KUWAIT: Zain Kuwait sponsored the third Breaking Barriers conference, organized by the National Leadership Institute (NLI) at Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Center (JACC), titled The Human Side of AI. The event was held under the patronage and in attendance of Minister of State for Communication Affairs Omar Al-Omar.
Zain took part in the opening ceremony, attended by Omar Sultan Al-Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, Zain Kuwait Chief Executive Officer Nawaf Al-Gharabally, Chief Enterprise Business Officer Hamad Al-Marzouq, Chief Corporate Affairs and Relations Officer Waleed Al-Khashti, NLI CEO Mohammad Al-Khulaifi, along with a group of leaders from the public and private sectors, and a number of local, regional and international experts and specialists.
In his opening address on behalf of Zain, Waleed Al-Khashti said: “Today, the Breaking Barriers conference has become an annual platform for leaders from the public and private sectors in Kuwait and the region. This year, it raises a fundamental question: how can we develop AI and harness its unprecedented capabilities without losing our human essence and what we possess in terms of empathy, values and responsibility?” He added: “The conference topics on AI governance and legislation, its ethics, innovation, and the relationship between artificial intelligence and emotional intelligence lie at the heart of this question, and place the ‘human side of technology’ at the center of the discussion.”
Al-Khashti continued: “At Zain, we believe that AI is a key catalyst for innovation and a central pillar in implementing the Group’s 4WARD strategy. This vision is built on accelerating Zain’s transformation into an integrated provider of digital innovation, fintech solutions, smart city solutions and more. We see AI as a fundamental enabler that supports these transformations.” He added: “At Zain, we’re proud to have been part of this journey since the launch of the Breaking Barriers series. Our partnership with NLI has continued since the very first edition, driven by our belief that investing in people is the most important investment in any digital or technological transformation journey.”
Hamad Al-Marzouq and Waleed Al-Khashti with Zain’s team at the company’s booth.
Waleed Al Khashti delivering Zain’s opening address.
He concluded: “While we invest in advanced digital infrastructure, smart networks and AI applications in customer experience and digital services, we also believe that technology is never complete without a human being capable of steering it, guiding decision making and anchoring it in our values. Artificial intelligence gives us speed and accuracy, while emotional intelligence gives us insight and sound judgment.” The conference featured a series of rich sessions and panel discussions that explored the intersection of artificial intelligence with human values, emotional intelligence and leadership. Topics covered included the regulatory and legislative frameworks for AI, its ethics, innovation, and the relationship between algorithms and human empathy in the workplace.
The opening session hosted a select group of leaders and officials from the public and private sectors, alongside a number of regional and international experts and speakers in the fields of artificial intelligence, leadership and the digital economy. Among them were Omar Sultan Al-Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, Dr Mohammad Shaaban, Global Director of AI Products at Scale AI, and world-renowned relationships and emotional intelligence expert Dr John Gray.
Zain’s support of this event comes as an extension of its ongoing partnership with the National Leadership Institute, where the company has served as a strategic partner in previous editions of the Breaking Barriers series. Those editions addressed topics such as digital transformation, mental health and leadership, during which Zain highlighted its programs for developing leaders, investing in human capital and promoting employees’ mental health, among other corporate initiatives.
Zain’s support for this conference reflects its role as a national partner in empowering leaders and national talents to keep pace with global trends in technology and AI. It also underlines the company’s contribution to creating platforms for dialogue and the exchange of expertise between international experts and decision makers in Kuwait, in line with the objectives of Kuwait Vision 2035 to build a diversified economy based on knowledge and innovation.
The National Leadership Institute (NLI) is operated by the National Company for Educational Services and Training (NEST), one of the companies of National Technology Enterprises Company (NTEC), which is owned by the Kuwait Investment Authority. The institute aims to transfer knowledge and technology to Kuwait and the region through training programs and specialized conferences delivered in cooperation with a select group of leading international academic institutions.
