The Middle East and North Africa region is among the highest regions in the world in using Gemini, according to Google, but the picture within companies seems more complex. Most organizations today have initial AI experiments or projects, while the transition from limited testing to large-scale operation still faces challenges, most notably data and governance.
This paradox between the speed of individual adoption and the challenges of institutional implementation puts the region before a different test as the year 2030 approaches. This is what Anthony Nakash, Executive General Manager of the Middle East and North Africa region at Google, explains in an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, saying that the next stage will not be measured by the number of users or the volume of spending on infrastructure alone, but rather by the region’s ability to develop local technologies and export them to global markets, rather than simply adapting solutions developed outside of it.
Production testing
Naqash, who spent 18 years at Google and about four and a half years in the region, believes that the Middle East has become a major player on the global artificial intelligence map. This is attributed to a combination of several factors, including government ambition, national strategies, and investments in infrastructure, in addition to developing skills and policies, and supporting scientific research and startups.
He points out that the results of these efforts have become clear at the level of use, especially among consumers. The region is among the markets with the highest global use of Gemini, with high levels of optimism in the potential of artificial intelligence. But moving to the next stage requires, according to Naqash, a greater expansion of commercial use within institutions, leading to the adoption of more advanced systems, including “agent artificial intelligence” capable of carrying out multiple tasks and dealing with more complex problems. He places “trust” at the heart of this transformation, especially as systems move from providing answers to implementing procedures, pointing out the importance of developing solutions that take into account the local context alongside global technologies.
The impact goes beyond technology
Naqash cites the economic impact of Google's products in Saudi Arabia and the UAE to illustrate how the company measures the value of technology outside its direct services.
According to a study prepared by an independent consulting firm commissioned by Google, the economic impact of the company’s product range in the two countries was estimated at approximately $14.2 billion during the year 2024. These products include YouTube, Maps, Search, advertising, cloud computing, and Android, which are services that depend to varying degrees on artificial intelligence.
The discussion of this value links individuals and companies' use of these tools to research, make decisions, acquire skills, reach customers, and improve efficiency and security. He also points to the job opportunities generated by Android systems, cloud computing, and content creation on YouTube, noting that technical leadership is not limited to developing models and infrastructure, but rather includes measurable economic and societal impact.
Why do some companies falter?
At the enterprise level, it is not argued that the lack of infrastructure or tools represents the only obstacle to expanding the use of AI, although it is expected that more capabilities will be needed in the future to meet the demand.
The most pressing problem, according to him, lies in moving from pilot projects to full implementation. He says that he rarely meets an organization that does not test artificial intelligence in one way or another, but that does not mean that the technology has become an essential part of its daily operations, identifying two main obstacles. The first is about data; Organizations need to know their nature, accuracy, and modernity, and how systems rely on them when making decisions, even as modern models improve their ability to deal with less structured data. The second obstacle is governance, especially determining responsibility for decisions made by proxy systems. He points out that a limited number of companies he deals with have succeeded in developing a clear framework for this issue, which makes the transition from a limited experimental environment to broader applications that serve customers more complex.
Challenges of actual use
While data and governance represent two major challenges for organizations, consumers face a different difficulty related to learning to use the tools effectively. Naqash explains that many users still find it difficult to obtain the desired results, due to the limited or unclear “prompts” they provide to the systems. This challenge increases with the emergence of agent platforms capable of automating work, as the user needs to understand how to design workflows, not just formulate questions.
This is why, according to Naqash, Google seeks to integrate artificial intelligence into the products that individuals and companies already use, rather than always presenting it as a separate tool. He cites the “Performance Max” advertising tool, which allows the advertiser to present creative materials and business objectives, while the system distributes campaigns across Google products. According to Naqash, the company in the region recorded increases in sales ranging between 14 and 20 percent among users of the tool.
Skills gap
Naqash believes that the digital skills gap is not new, but has gained greater importance with artificial intelligence. Due to its advanced capabilities and the risks associated with its use, as well as the need for skills beyond traditional digital knowledge.
Google says that it has trained more than three million people in the region in digital skills since the launch of the “Skills from Google” program in 2018. It has also allocated $15 million within the “MENA AI Opportunity Initiative” to train half a million people in the Middle East and North Africa, in cooperation with local partners, including government agencies, universities, and business incubators.
However, Naqash stresses the need for evaluating success not to be limited to the number of trainees or certificates, but rather to include the ability of participants to apply what they have learned in practice. This is why the initiative targets diverse groups, including students, government employees, and entrepreneurs. Despite the high rates of use of artificial intelligence in the region, he believes that the largest gap is still in the capabilities necessary to build technologies and integrate them within institutions, even if some countries have succeeded in attracting global talent.
