As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.

As AI investment accelerates across the Middle East and globally, enterprises face a widening execution gap between ambition and production. The challenge has shifted: AI readiness—infrastructure choices, deployment strategies, and governance models— now matters more than experimentation. This keynote explores how organizations can close that gap and scale AI securely and sustainably. Drawing on regional insights and Intel’s open AI ecosystem approach, we’ll examine what separates pilots from production, and how to architect AI systems that deliver measurable business value while maintaining control over data, security, and performance.

The path from ambition to reality isn’t about doing more with AI — it’s about doing AI right.

IDC introduces the AI Visionaries Acknowledgement, a prestigious platform recognizing organizations across the Middle East that are setting benchmarks in strategic, impactful, and measurable AI adoption. Nominate your organization to be recognized among the region’s leading AI innovators.