global content for Arab audiences.

In each case, the name does more than label the product. It signals who the product is for.

Arabic AI Models Enter the Spotlight

If Arabic-first startups represent the application layer, then Arabic-first AI models are the infrastructure making all of this possible.

For years, Arabic developers were forced to build on top of language models trained overwhelmingly on English data. Arabic support existed, but often unevenly strong in Modern Standard Arabic, weaker in dialects, and prone to context errors that made enterprise use risky.

That gap is now starting to close.

One of the most prominent examples is Allam, Saudi Arabia’s Arabic large language model developed under the umbrella of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). Designed specifically to understand Arabic linguistic structures, cultural references, and regional usage, Allam marks a strategic shift from adapting global AI models to building foundational technology locally.

Unlike multilingual models where Arabic is one language among many, Allam prioritizes Arabic as a primary language. This allows for more accurate comprehension, better contextual responses, and improved handling of formal Arabic as well as regional variations. For startups building products in customer service, legal tech, education, content moderation, or government services, that difference is not marginal; it is rather structural.

The presence of Arabic-native models changes the economics of building Arabic-first products. Startups no longer need to invest disproportionate resources correcting AI errors caused by weak language understanding. Instead, they can focus on product design, user experience, and sector-specific innovation.

Beyond Allam, the broader regional push toward Arabic AI reflects a growing recognition that language sovereignty matters in the age of generative technology. When AI systems shape how people search, learn, transact, and communicate, the languages they truly understand determine who benefits most from digital transformation.

For Arabic-first startups, models like Allam are more than technical milestones. They are enablers, quietly reinforcing the idea that building in Arabic is no longer a compromise, but a competitive advantage.

Why This Shift Is Happening Now

This shift toward Arabic-first products is not random. Several changes are happening at the same time.

User expectations have evolved. As people become more digitally savvy, they are less willing to tolerate poorly translated interfaces or awkward Arabic experiences. They expect products to work naturally in their own language.

Technology has also caught up. Recent progress in AI and language models makes it possible to build systems designed for Arabic from the start, instead of adapting tools originally made for English.

Policy direction plays a role too. In Saudi Arabia especially, national digital initiatives are encouraging innovation that reflects local culture and language, not just global standards.

There is also a clear business reason. As markets become more crowded, standing out becomes harder. Using language thoughtfully can create a real competitive advantage, one that is difficult for others to copy.

The Challenges Are Still Real

Arabic-first is not an easy path. Building high-quality Arabic language technology requires specialized talent, extensive datasets, and continuous iteration. Dialect diversity adds another layer of complexity that few global platforms are willing to invest in deeply.

There is also a lingering perception among some founders and investors that prioritizing Arabic limits global scalability. Yet many Arabic-first startups argue the opposite: products that solve local problems well are better positioned to expand thoughtfully than those that imitate global models without context.

Language as a Product Decision

What Arabic-first startups ultimately demonstrate is that language is not a cosmetic choice. It shapes how products are used, trusted, and adopted.

For decades, Arabic users adapted themselves to technology. Today, technology is beginning to adapt to Arabic. That shift may seem subtle, but its implications are significant.

As the Arab tech ecosystem matures, the startups that stand out may not be those that look the most global, but those that understand their users most deeply. And for hundreds of millions of people, that understanding begins with language.

Not as an afterthought..but as a starting point.

Shaimaa Ibrahim 

Venture capital in the Gulf region, particularly in Saudi Arabia, is experiencing a rapid growth phase driven by the expansion of the digital economy, the rise of innovation ecosystems, and increasing interest in advanced technologies—most notably artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. As capital flows increase and investment funds multiply, there is a clear shift toward specialized investment models aimed at building companies with global reach, rather than limiting success to local markets.

In this context, Propeller stands out as a distinct player in the venture capital landscape, focusing on early-stage infrastructure software companies and connecting top technical talent from the MENA region directly to global markets, with a particular emphasis on the United States. Its cross-border operating model is designed to empower founders to build globally relevant companies from day one, leveraging the region’s deep engineering talent alongside operational expertise from leading global technology hubs.

