AI Alliance Network expands to shape a shared AI future

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Updated 01 December 2025
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AI Alliance Network expands to shape a shared AI future

The second meeting of the AI Alliance Network was held in Moscow on Nov. 21, on the sidelines of the AI Journey 2025 conference. The event marked a significant milestone as the international alliance officially expanded.

AI Alliance Network brings together academic centers, trade associations, and technology groups committed to advancing AI with transparency, collaboration, and accountability.

In 2025, the alliance welcomed 11 new member associations and research institutes from across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Today, the alliance unites 28 organizations from 21 countries.

Participants reviewed the year and welcomed new members. Over the past year, members conducted joint work across various initiatives, including the major research project AI Horizons.

The idea originated at last year’s AI Journey conference. This year, the project involved 21 strategic sessions and 32 interviews with leading AI experts. This marks the first time Russian science has achieved such deep integration with the global scientific community.

Over 270 researchers from 36 countries contributed to this report including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Vietnam, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Italy, Spain, Kazakhstan, China, Cuba, Morocco, Nigeria, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Uzbekistan, Chile, Ethiopia, South Africa, and others.

At AI Journey 2025, researchers from Russia, China, India, Serbia, and Vietnam presented the final AI Horizons report. The report is available in Russian, English and Chinese languages.

Alexander Vedyakhin, chairman of the Russian alliance’s supervisory board: “AI Horizons reveals the future of the technology. AI development scenarios are typically created by individual institutions or countries. The dominant influence of Western academic communities has shaped the future agenda, leaving many nations behind. AI Horizons changes that. The project demonstrates that science has no borders, and the future of AI should be shaped collectively, with respect for the diversity of knowledge, cultures, and values.”

Professor Abraham Ajith, vice chancellor at Sai University, India, said: “We conducted an international foresight study to shape a shared AI future. Congratulations to Russia on launching this ambitious initiative that brings together the international community. The alliance has proven to be an effective platform for scientific cooperation.”

AI Alliance Network was founded in December 2024 at AI Journey in Moscow.


Saudi Arabia world’s safest and most attractive investment destination, says chairman of Sumou Holding

Updated 09 March 2026
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Saudi Arabia world’s safest and most attractive investment destination, says chairman of Sumou Holding

Saudi Arabia has emerged as one of the world’s safest and most attractive destinations for investment, supported by the strength and resilience of its economy, according to Ayed bin Farhan Al-Qahtani, chairman of Sumou Holding.

Al-Qahtani said the Kingdom’s economy has consistently demonstrated its ability to navigate global and regional crises. He noted that Saudi Arabia has historically adapted to challenging conditions and emerged stronger, thanks to prudent economic policies and effective governance, both of which have reinforced the market’s financial strength. Al-Qahtani added that Saudi Vision 2030 has reshaped the structure of the national economy by diversifying income sources and leveraging the country’s core strengths, creating a more flexible and sustainable economic environment capable of withstanding global volatility.

According to Al-Qahtani, business activity across Saudi Arabia continues to operate normally despite current global uncertainties, highlighting the adaptability and experience of Saudi companies across multiple sectors.

Sumou Holding currently manages an investment portfolio valued at about $10 billion. Al-Qahtani said that the group plans to expand its investments in the Kingdom while seeking to attract additional foreign capital through international partnerships and joint ventures.

The company is evaluating a range of new opportunities across key sectors and particularly in real estate, which Al-Qahtani described as one of the most secure and attractive investment sectors in the Saudi market amid rising demand for residential, commercial, and development projects.

Saudi Arabia’s property market has also undergone significant regulatory reforms aimed at boosting its appeal to international investors. A new foreign property ownership law, which came into effect in early 2026, allows non-Saudis — individuals and companies, residents and non-residents — to own residential, commercial, and agricultural properties across designated areas of the Kingdom.

The framework will increase capital inflows into the real estate sector while introducing specific ownership rules for the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, two markets Al-Qahtani said remain among the most secure and globally attractive for long-term investment.

Sumou Holding owns two companies listed on the Saudi Exchange: Sumou Real Estate Co. and Ader Real Estate Co.

Al-Qahtani added that the group’s international arm, Ader Global, is building partnerships with global investors and directing capital toward promising opportunities in the Saudi market, reinforcing the Kingdom’s role as a regional hub for investment and multinational companies.

With its strong regulatory framework, investment security, and continued government support for the private sector, Saudi Arabia is well positioned to attract further foreign capital in the coming years, Al-Qahtani said, cementing the country’s status as a leading global investment destination both today and in the future.