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AI-powered personalized learning: The next frontier for Middle East education

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Pearson

By Isil Berkan, Marketing Director, Middle East, Africa & Turkey at Pearson

Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant promise: it’s already reshaping how we live, work, and learn. In the classroom, AI-powered tools are adapting lessons in real-time to each student’s strengths, gaps, and pace. That means less time marking, and more time for teachers to connect, coach, and inspire.

In the Middle East, governments are actively reforming education to build a digital-ready workforce. AI offers a unique opportunity to close skill gaps, increase engagement, and prepare youth not only for today’s jobs but for those yet to come. With thoughtful implementation and the right safeguards, AI-powered learning is reshaping education at an unprecedented scale and speed.

The current state of AI in Middle Eastern education

Across the region, governments are investing significantly in digital transformation in education. In the UAE, AI learning begins from kindergarten, part of its ambition to become a global leader in AI. The country now ranks third globally for attracting AI talent, according to Stanford’s 2024 AI Index report.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 includes a bold national strategy for data and AI, aiming to position the Kingdom among the world’s top AI-powered economies. Initiatives like “One Million Saudis in AI” and “Artificial Intelligence Hour” are already equipping hundreds of thousands of students with essential skills. Public-private partnerships are accelerating progress, especially in STEM and bilingual education.

Why AI-powered personalized learning is needed

Many traditional classrooms are constrained by fixed curricula and standardized teaching methods. This can make it difficult to meet the needs of individual students. AI can help close the gap—giving every student tailored support based on how they learn best. It doesn’t replace teachers; it gives them better tools to adapt, support, and engage.

The AI in education market is expected to grow to over $20 billion by 2027. Pearson’s own research found that 76% of teachers spend at least an hour a week planning lessons in their own time. This provided inspiration for innovations like our Smart Lesson Generator, which reduces admin and delivers curriculum-aligned content at the right level, in seconds.

Generative AI can identify at-risk learners early, recommend specific interventions, and dynamically adapt materials for better comprehension and retention. These tools tailor content to each learner’s unique needs by offering personalized explanations, summaries, and practice questions.

How it can be implemented and the benefits

AI needs more than access to devices; it works best when integrated into pedagogy. Tools like Mondly by Pearson let learners practise speaking and listening in realistic, role-based scenarios, powered by speech recognition and adaptive feedback.

This kind of real-time assessment is especially valuable for workforce preparation, where language skills, particularly English, directly influence employability. In Saudi Arabia, Pearson’s research shows a 40% gap in English skills across industries, something AI can help address at scale.

Challenges and considerations

In a world where 60% of educators are already implementing AI in the classroom, concerns around data privacy, digital literacy, and equitable access cannot be ignored.

Many schools still lack the infrastructure or teacher training needed to roll out AI programs effectively, with 61% of teachers indicating they would feel more confident using AI if they were properly trained. However, these challenges present opportunities for regional collaboration and innovation. Ethical frameworks, clear data policies, and inclusive curriculum design can mitigate risks.

AI-powered tools that are built on proprietary standards like the Global Scale of English can ensure precision and alignment with real-world learning outcomes. Rather than replacing educators, AI should be positioned as a tool that empowers them, providing real-time assistance during lessons, answering questions, and offering extra resources.

Government initiatives and national strategies

The UAE’s AI Strategy 2031 and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 show a clear commitment to integrating AI across all levels of education. Programs like the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP) are sending students abroad to study advanced technologies, while EdTech partnerships are multiplying across the region.

By 2030, AI is expected to contribute over $96 billion to the UAE’s economy and $135 billion to Saudi Arabia’s. To realise this, education must lead the way.

The road ahead

To make the most of AI in education, we need more than devices and dashboards. We need collaboration.

Educators need hands-on training. Policymakers need to create regulations that promote safe, equitable use of AI. And technology providers must build tools with—not just for—teachers and learners. That includes embedding AI into curricula and teaching the next generation how to use it responsibly.