Against this backdrop, Sharikat Mubasher sat down with Zaid Farekh, founder of Propeller, to discuss his vision for the future of venture capital, his experience supporting technical founders, and his assessment of AI and infrastructure opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the broader region.

What is Propeller’s strategic vision, and how does it stand out from other venture capital firms in the region?

Propeller’s strategic vision is to become the leading early-stage platform for infrastructure software founders emerging from MENA by providing them with direct, early access to global—particularly U.S.—markets.

Propeller focuses exclusively on pre-seed and seed-stage infrastructure software, backing highly technical founders and helping them validate, sell, and iterate with real U.S. customers—especially in Silicon Valley—much earlier than would otherwise be possible.

What differentiates Propeller is its deliberate focus and cross-border operating model. Rather than being a generalist regional fund, Propeller concentrates on a narrow, technically demanding category and actively bridges two ecosystems: MENA’s deep engineering talent and the world’s most advanced infrastructure buyers and partners in the United States. This approach allows founders to shorten the path to product–market fit, build globally relevant companies from day one, and access follow-on capital more effectively.

How would you describe the current venture capital landscape in the GCC, and what is required to elevate the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to a global standard?

We’ve been excited to see the venture landscape maturing in the GCC over the past few years, but we still believe there’s a long way to go. We ultimately believe that the best way to elevate the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is to bring its best founders to the global stage so they can learn from and compete with a high density of other founders of a similar calibre. We see this trend happening across the world, not just the Middle East. Great founders from Europe, South America and elsewhere spend time in Silicon Valley or New York, but invariably end up having a huge impact on their local, ‘home’ ecosystems as well, whether by returning themselves to continue to build their startup, by hiring local talent remotely or building an in-region office, by angel investing in the home market’s newest founders, or simply by inspiring a new generation of founders. 

What criteria are most important when evaluating startups, and how does Propeller help founders overcome funding and growth challenges?

Propeller focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage infrastructure software startups, investing checks between $500,000 and $3M. It prioritizes founders building for global gaps (not only regional needs) and sees opportunity across multiple layers of the AI stack, from hardware-adjacent enablement to infrastructure, platforms, and applications with defensible infrastructure moats.

Can you provide an overview of Propeller’s current funds, including their strategic focus and sector priorities?

Fund I was a test vehicle of approximately $2M launched in 2017. Fund II was approximately $13M launched in 2021. Fund III is a $50M fund focused on pre-seed and seed-stage infrastructure software startups, with emphasis on AI infrastructure and AI-native software across MENA and the U.S.

What motivated the launch of Propeller’s $50 million third fund, and why focus specifically on horizontal AI infrastructure?

The adoption of artificial intelligence will be the single largest driver of enterprise and economic value over the next decade. Startups are being launched today and in the coming years to meet the enormous infrastructure demands this adoption will create, quickly propelling the best ones into large, category-defining companies

We believe infrastructure is the ultimate multiplier of value in AI. Strong infrastructure enables vertical applications and horizontal platforms to scale faster, cheaper, and more securely.

At the same time, the most enduring applications and platforms will be those that sit on top of proprietary or defensible infrastructure, creating moats that go beyond user interfaces or data wrappers.

To date, how many startups has Propeller invested in, across which regions, and what tangible impact have these investments had on the regional innovation ecosystem?

Propeller has backed 30+ startups across its first two funds and has 6 active investments in Fund III. Propeller is present across MENA and the U.S., specifically in Riyadh, Amman, Boston, and Silicon Valley.

How do you assess venture capital opportunities in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the AI sector?

We assess opportunities in Saudi the same way we assess opportunities everywhere - does the founder have a severe conviction in a unique version of the future? Are they building infrastructure & apps because they love building? And are they thinking Global from day one?

We assess venture opportunities in Saudi Arabia through a fundamentals-first lens, with additional scrutiny specific to the AI sector.

