Smobler takes vertical AI food compliance push to the Gulf

Singapore-founded technology company Smobler is exploring the expansion of its Robin AI platform toward halal compliance workflows across ASEAN and MENA.

The move reflects Smobler's broader bet on vertical AI: as access to increasingly capable AI models becomes ubiquitous, competitive advantage will shift toward specialised applications solving expensive, persistent and industry-specific problems, the company said.

Smobler launched Robin AI in Hawaiʻi in June 2026 to help early-stage food and beverage entrepreneurs generate draft nutrition labels and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) food-safety plans. The platform is designed to support food safety specialists and regulatory authorities. A future system would similarly support recognised halal certification authorities, qualified auditors and human decision-makers.

"We want to help small producers navigate compliance more efficiently and reduce friction between creating a product and reaching a market," Chen said.

"The most interesting technologies scale globally because the underlying problem is widespread and travels."

Smobler also sees broader opportunity connecting Southeast Asia and the Gulf: adapting technologies and operating knowledge between markets rather than simply exporting software from one region to another.

"The Middle East opportunity isn't interesting simply because AI investment is booming," Smobler CEO Dr Loretta Chen said.

"There are real problems at the intersection of food, trade, logistics and technology where our Asia-Pacific experience may be useful and we have to learn from regional partners."

"Everyone can build an AI demo now," Smobler CTO Mridhul Pax added.

"The difficult part starts afterwards. Can the system be trusted? Is it economical to operate? Does it integrate into the industry? That last mile between an impressive prototype and reliable infrastructure is where we spend much of our time."

Smobler is seeking pilot, technology and commercial partners across food technology and trade, AI infrastructure and enterprise automation, logistics and maritime technology, as well as investment and innovation ecosystems. Organisations interested in discussing a potential pilot can contact mridhul@smobler.io.

Qatar's General Authority of Endowments partners with Wahed to develop AI-powered equity analysis capability

Source: Wahed. Qatar's General Authority of Endowments will work with Wahed to develop an AI-powered equity analysis platform.

Wahed, a global Islamic fintech and asset manager, has announced that its Qatar-based entity, Wahed MENA, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with The General Directorate of Endowments at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in Qatar.

Under the terms of the agreement, Wahed MENA will develop and pilot an AI-powered shari'ah equity analysis and screening platform tailored to the needs of Qatar's endowment sector. Bringing together Wahed's global expertise in Islamic fintech and asset management with Awqaf's shari'ah and investment expertise in endowment oversight, the initiative is designed to build a smarter, more efficient approach to screening and analysing equities listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) for shari'ah compliance.

The project supports Awqaf's efforts to leverage cutting-edge technologies and digital innovation in line with the Ministry's Strategic Plan (2025-2030), which focuses on digital transformation, AI technologies, institutional innovation, performance efficiency and sustainability. It also aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the country's broader transition toward a knowledge-based economy.

The platform will combine AI-driven equity screening, natural language processing (NLP), financial indicator and ratio analysis, and a bilingual Arabic-English interface to support Awqaf's internal investment assessment processes. Features under development include dividend screening, historical shari'ah compliance tracking, risk-based analysis and an AI-assisted shari'ah screening support chatbot for internal use.

By combining financial data analysis, compliance monitoring and intelligent screening capabilities, the platform is expected to enhance the speed, consistency and scalability of investment analysis, strengthen governance and transparency in endowment investment management, and provide institutional-grade insights to support decision-making on robust Shariah and financial foundations.

Mohammed Abdullah Al Harmi, Director of the Investment Department at the General Directorate of Endowments, described the project as a crucial step in advancing endowment work. "This initiative ushers in a new era of endowment operations that combines shari'ah authenticity with technological innovation," he said.

"This partnership reflects our commitment to putting technology in service of Islamic finance principles," said Khalid Al Jassim, Executive Chairman of Wahed MENA.

"By working with Awqaf, we are taking a meaningful step toward making shari'ah-compliant investment intelligence more precise, accessible and scalable."

