We keep our ear to the ground for the interesting stats, insights and discussion points you need to feel in the know and shape the future with confidence.
1. Guardrails not roadblocks
AI is sprinting ahead and cybercriminals are keeping pace. Hackers are using AI to scale attacks like startups scale apps — fast, cheap, and global. One wrong move, and your enterprise is bleeding millions. So what’s the play? Guardrails. Not roadblocks. Smart, flexible cybersecurity frameworks that let AI thrive without inviting disaster. It’s not about slowing down, it’s about building trust at full speed. From securing third-party models to hardening internal systems, the goal is simple: make AI adoption safer, smarter, and smoother.
How can reimagining your cyber guardrails accelerate AI value?
2. Capital currents
In a world of shifting tides, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is making waves. Foreign direct investment (FDI) hit 1,973 projects in 2024 — up from 1,929 — cementing its role as a global magnet for capital. Nearly 49% of executives now see the region as prime territory for expansion, thanks to energy market clout and sovereign wealth-fueled mega projects. Saudi Arabia tops capital inflows, the United Arab Emirates leads in jobs, and Qatar is staging a comeback. As Asian investors surge and renewable energy powers next-gen tech, the GCC looks less like a safe harbor and more like a launchpad…
How FDI is reinforcing the strategic significance of the GCC
3. Mind over model
Forget incremental gains, Neurosymbolic Artificial Intelligence (NSAI) is rewriting the growth playbook. By blending statistical AI’s predictive muscle with symbolic AI’s logic and causality, NSAI doesn’t just crunch data; it reveals why things happen and how to act. The payoff? Smarter pricing, sharper forecasts, and merger and acquisition strategies that competitors won’t see coming. Most companies will wait two to five years for this shift. The bold ones? They’re already embedding NSAI into their commercial models and seizing first-mover advantage. In a world drowning in data, the real edge isn’t more information — it’s better reasoning…
Neurosymbolic AI: A strategy for growth, not just a product
4. Coin toss
Stablecoins — digital tokens backed by real-world assets like cash and United States Treasury securities — are quietly becoming a cornerstone of global finance. Thirteen percent of financial institutions and corporations already use them, and 54% of non-users expect to adopt within a year. The Generational Economic Network for Innovation and Ubiquitous Stability Act, signed in July, has added fuel to the fire by offering long-awaited regulatory clarity. According to EY-Parthenon, stablecoins could handle up to $4.2 trillion in cross-border payments by 2030. As stablecoins gain traction and the infrastructure race heats up, the real question isn’t who’s adopting… it’s who’s quietly building what comes next.
Stablecoins: adoption, optimism and regulatory clarity
5. Phish happens
Cyber threats are getting smarter, budgets are getting tighter, and AI is making it harder to tell what’s real. So how do chief information security officers (CISOs) keep up? Practice. A lot of it. The best defense isn’t just tech, it’s people. When employees know what to do when something feels “off,” they’re more likely to act fast and smart. Building a culture of cyber confidence means training, testing, and learning, not punishing. It’s about making cybersecurity second nature. And in the age of AI, human judgment matters more than ever. From phishing scams to deepfake trickery, attackers are targeting people, not just systems. That’s why companies need to invest in their teams, not just their tools. Teach the basics, encourage reporting, and keep sharpening critical thinking skills.
If you do one thing:
Invest in your people.