In AI specifically, we look beyond model novelty and focus on structural advantages, such as access to proprietary data, deep integration into workflows, or infrastructure-level positioning that is difficult to replicate. We are cautious around pure “wrapper” businesses and place greater emphasis on companies that own a critical layer of the stack or have defensible deployment advantages.

We have long-standing experience building and selling technology in Saudi Arabia and view it as a strong, sophisticated market for AI adoption. At the same time, we do not see Saudi Arabia as the only market. We assess whether companies can win locally on commercial merit and then expand beyond the Kingdom over time, rather than being structurally dependent on a single geography or policy tailwinds.

Finally, we evaluate alignment with Saudi Arabia’s long-term priorities, such as digital infrastructure and AI enablement without relying on policy tailwinds alone. Our goal is to back companies that can succeed on commercial merit, with or without local incentives, and scale globally over time.

What are Propeller’s plans for expansion, and are there initiatives to establish new regional or international partnerships?

Our team members are already present in Silicon Valley, Boston, Amman, and Riyadh and we have close relationships with follow-on investors and experienced operators in those markets

In your view, which sectors or types of companies are best positioned for significant growth in the coming years, especially in AI and technology infrastructure?

We believe exciting new companies will be built at all layers of the software stack:

1. Application Layer – Vertical AI applications that win with infrastructure moats, not just data wrappers.
2. Platform Layer – Horizontal AI platforms that standardize workflows across industries.
3. Infrastructure Layer – Tools that abstract complexity and make AI usable, secure, and scalable.
4. Hardware-Software Convergence – Silicon-adjacent software bridging models and metal, optimizing performance and efficiency. 

More than companies, we invest in people. We believe that the founders who will build these companies will:

1. Have a severe conviction in a unique version of the future
2. Build infrastructure & apps because they love building 
3. Think global from day one
4. Attract and inspire early employees and supporters.
5. Have the persistence to run through walls, the flexibility to change course, and the judgement to know when to do each.
6. Lead from the front by building, not just directing.
7. Build with responsibility, aware of the scale and impact of the infrastructure they create.
8. Nurture a community around their vision. Creating movements not just companies.

Noha Gad

In an era where technological disruption accelerates at remarkable speeds, businesses worldwide are at a crossroads: adapt or fail. Artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as a transformative force reshaping the future of industries, economies, and daily operations.

AI-first business models redefine the way companies operate, compete, and scale by embedding AI at the core of their DNA rather than as a helping tool. These models treat AI as the foundational engine driving innovation, decision-making, and customer value in key sectors such as fintech and startups. Traditional businesses often integrate AI into outdated processes, yielding marginal gains, while AI-first pioneers redesign everything around intelligent systems for exponential advantages. This shift enables hyper-personalization, predictive analytics, and autonomous operations that thrive on data abundance.

How do AI-first business models work?

AI-first business models embed AI as the core engine for operations, decision-making, and growth, enabling radical automation, hyper-personalization, real-time insights, and scalable efficiency through autonomous agents and data-driven feedback loops, fundamentally redesigning organizational structures and workflows around intelligent systems rather than just adding AI as a feature. 

Unlike traditional AI-enhanced approaches, these models reimagine processes from the ground up, prioritizing data flows, automation, and machine learning as core infrastructure to ensure seamless scalability and adaptability in fast-evolving markets. 

Compared to AI-augmented models, AI-first models make intelligence proactive and pervasive, influencing every layer from product development to customer engagement. These approaches treat data as the primary asset for real-time analytics and predictive capabilities, fostering continuous learning loops without heavy human intervention.

Main features 

AI-first business models are defined by characteristics that prioritize intelligence as the central pillar, enabling unprecedented efficiency, adaptability, and value creation across operations. Key features include:

• Automation. AI handles end-to-end workflows autonomously, from transaction processing to compliance checks, reducing human involvement in major processes. For instance, in wealth management, AI-first platforms dynamically rebalance portfolios based on real-time market data and user life events.
• Data-based decisions. Real-time analytics from vast datasets power predictive insights, replacing intuition with probability-based forecasting for agile market responses.
• Hyper-personalization. AI-first models can help companies and startups provide tailored experiences by analyzing individual behaviors, preferences, and contexts to anticipate needs proactively. For example, banking applications deploy conversational AI agents to answer queries and execute actions, such as freezing cards or updating addresses via biometrics, enhancing user trust and retention.
• Scalable infrastructure: Cloud-native AI supports rapid growth and continuous model refinement.