The initiative represents a significant step forward in the adoption of AI within Islamic asset management. Upon completion, the platform will serve as a model for endowment institutions, asset managers, sovereign entities and financial organisations seeking to integrate AI into shari'ah-compliant investment processes.

Malaysia, Zetrix AI to build global standards for shari'ah-compliant AI

Source: Zetrix. Signing ceremony for the letter of intent between Zetrix AI and the Malaysian government via the PM's Department (Religious Affairs). Front row: Datuk Mohd Jimmy Wong Abdullah, Director of Zetrix AI (left) and Dato’ Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee, Director General of Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) (right). Back row, from left: witnesses YB Tuan Haji Mohd Fared bin Khalid, Chairman of the Johor State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee; YB Dato’ Haji Asman Shah bin Abd. Rahman, Secretary of the Johor State Government; YAB Dato’ Onn Hafiz bin Ghazi, Chief Minister of Johor; YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, PM of Malaysia; and YB Senator Dato’ Setia Dr Haji Mohd Na’im bin Haji Mokhtar, Minister in the PM's Department (Religious Affairs).

Zetrix AI, developer of the world's first shari'ah-aligned large language model (LLM) NurAI and Malaysia's PM's Department (Religious Affairs) have signed a letter of intent (LoI) to collaborate on establishing a global framework for shari'ah compliance, certification and governance in AI. 

With the collaboration, Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development JAKIM, under the Ministry's leadership, will play a central role in guiding the certification, governance and ethical standards of NurAI, ensuring its alignment with Islamic principles.

Malaysia has consistently ranked first in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator, reflecting its leadership not only in halal certification but also in Islamic finance, food and education. JAKIM is internationally recognised as the gold standard in halal certification, accrediting foreign certification bodies across nearly 50 countries. By integrating emerging technologies such as AI and Blockchain to enhance compliance and monitoring, Malaysia continues to set holistic benchmarks for the global Islamic economy, Zetrix noted.

This milestone also underscores the need for an AI platform rooted in Islamic ethics, while positioning Malaysia as a global leader in ethical and shari'ah-compliant AI and a pioneer of international benchmarks. The initiative also reflects the country's halal and digitalisation agendas, ensuring AI remains trusted, secure, and representative of Muslim values while serving more than 2 billion people worldwide, Zetrix added.

At the ceremony PM YAB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim reinforced that national policies should incorporate various inputs, including digitalisation and AI — and must always remain grounded in Islamic principles and values that deserve emphasis.

Through the LoI, Zetrix AI and the government via JAKIM propose to collaborate in three key areas:

- Shari'ah certification and governance: Developing frameworks, ethical guidelines and certification standards for AI systems rooted in Islamic principles. 

- Global advocacy and promotion: Positioning Malaysia as the global centre of excellence for Islamic AI and championing the global Islamic digital economy, at US$5.74 T by 2030.

- JAKIM's official channel on NurAI: Creating a trusted platform for Islamic legal rulings, halal certification and verified shari'ah guidance, combating misinformation through AI. 

NurAI is developed in Malaysia, supporting Bahasa Melayu, English, Indonesian and Arabic. It complies with national data sovereignty and cybersecurity policies, reducing reliance on foreign tools while ensuring AI knowledge stays local, trusted, and secure.

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Download NurAI at nur-ai.zetrix.com

Zetrix AI launches world's first shari'ah-aligned LLM, NurAI

Zetrix AI, formerly known as MY EG Services, has unveiled NurAI, the world's first shari'ah-aligned, Islamic values-based large language model (LLM). NurAI offers guidance consistent with shari'ah rulings on a range of subjects. 

Developed under the guidance of a formal Shari'ah Supervisory Board, NurAI is rooted in Islamic ethics and strict shari'ah alignment on contemporary matters such as law, healthcare and finance, to classical Islamic themes that include history, Islamic philosophy and Quranic studies. 

