5:07 am - September 2, 2025
Cognite has launched a new entity in Abu Dhabi to foster the growth of industrial AI technologies across the Middle East, aligning with regional ambitions for digital transformation and AI leadership.
Cognite, a well-known global provider of industrial AI solutions, recently announced the opening of a new entity in Abu Dhabi, with the goal of speeding up the adoption of industrial AI tech across the Middle East. According to the company, this strategic move responds to the rising demand for digitalisation in industry, especially from big energy and manufacturing companies in the region. The new local center is meant to serve as a hub for expertise, cutting-edge technology, and support, reinforcing Cognite’s commitment to its expanding client base as the UAE positions itself as a global leader in AI.
The company emphasizes that its main offering, Cognite Data Fusion®, is the backbone of its AI capabilities—by making industrial data “AI-ready,” it provides a solid foundation for developing secure and reliable AI applications in complex industrial setups. Along with that, Cognite Atlas AI™, a low-code platform that’s designed to make deploying and extending AI agents easier, allows companies to embed AI-driven insights into their existing workflows. These AI agents mainly focus on automating routine tasks and delivering actionable operational insights, which can help improve safety, cut emissions, and boost overall performance.
Bernard Looney, a board member at XRG—an Abu Dhabi-based international energy investment firm—describes Cognite’s AI solutions as “game-changers” for the industry. He highlights their importance as a foundation for any AI project, especially when it comes to enhancing operational safety and environmental performance. Looney also welcomed Cognite’s local presence, pointing out that the UAE aspires to be “at the very forefront of global AI leadership.”
This move to establish an Abu Dhabi office lines up with broader UAE government aims to speed up AI development across industrial sectors. It’s part of a larger regional strategy—other initiatives include Cognite’s earlier announcement about launching its Data Fusion platform on Google Cloud in Saudi Arabia, which signifies a wider push toward digital transformation supported by advanced AI and cloud partnerships.
That said, while integrating AI into industrial processes has promising potential, it also raises some questions about how scalable and practical these solutions really are, especially given the diverse industrial landscape of the Gulf region. Industry experts point out that beyond the technical hurdles, companies also need to deal with issues related to data governance, cybersecurity, and the availability of skilled personnel who can deploy and maintain these sophisticated AI tools. To top it off, the actual return on investment from AI can vary quite a bit depending on the specific sector and how mature the local digital infrastructure is.
Cognite’s strategy, which involves low-code solutions, AI agents tailored for industry-specific needs, and a semantic industrial knowledge graph, puts it right at the crossroads of several emerging trends in industrial AI—such as generative AI models designed for domain-specific uses, workflow automation, and real-time support for decisions. These innovations aim to lighten the cognitive load for engineers and operational teams, while offering tangible benefits like increased efficiency, lowered costs, and more accurate operations.
Leadership at Cognite stresses ongoing collaboration with local talent, with the hope of co-creating solutions that suit regional challenges. Girish Rishi, the CEO, mentioned that opening a UAE branch would help the company better meet the needs of local industrial clients and accelerate the shift towards AI-driven digital transformation.
Beyond just commercial goals, setting up a local presence also aligns with the UAE’s broader vision to become a hub of AI innovation in heavy industries—a move supporting the country’s transition toward a more sustainable and technologically advanced economy. This ambition is clearly echoed in government programs aimed at fostering AI research and attracting top tech firms to the region.
Though adoption of industrial AI in the UAE and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is still in its early days, the arrival of companies like Cognite signals that confidence in digital transformation as a way to boost industrial competitiveness is growing. Stakeholders will be watching closely to see how such initiatives impact operational reliability, environmental sustainability, and workforce patterns in these traditionally resource-heavy sectors.
All in all, Cognite’s decision to launch an Abu Dhabi branch represents a significant move in expanding industrial AI throughout the Middle East, bringing advanced data integration and AI capabilities to local industries within a supportive policy environment. But, honestly, the success of these efforts will hinge on how well the region can tackle the challenges of integration, security, and workforce skills, not to mention creating strong collaborations between tech providers and industrial operators.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250824389491/en/Cognite-Expands-Global-Footprint-with-New-Abu-Dhabi-Entity-to-Accelerate-Industrial-AI-Adoption-in-the-Region?feedref=JjAwJuNHiystnCoBq_hl-bV7DTIYheT0D-1vT4_bKFzt_EW40VMdK6eG-WLfRGUE1fJraLPL1g6AeUGJlCTYs7Oafol48Kkc8KJgZoTHgMu0w8LYSbRdYOj2VdwnuKwa – Original press release. View link for all data
- https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/companies-news/cognite-expands-global-footprint-with-new-abu-dhabi-entity-to-accelerate-industrial-ai-adoption-in-the-region-scbewckf – Cognite, a global leader in industrial AI, has announced the establishment of a new entity in Abu Dhabi. This strategic move aims to meet the increasing demand for industrial digitalisation among the region’s major energy and manufacturing companies, thereby accelerating the adoption of industrial AI at scale. By setting up a local centre for expertise, technology, and support, Cognite reinforces its commitment to its expanding customer base in the area, aligning with the UAE government’s efforts to position the country as a global leader in AI. The new entity will serve as a key hub for Cognite’s industrial AI solutions, which are already assisting numerous companies in the region to scale their digital capabilities and enhance operational efficiency. Bernard Looney, a board member at XRG, an international energy investment company based in Abu Dhabi, stated, “Cognite’s AI solutions are a game-changer for industry. In my experience, they are the pre-requisite foundation for the application of any form of AI, helping drive improved safety, emissions, and performance. I am delighted with Cognite’s new presence in the UAE—a country at the very forefront of global AI leadership.”
