2026 World Governments Summit Reception Explores New Frontiers in Bilateral Tech Cooperation
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(Left to Right: President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Danny Sebright, VP of Industrial Applications at Oracle Simon de Montfort Walker, and Head of Strategy & Security at MGX David Scott)

“The U.S.-U.A.E. relationship is the U.S.’s most important trade relationship in the region and AI is quickly becoming a pillar of that relationship,” said MGX’s Chief of Strategy & Security David Scott. 

On Monday, February 2nd, 2026, the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted its annual kick off reception ahead of the World Governments Summit (WGS), which brings together governments, international organizations, and private sector leaders from around the globe to identify innovative solutions for future challenges. 

Building upon this year’s WGS theme of ‘Shaping Future Governments,’ the reception featured speakers from two companies at the forefront of enabling AI adoption across industries and governments in the U.S. and U.A.E.: Oracle’s Vice President of Industry Applications, Simon de Montfort Walker, and MGX’s Chief of Strategy and Security, David Scott. 

The reception highlighted growing bilateral cooperation in the AI and advanced technology sectors through landmark projects like the Stargate U.A.E. initiative, and through MGX and BlackRock’s recent purchase of the U.S.’ Aligned Data Centers. The evening provided an opportunity for local and visiting business executives, government officials, and thought leaders to discuss this growing area of bilateral cooperation.

Highlights from David Scott and Simon de Montfort Walker emphasized: 

  • MGX’s strategy to invest 70-80% of its total portfolio in the U.S. across the full tech stack — from semi conductors, to infrastructure, to AI applications. 
  • The critical role MGX plays propagating the U.S. tech stack abroad, in alignment with the U.S. government’s AI Action Plan. 
  • MGX’s commitment to investing in technology companies that prioritize reducing their carbon footprint through innovative solutions. David noted that, “In the future, AI should help us develop technologies to operate power plants and data centers more sustianably.”
  • Oracle’s view that the U.A.E. is an essential partner, one “fundamental to delivering the future that Oracle is building towards.”
  • “We can’t do what we do globally on AI without the U.A.E… Other countries look to the U.A.E. as an example on both AI governance and how to apply AI solutions in policy,” said Mr. Walker. 
  • Oracle’s AI work beyond general infrastructure in the U.A.E., such as in their recent partnership with M42 and Cleveland Clinic to build an AI-powered healthcare platform to deliver intelligent healthcare solutions in the U.S. and U.A.E.

Danny Sebright summarized the sentiment of the evening, saying, “Few areas better reflect the positive and critical moment in the growing U.S.-U.A.E. commercial partnership than AI.”

The 2026 World Governments Summit takes place from February 3 through 5, 2026 in Dubai. Learn more here.

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council will be convene a dinner on the growing AI research cooperation between the U.S. and U.A.E. in Abu Dhabi on February 3 and will convene our AI & Tech Working Group on February 5. To learn more about the Business Council’s technology programming and this event, please contact Maggie Paddock at mpaddock@usuaebusiness.org