The Middle East has momentum on its side. If governments, educators, and tech companies act together, the region can set a global example, building an education system that’s more personalised, more agile, and fit for the future.

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IT services spend in MENA set to reach up to 28% of total IT budgets as services-led transformation accelerates

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The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is entering a decisive, services-led growth phase in its IT sector, as enterprises and governments accelerate large-scale digital transformation initiatives. Investments in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), data centres, and cybersecurity are reshaping technology priorities, with implementation, integration, and managed services gaining prominence over traditional software-led models.

Industry analysis by Grand View Research (GVR) reveals that IT services currently account for around 21–22% of total IT spending across MENA, a share expected to rise to between 26 and 28% by the end of the decade. The region’s professional IT services market, valued at USD 33.9 billion (Dh124.5 billion) in 2024, is forecast to grow to nearly USD 58.3 billion (Dh214 billion) by 2030, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9.5%.

Sourav Bhanja, Middle East Head of GVR, said: “Many B2B IT services firms in the region continue to underinvest in digital engagement. Professional platforms such as LinkedIn remain underutilised, while company websites often lack strong case studies, sector-specific storytelling, and clear positioning.”

Government-led digitalisation programmes, sovereign cloud deployments, smart city initiatives, and national data strategies, coupled with rising enterprise adoption across sectors such as banking and financial services, healthcare, energy, logistics, and public infrastructure, are driving this shift. As hyperscalers and global technology firms expand their regional footprint, demand for localised integration, migration, and managed services continues to accelerate.

Bhanja also emphasised the importance of leadership visibility in the region’s competitive IT market: “Technical capability alone is no longer enough. Firms that combine deep technical expertise with consistent marketing, strong leadership visibility, and clear communication of value are the ones most likely to succeed in the MENA market.”

The analysis highlights that with growing competition among IT services providers, market visibility and differentiation have emerged as critical growth drivers. Integrated, always-on digital marketing strategies are increasingly vital, as many B2B IT services firms underutilise channels such as LinkedIn, websites, thought leadership content, newsletters, blogs, infographics, and short-form video to engage decision-makers.

Market data also indicates a broader shift towards digital-first engagement. Digital advertising spend in the Middle East, estimated at USD 32 billion (Dh117 billion) in 2024, is projected to rise sharply to USD 81.4 billion (Dh298.9 billion) by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.7%. In contrast, the regional events and conferences market is expected to expand at a more modest 7.1% CAGR, reflecting changing enterprise marketing priorities.

Grand View Research concluded that IT services firms combining technical depth with strong market communication, data-driven marketing, and visible leadership will be best positioned to capture the next phase of growth across MENA.

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Loylogic Shares 2026 Vision to Advance the Global Rewards Marketplace

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Advanced AI innovation, intelligent marketplace design, and trusted global infrastructure position Loylogic for continued leadership in rewards and loyalty commerce.

Gabi Kool, CEO, Loylogic

As the Middle East loyalty market is projected to reach $3.27 billion in 2025, expanding 16.3% year-on-year, and digital-first, personalized, and coalition-based models reshape the industry, brands face rising expectations around relevance and engagement. Against this evolving landscape, Loylogic, a leader in global loyalty rewards management, today shared its 2026 strategic outlook, outlining how the company is evolving its global rewards marketplace to support brands navigating rapidly changing loyalty expectations.


The company enters the year with a renewed focus on continued investment in AI-powered rewards marketplace intelligence, enhanced catalogue curation, and deeper integration capabilities designed to improve reward relevance, partner value, and member experience across industries and geographies. Rather than simply expanding choice, Loylogic’s approach centres on intelligent rewards marketplace design, aligning consumer relevance, operational efficiency, and long-term value creation within a single global platform.