How AI-first models could support startups’ businesses

Along with enhancing decision-making processes and providing hyper-personalized products, AI-first models help startups enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs by automating repetitive tasks, such as customer support via chatbots or inventory optimization. AI-first startups command investor attention due to their proven scalability, data moats, and rapid revenue trajectories. This advantage arises from AI's ability to demonstrate measurable revenue on investment (ROI) quickly, such as predictive models forecasting user acquisition costs.

For product innovation, accelerated prototyping via AI tools eliminates time-to-market from months to weeks and allows startups to test minimum viable products (MVPs) with real user data. AI-first models can also contribute to talent and team optimization since AI handles hiring screening, skill matching, and performance analytics.

AI-first startups can improve their risk mitigation strategies by utilizing AI to forecast market risks, regulatory hurdles, or supply disruptions early.

In summary, the rise of AI-first business models represents a fundamental architectural shift, not a mere technological upgrade. It transforms AI from a tool that supports business into the foundational engine that defines it. For startups and established companies alike, this approach unlocks exponential advantages through radical automation, hyper-personalization, and predictive, data-driven decision-making. 

Noha Gad

The tourism sector in Saudi Arabia is witnessing a historic and transformative change, reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as a global tourism powerhouse. This strategic shift is a cornerstone of Vision 2030, which targets increasing tourism’s contribution to the national gross domestic product (GDP) from 3% to 10% by 2030, and aims to attract 150 million visitors annually by the end of the decade.

During the first half (H1) of 2025, the total number of inbound tourists in Saudi Arabia reached 14.3 million tourists, with inbound tourism spending estimated at SAR 90.5billion, according to recent figures released by the Ministry of Tourism. Additionally, the tourism hospitality facilities in the Kingdom recorded an overall occupancy rate of over 51% during the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, with Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) standing at SAR  154 in the same quarter. 

Driving this ambition is a dual commitment to sustainability and technological innovation. The Kingdom is not merely expanding its tourism offerings, which span from the pristine Red Sea coast and the ancient Nabatean tombs of AlUla to futuristic megaprojects like NEOM, but is doing so with a foundational pledge to environmental stewardship. 

Also, the Kingdom is at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR), to revolutionize the visitor experience and operational efficiency. From AI-powered personalized itineraries and smart city management to immersive VR previews of heritage sites and AR-enhanced cultural exhibitions, technology is becoming the invisible backbone of Saudi tourism.

Green tourism in Saudi Arabia 

Saudi Arabia is putting sustainability at the core of its tourism strategies, particularly through eco-tourism integrated into its latest destination concepts that protect and preserve natural habitats and local wildlife. A range of nature reserves have already been established, including the Harrat al-Harrah Reserve, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, and Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve. The National Center for Wildlife works to protect, develop, and resettle ecosystems and biodiversity, in addition to treating risks related to wildlife.

The Kingdom’s national initiatives, like the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) and the National Tourism Strategy (NTS), mandate that growth must be sustainable, regenerative, and aligned with ambitious conservation targets. For instance, the SGI aims to reduce carbon emissions by 278 million tons annually by 2030 and increase the percentage of protected land and marine areas to 30% of the Kingdom's total area. Therefore, all tourism giga-projects are required to align with these goals. The 30% protection target is particularly crucial, as many projects, like the Red Sea Project, are located within or adjacent to protected zones, mandating a regenerative approach that enhances the environment.

The NTS targets implementing guidelines for energy, water, and waste management across new and existing destinations, acting as the operational link between the SGI's high-level goals and on-the-ground tourism development.