Search behavior has transformed
The influence of artificial intelligence extends to the search engine, one of Google's oldest and largest products. Naqash says that 15 percent of daily searches include queries that the company has not seen before, which reflects the continuing change in user behavior.
With the integration of artificial intelligence into the search experience, the number of monthly active users of the “AI Overviews” feature reached about 2.5 billion, compared to one billion users of the “AI Mode” service, according to the company’s figures.
The form of inquiries also changes; Questions asked via AI Mode are now on average three times longer than traditional searches, while one in six queries move beyond text to images or other forms of interaction.
Countering digital fraud
Nakash acknowledges that artificial intelligence has changed the landscape of digital threats, although cyber fraud predates the emergence of this technology, but he emphasizes that the company also uses artificial intelligence as one of the main means of defense against malicious activity.
According to the numbers he presented, the company's technologies helped prevent or remove about eight billion malicious ads during the past year, in addition to nearly 25 million accounts linked to malicious parties.
To deal with artificial content; Google has developed SynthID technology, which Time magazine chose as one of the best innovations of 2026. The technology allows invisible digital watermarks to be included in texts, images, videos, and audio content generated by artificial intelligence, without affecting its quality.
According to company data, the technology was used to distinguish more than 180 billion images and video clips, in addition to audio content equivalent to 240 thousand years. Content verification tools also handle about one million requests per day, with the use of the technology expanding to include companies including OpenAI, Nvidia, Cocoa, and Apple.
These tools help verify the presence of digital tags in technology-enabled content, but they do not mean the ability to detect all materials produced by artificial intelligence. Naqash emphasizes that confronting fraud and artificial content cannot be undertaken by one company, but rather requires the cooperation of governments, regulators, academic institutions and the private sector.
Test in 2030
As 2030 approaches, Naqash believes that the region's success in artificial intelligence will not be measured by rates of use and investments alone, but rather by its ability to develop its own technologies and reach global markets.
Attracting talent is one of the most important factors in the transition from consumption to production, noting that Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and Qatar are already working on developing Arabic linguistic models, but this represents the beginning of what can be achieved.
He says the spread of Arabic speakers beyond the region's borders provides a broader market for locally developed solutions, while the combination of infrastructure, policies, investments and skills can support the development of technologies with global scope.
For him, the real test by 2030 is for the region not to simply use solutions developed by others or adapt them to its needs, but to produce technologies that originate from its markets and reach users around the world.
With the rising costs of electronic device components, simple smartphones have become out of reach for many users, leaving a large segment of value seekers unable to afford the smartphone experience they desire. The Asha series of phones brings this experience back within reach by directing investment towards what people actually use, and removing the cost of what they don't need.
The “Human Mobile Devices HMD Asha 305” phone offers a concept that combines an affordable economic price with everyday smart functions, in addition to a modern and practical design and a fast and smooth browsing experience. It is made by the European company “HMD” and the maker of “Nokia” phones. Asharq Al-Awsat tested the phone in addition to a useful smart watch, and we will mention a summary of the experience.
A smartphone at an unprecedented price
The Asha 305 phone redefines value in the world of smartphones, providing the user with an integrated experience that combines affordable price and daily reliability, in a practical design and an extended battery that meets needs with high efficiency.
-Visual elegance and practical touches: The back of the phone offers a distinctive design based on a three-dimensional nano-pattern, which gives it an elegant appearance. The role of this style is not only aesthetic, but also provides a secure and comfortable grip in the hand to resist slipping during continuous daily use. The phone is available in two colors to suit different tastes, and offers ports for modern charging and standard headphones with a diameter of 3.5 mm. This allows wired headphones to be connected directly without the need for any additional connections.
Its most important beneficial features:
-Capture daily moments clearly and simply: The phone offers a 2-megapixel rear camera supported by an optical flash to ensure that everyday photos are captured clearly. This camera helps document quick and important moments easily and is suitable for basic uses. The phone also includes a 2-megapixel front camera specifically designed for taking personal photos and making video calls. Together, the dual cameras provide a complete and balanced solution for all your simple photography and daily video communication needs.
