What if the brightest minds in the MENA region organized a landmark event, bringing together the region’s top talent with leading global scholars, all hosted at one of the world’s premier research universities?
It’s not a dream - it just happened.

Last week, the MenaML Winter School 2026 took place at KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology), bringing together 300 selected participants from more than 2,300 applicants.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of this inspiring community. Over an intensive week, we dove into cutting-edge talks, hands-on workshops, and thought-provoking panels covering machine learning and AI from theory to real-world applications, and everything in between, delivered by leading experts from Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Apple, GSK, MOZN, and more.

Two key takeaways stand out for me:

  1. My own learning journey is only just beginning.
  2. The future of AI in the MENA region is in exceptionally capable hands.

Even as only the second edition, MenaML 2026 was a resounding success, a powerful testament to what focused collaboration, world-class hosting, and regional talent can achieve. Huge thanks to the entire MenaML team, KAUST Academy, and KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) for creating this transformative experience.

Grateful, motivated, and excited for what comes next …