Giga projects, such as the Red Sea project, NEOM, and Al Ula, are large-scale experiments and benchmarks for building tourism from the ground up on green principles. The Red Sea project, spanning an archipelago of 90 islands scattered along the western coast of Saudi Arabia, targets developing luxury resorts using 100% clean energy, aiming for 100% carbon neutrality. Al Ula region, Saudi Arabia’s historical open-air museum, is expected to be on the global tourist radar, combining heritage with modern sustainable worldviews. This project is expected to contribute to carbon neutrality in the long term. 

All mega- and gig-projects underscore the Saudi government’s efforts to forge a future where tradition, innovation, and sustainability go hand-in-hand. According to the World Tourism Barometer, published by UN Tourism in January 2025, Saudi Arabia was one of the best-performing destinations in the world for 2024, seeing a tourism uplift of over 69% for the full 12-month period compared to 2019.

Digital tools driving Saudi Arabia's sustainable tourism

Smart tourism in Saudi Arabia refers to the integration of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and smart city infrastructure, into the travel and tourism experience. It aims to enhance convenience, personalization, and sustainability for both domestic and international visitors.

Building upon its sustainable foundation, Saudi Arabia is strategically deploying advanced technologies to create seamless, personalized, and immersive visitor experiences. These technologies are integral to managing tourism growth efficiently while elevating engagement to world-class standards.

AI serves as the central nervous system of this new tourism ecosystem. Beyond powering personalized recommendations on platforms like the official Visit Saudi portal, AI is crucial for operational sustainability and management. It is used for predictive analytics to optimize energy and water use in large resorts, manage visitor flows to prevent overcrowding at sensitive heritage sites, and provide real-time, multilingual assistance through AI-powered chatbots and virtual concierges. 

For immersion and accessibility, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are transforming how visitors explore Saudi heritage and future destinations. Before travel, VR enables potential tourists to take digital journeys through destinations like the ancient tombs of Hegra in AlUla or the futuristic models of NEOM. Platforms like the Metaverse let visitors explore Saudi landmarks from anywhere, offering a glimpse into the Kingdom’s rich heritage, no matter where they are in the world.

On-site, AR applications enrich the physical experience; for instance, at historical locations, visitors can use their smartphones or AR glasses to see historical recreations superimposed on ruins, receive interactive guided narrations, or access instant translation of inscriptions, bringing millennia of history to life in an engaging, educational format. Interactive museums, such as the International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization, turn history into an experience through screens, sound, and smart displays. Historic and cultural sites like AlUla, Diriyah, and Jeddah’s Al-Balad offer AR experiences that let visitors interact with stories from the past.

Key smart tourism platforms in Saudi Arabia

The smart tourism ecosystem in Saudi Arabia is supported by several key digital platforms, ranging from official government portals to giga-project-specific applications. These platforms leverage AI, data analytics, and integrated services to enhance the visitor journey from planning to post-trip.

• ‘Visit Saudi’ portal and application is the official national tourism platform that serves as the primary digital gateway for all international and domestic tourists. It offers AI-driven personalized itinerary planning, destination discovery, event bookings, and integrated visa application links. 
• Nusuk is the official unified digital platform for pilgrims performing Hajj and Umrah, managed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. It offers end-to-end journey management, including eVisa, electronic permit issuance, accommodation booking, flight packages, and health services. The platform uses data analytics for crowd management and a seamless spiritual experience.
• Tawakkalna app. Thanks to its robust identity verification infrastructure, this application is integrated into the tourism and events sector. It provides a secure digital identity, via Absher integration, for fast-track entry at major events, festivals, and tourist attractions, reducing queues and enhancing security.

As Vision 2030 continues to unfold, Saudi Arabia’s model offers a forward-looking blueprint for how destinations can grow responsibly. It demonstrates that with clear vision, supportive policy, and strategic investment, tourism can be a force for economic vitality, cultural celebration, and environmental preservation. This transformation in the Saudi tourism sector represents a purposeful integration of environmental stewardship and technological innovation. By establishing a firm green foundation through national initiatives and advancing a sophisticated smart toolbox with artificial intelligence, immersive tech, and data-driven platforms, the Kingdom is not merely expanding its tourism sector; it is redefining its future. 