NurAI offers Muslim-majority nations and Muslim communities an alternative to existing Western and Chinese AI models, which often lack alignment with Islamic values and the development priorities of the Global South, Zetrix said, explaining that 2 billion Muslims support a US$3 trillion Islamic economy and seek AI tools that align with their cultural values, religious principles, and development priorities. NurAI also supports the growing demand for AI sovereignty and shari'ah-aligned technology from governments and institutions across Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Beyond consumer adoption, NurAI lays the groundwork for broader digital Islamic economy infrastructure across halal trade, supply chain, Islamic finance, and governance, thereby advancing AI sovereignty in emerging markets, the company added.

"This is a prime example of how we can harmonise religion and technology for the benefit of the ummah and the advancement of the nation. I would like to call on all parties, including the government, private sectors, financial institutions, and religious bodies, to give full support to the development and expansion of technologies like NurAI," said YAB Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi, Deputy PM of Malaysia. 

The team behind the development of NurAI will establish a shari'ah-aligned framework in collaboration with key religious bodies, including the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM), Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI), International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), and Al-Azhar University in Egypt. 

NurAI will also serves as a foundational LLM upon which advanced agentic and domain-specific generative AI can be built, enabling tailored solutions for real-world applications in sectors such as Islamic finance, education, governance, and halal industry regulation. 

Unique to NurAI are channels that enable users to interact with avatars modelled after experts across various fields. Trained with exclusive datasets, these channels reflect the experts' unique knowledge and teaching philosophy and will provide deeper insights, especially on topics that require careful interpretation and understanding. 

The NurAI team will provide an Islamic finance channel in partnership with INCEIF University, an affiliate of Bank Negara Malaysia, in addition to channels by leading Islamic scholars from around the world.

NurAI is available in Malay, Indonesian, Arabic, and English across both desktop and mobile platforms. The desktop version can be accessed at https://nur-ai.ai.

"The rollout of NurAI is designed to be phased and progressive. It will begin with a freemium B2C app in Malaysia and Indonesia, offering general shari'ah guidance alongside premium features such as inheritance calculators and medical bioethics advice. The second phase will focus on institutional integration via B2B and B2G models, enabling implementation of NurAI into the daily operations of Islamic financial institutions, fintechs, halal certification bodies and shari'ah legal authorities," said Datuk Mohd Jimmy Wong Bin Abdullah, Director of Zetrix AI.

Source: Zetrix AI. Source: Zetrix AI. Dato’ Fadzli Shah, Co-Founder of Zetrix AI, demonstrating NurAI.

Headquartered in Malaysia, Zetrix AI is deploying Blockchain and AI technology across ASEAN. It is also committed to developing responsible, values-based digital infrastructure for Muslim communities worldwide. The company is embracing the convergence of Web 3, AI and robotics to enable optimally-efficient, intelligent and secure cross-border transactions, digital identity interoperability and automation solutions that seamlessly connect peoples, businesses and governments. 

Lunit shares Hajj involvement

The KSA government and Seha Virtual Hospital (SVH) have deployed the Lunit INSIGHT AI-based chest X-ray analysis solution (CXR) to support large-scale screening during the 2025 Hajj season. 

The Hajj, which ran from June 4–9 in 2025,  is one of the world's largest annual mass gatherings. It draws over 2 million pilgrims from more than 160 countries. During this high-risk period, the Saudi health authorities prioritise early detection of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and MERS. 

With hundreds of thousands of chest X-rays taken over just a few days, Lunit's AI successfully assisted healthcare teams on the ground by automatically analysing chest X-rays to identify abnormalities, helping facilitate rapid triage and timely treatment.

"Managing health risks during Hajj requires speed, scale, and precision. That's exactly where our AI comes in—helping frontline teams detect potential issues faster and more reliably," said Brandon Suh, CEO of Lunit, a provider of AI for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. 

"Being selected again for this initiative reflects the strong trust we've built with Saudi Arabia's healthcare leaders and highlights how AI can make a real difference in the field."

This marks another milestone in Lunit's ongoing collaboration with Seha Virtual Hospital, the world's largest virtual hospital and a central component of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 digital healthcare transformation. Lunit INSIGHT CXR was previously validated and integrated into SVH's national screening programme in 2023, with plans to expand across more than 170 medical sites in the kingdom. 

