Middle East leads the shift toward AI-powered autonomy

Businesses often hesitate to invest in new technology, especially with new iterations of artificial intelligence. 

Technical Review spoke to Nasri Nassereddine, regional vice president, Cumulocity, to find out how AI can bring real change. Read on: 

What are some of the most pressing challenges when adopting automation technologies?

One of the biggest challenges is legacy infrastructure as many organisations lack the digital maturity required to process real-time data at scale. Data silos, fragmented architectures, and cybersecurity risks also hinder progress. More importantly, the talent gap in AI and IoT engineering makes it difficult to execute and accelerate this change. But above all, decision-makers are grappling with how to balance short-term ROI with long-term transformation. The shift to autonomy is not just a technological upgrade, but it is an organisational shift in mindset, operations and an overall approach to business.

What opportunities are emerging as a result?

We're seeing breakthroughs in predictive maintenance, real-time optimisation, and AI-driven decision-making which directly impact cost, uptime, and sustainable objectives of organisations . In smart cities and various sectors, autonomy is enabling safer and more resilient operations. What’s unique in the Middle East is the scale and ambition of innovation from sovereign entities. With projects like smart cities and digital twin initiatives, the region isn’t just adopting autonomy, it is shaping the future of autonomous ecosystems with localised innovation, AIoT platforms, and national digital infrastructure.

How important is government and regulatory support?

The government and regulators support and contribution is foundational to its adoption and growth. In the Middle East, leadership  vision from leadership and top-down execution are driving real change. Governments in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar are not only investing in national AI strategies, but they are consciously building regulatory sandboxes, launching sovereign cloud initiatives, and integrating autonomy into giga-projects. This clarity and commitment pave the path for private sector players. When regulation aligns with innovation, it supports fast-track adoption and encourages public-private collaboration at scale.

How can remote condition monitoring transform fleet and device management?

In Saudi Arabia, we are currently working on a semi-government project and deploying a system to manage over 100,000 vehicles. This system will track health diagnostics, fuel consumption, and driver behavior in real time of thousands of vehicles simultaneously. The business impact is manifold and measurable: fewer breakdowns, optimised routes, and safer operations. In industrial IoT, Cumulocity can monitor thousands of distributed assets, from water pumps to energy meters remotely and detect faults before they disrupt service. Cumulocity fosters operational resilience through continuous visibility and insight. 

What does a smooth, scalable deployment of autonomous systems look like?

The key is to start small, validate early, and scale fast. A successful journey begins with a defined use case; for instance  predictive maintenance on HVAC systems or real-time tracking of utility meters. Cumulocity then layers in intelligence and remote control gradually, guided by performance data. For instance, with one regional utility provider, Cumulocity piloted to evolve their system from manual readings to full AI-based leak detection. The transformation showed that it is not just technical, it brought about new processes, new KPIs, and a cultural shift toward data-driven operations. The key for autonomy to provide optimum impact is when it is embedded into daily workflows, and not treated as an isolated project.