 Shaimaa Ibrahim

The quick delivery services and e-commerce sector in the GCC and the Middle East are undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the development of logistics technologies and changing consumer preferences. In this dynamic landscape, Rabbit emerged as one of the leading models that reshaped the standards of quick delivery services. As it broadens operations across Egypt and Saudi Arabia and adopts a flexible, tech-based operating model, Rabbit plans to strengthen its presence and expand market share in this competitive industry.

In this context, Sharikat Mubasher held an exclusive interview with Shaza Yahia, Regional Marketing Director at Rabbit, on the sidelines of the fourth edition of the HERizon 2025 Summit, organized by Carerha, a leading platform focusing on empowering women across the region to compete in the job market.

The interview discussed the company’s journey since its foundation and its mechanisms to address the real challenges within the delivery sector, in addition to highlighting the competitive edges that boost Rabbit’s expansion across the fastest-growing and evolving markets in the region.

It also underscored the pivotal role of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing operational efficiency, and showcased the company’s achievements and the key challenges it faced to expand regionally, in addition to providing insights on the future of e-commerce in the region amid the rapid transformations that the sector witnesses.

What is the core concept behind Rabbit? And how does it fill the gap in the quick delivery sector in Egypt and the GCC?  

The idea behind Rabbit emerged five years ago when the founders identified common challenges facing consumers in Egypt and the broader region, notably home delivery delays, inaccurate orders, and missing items upon receipt. Hence, the vision was born to establish a platform based on a model that offers a swift and accurate shopping experience, with a firm promise to deliver within only 20 minutes. The focus was to offer a reliable service that customers could trust and integrate seamlessly into their daily lives.

There were several key players in the Egyptian and Saudi markets when Rabbit was launched; however, the company chose to enter the market with a distinct approach centered on reliability, speed, and building long-term relationships with customers. Rabbit delivered clear added value and crafted personalized experiences that accurately meet each customer’s needs. This ultimately fostered strong user loyalty and enabled Rabbit to attract a growing segment of the market.

With this approach, Rabbit seeks to fill a genuine gap in the quick delivery sector in Egypt and the GCC, offering an operational model capable of keeping pace with the rapidly evolving lifestyle of consumers and enhancing the reliability of e-commerce services across the region.

What are the factors and features that give Rabbit a competitive edge over other companies in the Egyptian and Saudi markets?

Since its launch, Rabbit has focused on two core principles at the heart of its operations: convenience and simplicity. Our clear goal is to provide customers with a seamless experience, ensuring orders are delivered quickly and accurately, and offering all essential products at affordable prices, along with daily promotions that add genuine value to users.

Diversity is an integral part of Rabbit’s strategy to foster customer loyalty. As the number of online applications grows, the market experiences intense competition both among e-commerce platforms themselves and between these platforms and traditional stores, which continue to attract a significant segment of consumers, particularly in Saudi Arabia.

What sets Rabbit apart is that it adopts the ‘House of Brands’ model, being a home for brands, while focusing on supporting local products and providing them with a broad platform to reach more customers. Many of these brands have achieved growth through Rabbit that exceeds what they have achieved through global competitors, thanks to joint campaigns and additional marketing within the platform.

Rabbit’s competitive edge relies on multiple factors: quick services, product diversity, affordable prices, and strong support for local brands. Together, these factors enable Rabbit to compete effectively in this dynamic and rapidly evolving market.

How does Rabbit utilize technology and AI to enhance customer experience and improve operational efficiency?

Rabbit relies entirely on an advanced, in-house technology infrastructure, a rare approach in the e-commerce market where ready-made systems or partnerships with external technology providers are more common. At its early stages, the company relied on some partners but quickly developed its own infrastructure, enabling it to create a fully integrated application built on custom-designed systems tailored to meet its operational needs.

This technology infrastructure enables customers to place orders in under two minutes, maintaining a delivery promise of approximately 18 minutes. Internal system development also facilitated rapid responses to customer feedback, significantly improving their experience.