SDAIA sets new standard for generative AI in Arabic

The Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) has integrated the latest NVIDIA technological advancements to enable developers to build and deploy AI applications with the ALLaM Arabic large language model (LLM) more easily.

Leveraging NVIDIA NeMo, part of the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform for large-scale language model training and NeMo Guardrails for AI safety, the collaboration will provide developers with a faster, more accessible path to building generative AI applications with ALLaM’s capabilities and set a new standard for AI-driven language models in the region. 

Additionally, companies will have access to recently-announced NVIDIA NIM Agent Blueprints to support quick and simple development of customised AI agents for any industry.

Arabic speech-to-text technology introduced in KSA

Maqsam, a MENA-based cloud communications company, is on track to disrupt Arabic-speaking customer engagement.

Founded by Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour, Maqsam has developed generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of Arabic automatic speech recognition (ASR), also known as speech-to-text (STT). The company's language models have outperformed Google, Microsoft, and other regional competitors in the race to accurately transcribe the diverse Arabic dialects of the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region, Maqsam said.

Source: Maqsam. The first-of-its-kind STT solution was launched by Maqsam at LEAP 2023 in KSA.

Arabic has 422 million native speakers and around 1.5 billion total speakers globally, but is one of the most neglected languages when it comes to native deep tech offerings, Maqsam noted. Maqsam's technology can transcribe the different Arabic dialects spoken every day in MENA despite their varying orthographies, phonetics and phonological differences, reliably and cost-effectively. 

"Many years of experience went into achieving where we are today and yet this is the tip of the iceberg. Our competitive advantage lies within our proudly native and capable regional team of engineers, machine learning task force as well as mentors who are celebrated global leaders in this particular discipline. Our goal is one where we are helping enable the MENA region to unleash its true potential within a global revolution, rather than be an afterthought once more." said Taifour, CEO of Maqsam during their live showcase at the LEAP technology expo in Riyadh.

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Dubai government announces AI-backed charity and fatwa projects

As part of its contribution to the Dubai 10X initiative, which aims to place Dubai, UAE 10 years ahead of other cities, the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department, in corporation with Dubai Future Foundation, has developed two artificial intelligence (AI) projects - the Virtual Charity Foundation and Virtual Ifta.

Through the two projects, the Department seeks to create a flexible and intelligent environment to enhance charitable activities; strengthen the Department's efforts to deliver and document fatwas; and serve the community through innovative services.

The projects are two among several Dubai 10X proposals launched by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai and Chairman of DFF’s Board of Trustees, at the 6th World Government Summit held in Dubai in February 2018.

HE Dr Hamad bin Al Shaikh Ahmed Al Shaibani, Director General of the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department, said: "As part of its participation in the Dubai 10X initiative, the Department has developed interactive smart platforms using advanced artificial intelligence technologies to enhance philanthropy and create a new method for delivering fatwas. These projects are in line with the Dubai government’s objective of promoting innovation in all sectors to enable Dubai to establish global leadership in shaping the future.”

The Virtual Charity Foundation is the world’s first charity institution that allows donations to be routed directly from donor to beneficiary with the use of AI and Blockchain technology. The global charity platform utilises Blockchain and AI to facilitate direct communication between the donor and beneficiary, thus eliminating the need for counterparties and significantly reducing waiting periods for the beneficiary. The initiative aims to protect the identity of beneficiaries as well as open new ways for community groups from around the world to search and identify charitable aid opportunities. Beneficiaries may also submit cases for review remotely, through AI applications.

The second initiative, Virtual Ifta, uses AI-backed decision-making and big data to streamline the process of disseminating fatwas. Fatwas are rulings by authorities on points of Islamic law. Virtual Ifta aims to facilitate a more instant experience and reduce duplications by removing the need for muftis to answer for the same questions repeatedly. The platform also allows muftis to instantly answer a vast range of queries posed by millions of people around the world.