The second day of GITEX GLOBAL 2025 shifted the focus to the architectural foundations of nation-scale artificial intelligence, as industry leaders highlighted the growing roles of sovereign infrastructure, quantum computing, and energy-efficient data centers in shaping the future of the global digital economy.
The 45th edition of the world’s largest technology and AI event, taking place from 13-17 October, has drawn a record number of participants, with more than 6,800 exhibitors, 2,000 startups, and 1,200 investors from over 180 countries.
Day two opened with a virtual dialogue on “AI-Native Societies” between Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42, setting the stage for a series of high-level discussions on the structural and economic foundations required to build intelligence-driven economies.
Jim Keller, CEO of Tenstorrent, urged nations and enterprises to take control of their technological futures through open-source infrastructure. “Open source is a path for innovation, but also a path to really own it, so you can chart your own destiny,” Keller stated during his session on sovereign AI. “Imagine a world where you could own the AI IP, CPU tech, and open-source software. You just created a world where anybody could build an AI solution.”
Ana Paula Assis, SVP, Chair and General Manager for EMEA and Growth Markets at IBM, explored the intersection of AI deployment and quantum architectures. “With quantum architecture, we can parallelize a lot of operations to run at the same time, so innovators can come up with solutions today, which a classical computer would take years to achieve,” she explained.
Paul L. Palandjian, CEO & General Partner of O’Leary Ventures, brought a financial perspective to the debate, highlighting the critical link between data centers and power generation. “If you’re in the data center business, by definition, you’re in the power business. Today there’s a tremendous shortage, especially in North America, for power,” he noted. Addressing the AI investment landscape, he described the sector as being in “the first half of the first inning of a five-decade megatrend.”
In the creative domain, Eliah Seton, CEO of SoundCloud, addressed the ethical dimensions of AI in music, emphasizing the need for transparency and respect for intellectual property. “AI and music is a question of trust and transparency,” Seton said. “Content identification, AI detection, and tagging content are key to building this trust.”
Across the exhibition floor, enterprise innovation attracted large crowds. Google Cloud demonstrated AI-optimized data analytics and sustainable cloud architectures tailored for the Middle East. Abu Dhabi-based ai71 showcased its applied AI solutions for enterprise and government, focusing on overcoming barriers to AI adoption.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise unveiled next-generation solutions, including Morpheus Enterprise and its Sovereign AI Factory, a modular system designed to help governments and enterprises deploy locally governed AI infrastructure. JetBrains attracted developer audiences with AI coding assistants and integrated development environment services.
Dubai-based robotics firm Mangobot displayed its humanoid and “Wolf Pack” dog robots, including the A2 model capable of learning complex skills such as surgical procedures. Meanwhile, Micropolis introduced an autonomous vehicle engineered for police and public safety operations, equipped with AI-driven monitoring and real-time incident reporting.
The day also featured several partnership signings, including a memorandum of cooperation between Microsoft and Dubai Municipality on cloud computing and cybersecurity, and a collaboration between Deloitte and IBM to accelerate AI adoption across the region. First Abu Dhabi Bank and the UAE Media Council also announced a strategic partnership.
With attendance continuing to break records, GITEX GLOBAL 2025 moves into its third day focused on breakthroughs in digital health, biosciences, and AI-driven healthcare innovations.
–Input WAM