AI became an integral part of Rabbit’s operations. We employ AI in managing operations, data analysis, marketing personalization, and reducing operational costs. The company also integrates AI in content creation and marketing materials design to enhance team efficiency and accelerate marketing campaign development. 

What are the key figures and milestones that Rabbit has recently achieved?

Rabbit achieved remarkable growth in a short period, with over two million customers benefiting from its services, despite its marketing budget being significantly lower than that of its competitors. This reflects how our services meet customers' needs and reaffirms the company’s capability to build long-term relationships with customers.

The platform also enabled several local companies to achieve four- and five-fold growth rates by expanding their customer bases and boosting sales through Rabbit. Some of these companies successfully transformed their products into regional brands and expanded beyond Egypt, thanks to their partnership with the platform.

Additionally, Rabbit provides brands with strategic opportunities to reach new customer segments and showcase their products on a broader scale, unlocking new growth opportunities that were not accessible before.

What were the major challenges that Rabbit faced during the expansion phase, and how did the company overcome these challenges? 

We faced several challenges across various expansion phases, most notably the variance in marketing budgets compared to competitors, which significantly exceeded our resources. We also noticed that customer needs change rapidly, and that each stage of time imposes different priorities and behaviors, which puts constant pressure on companies to keep up with these changes. 

We were able to overcome these challenges thanks to the team’s ability to develop and respond quickly to changes, along with our approach that focuses on continuous testing, whether to measure customer satisfaction or to test new features within the application.

We learned a fundamental lesson from this experience: addressing challenges begins with understanding their nature. Are they temporary and time-bound, or are they fundamental problems that require modifying the business model? Therefore, we are always keen to try new ideas quickly and make the required changes, driven by our belief that flexibility and quick decision-making are key factors to maintain the company’s ability to compete and achieve rapid growth.

What motivated Rabbit to expand into the Saudi market, and what investment opportunities did the company find in the Kingdom?

Since its foundation, Rabbit has had a clear expansion plan, which focused on launching operations in Cairo before moving to Riyadh. We obtained the necessary licenses to expand into Saudi Arabia during the first year of our launch in Egypt; however, we preferred to postpone this step till early 2025 to deeply understand the Saudi market and ensure a strong and balanced entry.

The Saudi market is a highly competitive one, thanks to the emergence of new companies and large investments in growth, as well as intense competition between online applications and traditional stores. This eventually increased consumer awareness of digital services and paved the way for applications that deliver exceptional experiences and added value. 

Despite this intense competition, the Saudi market remains abundant with opportunities for any application offering a high-quality experience and building a genuine connection with the local community.

Rabbit currently focuses its efforts on Riyadh, aiming to provide an experience that the Saudi customer feels is tailored specifically for them, not just a copy of a foreign service.

Does Rabbit plan to expand into new markets beyond Egypt and Saudi Arabia?

Yes, we have clear expansion plans, but we always ensure a thorough study of the target markets before taking any step by analyzing demand size, competition levels, and gaps we can fill to guarantee a successful and sustainable entry.

In the short term, our plans focus on expanding into new cities across Saudi Arabia, following the success we achieved in Riyadh. The Saudi market still holds significant growth opportunities, and expanding into other cities is a pivotal step before moving to new markets beyond Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

How do you see the future of the delivery services and e-commerce sectors in GCC and the Middle East?

The delivery and e-commerce sectors in the GCC and the Middle East are experiencing rapid growth, driven by changing consumer behavior and their increasing reliance on online shopping, both in Cairo and Riyadh. Riyadh, in particular, stands as a model for this transformation, given the high youth population who prefer digital solutions and applications that meet their needs quickly and easily. 

The more companies can offer an integrated experience combining speed, convenience, and a variety of options, the more they will be able to capture larger market shares. Government policies, especially in Saudi Arabia, also accelerate this growth by supporting the adoption of cutting-edge technology and investing in AI solutions to enhance the efficiency of logistics and supply chains.