-Smooth and complication-free performance: The phone runs on a customized and stable operating system that has been carefully tuned to run daily applications with high efficiency and smoothness. The phone comes equipped with a variety of popular applications, which include conversation, chat, social networking and entertainment applications. The system is completely free of redundant or unnecessary applications that may drain storage capacity, or affect performance and speed levels. This ensures light performance and provides the user with full storage capacity. This stability provides a comfortable experience for new users, as messages and video presentations work completely efficiently.
-Reliable power: The phone features a battery that can be removed and changed with a charge of 2500 mAh; This allows the user to avoid malfunctions of the built-in batteries. This battery provides talk time of up to 15 hours and extended usage of up to 32 hours to keep up with the entire day.
-Extended wireless support: The phone supports the ability to connect to wireless networks and provide a hotspot to share the communications network, in addition to direct wireless connection technology, a GPS system, and support for using two SIM cards to move between two different numbers with ease.
- Speed of performance: The phone keeps the system free of redundant programs to remain fast, instead of loading it with pre-installed applications that drain storage capacity and slow down performance.
Technical specifications
-Screen diameter: 5 inches
-Resolution: 480 x 854 pixels
-Image display technology: FWVGA
-Rear camera resolution: 2 megapixels
-Front camera resolution: 2 megapixels
-Rear flash light: Yes, with LED technology
-Support for wireless networks: “Wi-Fi” b, g, n, “Bluetooth 4.2”, 4G networks, and two SIM cards.
-Battery: It can be removed, and has a charge of 2500 mAh
-Charging speed: 5W
-Usage time: 15 hours of talk time or 32 hours of light use
-Processor: Unisoc T137
-Built-in storage capacity: 16 GB
-Memory: 2 GB
-Support for portable memory cards «Micro SD»: Yes, up to 128 GB
-Operating system: HMD Pulse OS
-Built-in microphone and speakers: Yes
-Thickness: 10.2 mm
Weight: 145 grams
Price and availability: The phone is available in the Arab region in black or green at a price of 199 Saudi riyals (about 53 US dollars).
Smart metal watch for health and sports
The Watch
• Contemporary design and a luxurious metal body: The HMD Watch Its structure is distinguished by its fine details and balanced dimensions, giving it an elegant appearance. Which makes it suitable for all formal and daily times alike. The front panel offers a high-resolution screen with AMOLED technology, with bright colors and high clarity, even under direct sunlight. The durable bracelet provides stability to the watch throughout daily wear without any discomfort.
• Health and fitness care: The watch contains an advanced system of precise sensors that monitor the user’s health condition at all times, including an accurate sensor for heart rate and blood oxygen levels. These vital tools help provide instant and reliable readings that contribute to raising public health awareness and tracking physical performance with ease. In addition, the watch supports accurately tracking sleep patterns and monitoring stress levels, as well as tracking calories burned and daily steps. It also provides multiple sports modes that include more than 700 different physical activities to meet the aspirations of sports enthusiasts of all categories.
• Lasting power and high efficiency in every use: The watch provides a practical user experience thanks to its powerful battery that lasts for long days on a single charge. This reduces the need for frequent recharging. The fast magnetic charging system provides an easy and convenient way to restore the charge as quickly as possible. The watch includes advanced communication features that allow the user to follow up on calls, make alerts, and view important notifications directly from his wrist. It is also characterized by its superior resistance to water and dust according to the IP68 standard (it can be submerged under water to a depth of one and a half meters for 30 minutes, while resisting dust). What gives it high reliability in various conditions. In addition, the watch contains useful daily aids, such as motion alerts, water drinking reminders, weather monitoring, and remote phone camera control.
Technical specifications
-Screen diameter: 1.43 inches
-Screen resolution: 466 x 466 pixels
-Image density: 326 pixels per inch
-Image display technology: AMOLED
Lighting intensity: 600 lumens
-Support for talking with others: Yes, after connecting it to the phone via Bluetooth technology
-Battery charge: enough to operate for about 5 days
-Thickness: 11 mm
-Weight: 65.5 grams.
The Anker Solex E10 Home Backup System is one of the tools you wish you never needed. However, if the power goes out, you'll be glad you have it. It keeps the lights on, the refrigerator running, and your home warm in the winter or cool in the summer. In fact, it provides you with a kind of peace of mind that is priceless, and you only realize its true value when you need it.
We all, of course, view power outages at home as an inconvenience. Sometimes, this interruption occurs completely unexpectedly. So, choosing the right system for your home, depending on what you want to run and your budget, is a critical step.
Backup power system
Overall, the Anker Solix E10 Home Backup System consists of several components, making it customizable, depending on what you want to run during a power outage. It is necessary to note that this system is not the type that you can activate yourself, because
