The industrial landscape reached a new milestone yesterday with the official launch of the DISx MEAI summit at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC in Saudi Arabia. The event, which stands for Data, Innovation, and Strategy Exchange, welcomed 99 senior leaders from manufacturing, utilities, energy, and other asset-heavy industries to address the transition of artificial intelligence from experimental pilots to core operational execution.
Inspired by the applied, use-case-driven methodology of the Data Innovation Summit, this practitioner-focused gathering targeted decision-makers in operations, technology, and strategy across the MEA region. The summit was designed to move beyond theoretical discussions, focusing instead on how data and AI are becoming the functional backbone of next-generation industrial performance.
The program was built around three strategic pillars that reflect the current shift toward embedding AI into the heart of industrial organizations. These included operational intelligence and asset optimization; sustainability, efficiency, and regulatory innovation; and the development of an intelligent workforce through decision augmentation.
Throughout the day, participants engaged in a series of concise keynotes and peer-led executive roundtables. These sessions allowed leaders from sectors such as oil and gas and utilities to share practical experiences and identify actionable strategies for scaling AI with measurable impact. The event concluded with a focus on building meaningful professional connections and establishing a clearer path forward for industrial digital transformation in the region.
The DISx event held in Riyadh yesterday an introduction to the next event – tpo33 Chief Data Officer | Dubai