In light of these developments, the sector is expected to continue expanding, triggered by the entry of new players and increased investment volume. This will ultimately boost market competitiveness and reshape the future of e-commerce in the region.

Translation: Noha Gad

Noha Gad

The entrepreneurship ecosystem is undergoing a profound transformation today, driven by the fast-evolving technological landscape. Traditionally, startups have been launched by visionary individuals or teams sharing complementary skills and a common goal. However, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the future of business, introducing a new paradigm where AI can serve as a full-fledged co-founder alongside human entrepreneurs.

In 2025, several startups are naming AI tools, like GPT-4, Claude, and open-source large language models (LLMs), as co-founders, not just assistants. In many cases, these AI systems ideate, write code, draft pitch decks, analyze markets, and even engage with customers.

The integration of AI as a co-founder democratizes entrepreneurship by leveling the playing field, especially for solo founders or resource-constrained teams. It empowers innovators to accelerate product development, optimize business strategies, and reduce time-to-market, all while fostering smarter, data-driven growth. 

What is an AI co-founder?

An AI co-founder is not a robot CEO. It is typically an advanced AI system, often based on LLMs or custom-trained agents, that supports or drives major startup functions from day one. Unlike human co-founders, AI systems operate tirelessly without requiring salaries, breaks, or rest. They harness vast data, predictive analytics, and machine learning to offer real-time insights, automate complex tasks, and support critical decision-making. This transformative concept is quickly moving from futuristic speculation to practical reality, fundamentally redefining how startups are conceived, launched, and scaled.

What makes AI co-founders different from traditional AI tools is their ability to handle up to 80% of early-stage R&D work that usually takes a lot of time and resources from founders. They keep learning and adapting to a startup's specific needs, becoming more efficient and customized over time. Several factors set AI co-founders apart from regular AI assistants. These include:

• Strategic input: AI co-founders are not just implementing tasks; they propose product directions or market pivots.
• Continuous learning: they adapt to the startup’s data, goals, and team behavior.
• High Autonomy: AI co-founders operate without constant human oversight, having access to APIs, CRMs, design suites, code repositories, and more.

The impact of AI co-founders on the entrepreneurship ecosystem

AI co-founders play a pivotal role in transforming the startup landscape into a more inclusive, efficient environment where human creativity pairs with relentless computational power to drive sustainable growth and broader economic innovation. They significantly contribute to:

     -Democratizing access to entrepreneurship. They lower barriers for solo founders and underrepresented groups, providing expert-level support without the need for large teams or significant funding.

     -Accelerating innovation cycles. AI co-founders enable rapid execution of market research, product roadmaps, and strategy development, reducing weeks of work into minutes and accelerating innovation cycles across industries.

     -Enhancing cost efficiency. These founders foster cost efficiency and lean operations, as they automate repetitive tasks, allowing startups to iterate faster, manage risks through data-driven insights, and achieve quicker time-to-market.

Will AI replace human founders?

AI co-founders do not replace human creativity and leadership; instead, they complement them by automating repetitive and resource-intensive tasks. This partnership enables founders to focus on innovation, strategy, and cultivating the company’s culture. Additionally, AI co-founders complement human strengths through:

    -Automating administrative tasks, data analysis, and routine operations, allowing human founders to prioritize high-level strategy, creativity, and vision.

    -Handling operations without burnout, enabling humans to provide empathy, relationship-building, and ethical judgment, ultimately creating a symbiotic dynamic that enhances innovation and decision-making.

    -Enabling solo founders to achieve what once required full teams, but leadership and cultural nuance remain distinctly human.

    -Shifting hiring toward specialized roles by filling skill gaps, with human-AI collaboration yielding higher-quality solutions.

Finally, blending human ingenuity with machine intelligence can create more accessible, efficient, and innovative ecosystems. From democratizing startup formation and accelerating market entry to fostering symbiotic human-AI teams, these virtual partners empower founders to compete globally without traditional barriers. Entrepreneurs who embrace this collaboration will lead sustainable growth, navigating challenges like regulation and ethics to unlock unprecedented economic value.