To support enterprise scale deployment, Loylogic continues to operate under a robust compliance and security, compliance and governance framework. The company adheres to internationally recognised standards ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI DSS, and AES-256 encryption, ensuring secure and trusted data handling across every layer of its technology while maintaining alignment with the European Accessibility Act 2025 and WCAG 2.0. All platforms remain adaptable to regional data residency and regulatory requirements.

“As loyalty programs mature, brands are looking beyond scale alone,” said Gabi Kool, CEO of Loylogic. “They want reward ecosystems that are smarter, more relevant, and commercially sound. Our focus for 2026 is about advancing how global rewards marketplaces are designed, governed, and experienced, combining intelligence, trust, and flexibility.”

Advanced AI innovation is central to Loylogic’s next phase of growth. Loylogic continues to enhance its use of advanced analytics and machine learning to support smarter reward discovery, improved marketplace performance, and deeper insights for loyalty operators, while maintaining strict standards for privacy, security, and compliance.

“Our innovation efforts are focused on making rewards marketplaces more intelligent and adaptive,” said Amit Bendre, COO of Loylogic. “This means better insight, better decision support, and better experiences, without compromising on trust, transparency, or regulatory rigor.”


Looking ahead to 2026, Loylogic plans to deepen collaboration with global partners, engage more actively with industry stakeholders, and selectively strengthen capabilities across commercial, product, and technology functions, supporting a growing pipeline of enterprise clients across financial services, travel, and consumer sectors. With a proven global infrastructure, deep marketplace expertise, and a clear strategic direction, Loylogic continues to help leading brands transform everyday engagement into meaningful, long-term loyalty.

About Loylogic

Loylogic is a leader in global rewards marketplaces for loyalty and incentives management, enabling brands to deliver scalable, flexible engagement experiences through a modern commerce platform. Its global catalog and redemption marketplace support meaningful engagement across B2C, B2E, and B2B programs worldwide. With deep expertise in sourcing, fulfilment, and patented points-plus-cash innovation, Loylogic has enabled over 200 billion points and miles transactions, delivered more than $1 billion in commerce, and shipped experiences spanning 100+ categories across 190 countries to more than 10 million loyalty members worldwide.

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Webook.com Strengthens UAE Footprint, Bringing World-Class Entertainment Experiences

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Webook.com, one of the fastest-growing platforms for booking lifestyle and entertainment experiences in the Middle East, is deepening its footprint in the United Arab Emirates following strong traction across the country.

Founded with a vision to transform how people discover and book experiences, webook.com continues to elevate convenience through a unified platform that brings together entertainment, dining, and leisure in a seamless digital journey.

Within the UAE, webook.com has rapidly expanded its user base while curating a lineup of world-class experiences. From comedy nights with Bassem Youssef to electrifying Teddy Swims concerts and the magic of Disney on Ice, webook.com continues to bring some of the region’s most unforgettable events to audiences across the UAE. Beyond these major hosted events, users can also book global entertainment experiences, including MDLBEAST, Riyadh Season, AFCON and other leading events happening across MENA.

Commenting on the expansion, Nadeem Bakhsh, CEO of webook.com, said: “Webook.com was built to curate the experiences that matter most, from front-row access to world-class entertainment to discovering hidden local gems. Expanding our footprint to the UAE allows us to bring a carefully selected lineup of events and experiences to the region. Our goal is to continue providing variety, quality, and seamless access to unforgettable moments.”

As the platform widens its presence across the UAE, it continues to strengthen partnerships with top entertainment brands, cultural institutions, and iconic venues, enabling users to access an unmatched selection of events and experiences.

Webook.com’s technology has proven itself across multiple markets, handling millions of transactions during major events, tournaments, and high-demand ticket releases. With real-time queueing, robust infrastructure, and flexible integration, webook.com delivers landmark events with unmatched reliability and scale.

With momentum accelerating in the UAE, webook.com aims to transform how people discover, plan, and enjoy experiences, turning every booking into the start of a memorable story. Beyond expanding its presence, webook.com is shaping a movement centered on connection, culture, and the joy of shared moments.

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