- https://www.intelligentcio.com/me/2025/08/22/cognite-accelerates-industrial-ai-adoption-with-opening-of-new-centre-in-abu-dhabi/ – Cognite, a global leader in Industrial Artificial Intelligence (AI), has announced the opening of a new centre in Abu Dhabi to accelerate Industrial AI adoption across the region. This strategic expansion is designed to meet the growing demand for industrial digitalisation among the region’s largest energy and manufacturing companies and to accelerate the adoption of Industrial AI at scale. By establishing a local centre for expertise, technology, and support, Cognite is reinforcing its commitment to its growing customer base as the UAE positions itself as a world leader in AI. The new entity will serve as a key hub for Cognite’s Industrial AI solutions, which are already enabling companies in the region to scale their digital capabilities and boost operational efficiency. Bernard Looney, a board member at XRG, an international energy investment company based in Abu Dhabi, commented, “Cognite’s AI solutions are a game-changer for industry. In my experience, they are the pre-requisite foundation for the application of any form of AI, helping drive improved safety, emissions, and performance. I am delighted with Cognite’s new presence in the UAE—a country at the very forefront of global AI leadership.”
- https://techedgeai.com/news/cognite-expands-to-abu-dhabi-as-industrial-ai-demand-surges/ – Cognite, a prominent player in industrial AI, has announced the establishment of a new entity in Abu Dhabi. This strategic move aims to meet the growing demand for digitalisation among the region’s largest energy and manufacturing companies and to accelerate the adoption of industrial AI at scale. By setting up a local centre for expertise, technology, and support, Cognite is reinforcing its commitment to its expanding customer base in the area, aligning with the UAE government’s efforts to position the country as a global leader in AI. The new entity will serve as a key hub for Cognite’s industrial AI solutions, which are already assisting numerous companies in the region to scale their digital capabilities and enhance operational efficiency. Bernard Looney, a board member at XRG, an international energy investment company based in Abu Dhabi, stated, “Cognite’s AI solutions are a game-changer for industry. In my experience, they are the pre-requisite foundation for the application of any form of AI, helping drive improved safety, emissions, and performance. I am delighted with Cognite’s new presence in the UAE—a country at the very forefront of global AI leadership.”
- https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240513716575/en/Cognite-Data-Fusion%C2%AE-Now-Available-on-Google-Cloud-in-Saudi-Arabia/ – Cognite, a globally recognised leader in industrial software, has announced that its flagship Industrial DataOps product, Cognite Data Fusion®, is now available on Google Cloud in Saudi Arabia. This strategic collaboration combines Cognite’s leading data management and secure, trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) with Google Cloud’s powerful infrastructure and data analytics capabilities, enabling customers to seamlessly migrate their data to the cloud, ensuring scalability, flexibility, and security while empowering customers in Saudi Arabia with simple access to their complex industrial data. Cognite Data Fusion will deploy its own comprehensive contextualisation and generative AI (gen AI) capabilities purpose-built for complex industrial data on top of Google Cloud’s advanced AI and machine learning tools—a powerful combination to deliver actionable insights, improve operational efficiency, and drive digital transformation across industries such as energy, manufacturing, and logistics. Dr. Francois Laborie, Executive Vice President at Cognite, stated, “We are thrilled to bring Cognite Data and AI offerings to Google Cloud customers in Saudi Arabia. This is a significant milestone in our partnership, and as well as our commitment to the Kingdom. The power of data and AI, from Cognite and Google Cloud, enables industry transformation via solutions that deliver business value to our customers.”
- https://www.cognite.com/en/press-release/cognite-launches-data-models-to-accelerate-adoption-of-ai – Cognite, the global leader in AI for industry, has announced the latest release of its Data and AI platform, Cognite Data Fusion®. This major product release reduces the time it takes to onboard new customers by 50% and enables the rapid development and scale of AI solutions across the enterprise. With the launch of Cognite Data Models, a new, out-of-the-box data modelling functionality, it has never been easier for users to reflect their industrial reality at scale. Customers in energy and manufacturing can now easily onboard and get real-time access to large amounts of multi-modal data for their decision-making. Additionally, this release supports the continued rollout of Cognite Atlas AI™, Cognite’s low-code AI Agent builder that enables customers to deploy AI Agents directly on top of their data and across their workflows.
- https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240613136987/en/Cognite-Atlas-AI%E2%84%A2-Delivers-Specialized-Industrial-Agents-Virtual-Employees-Tailored-to-Provide-Domain-Specific-Insights-and-Automate-Complex-Industrial-Tasks – Cognite, the globally recognised authority in Data and AI for industry, has announced Cognite Atlas AI™, an industrial agent workbench that extends Cognite’s Industrial DataOps platform, Cognite Data Fusion®. This strategic offering is a culmination of Cognite’s extensive Industrial DataOps and innovative generative AI capabilities. Cognite Atlas AI’s low-code industrial agent builder will enable industrial organisations to use generative AI to carry out more complex operations with greater accuracy, including workflow automation and decision-making support, accelerating efficiencies that can generate tens of millions of dollars in business impact. Cognite Atlas AI provides domain-specific insights and automates complex, industry-relevant tasks. It reduces the cognitive load on process engineers, field workers, maintenance teams, and other data consumers while optimising and automating business processes that increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve operational accuracy. Powered by Cognite’s unique combination of industry-tailored AI product capabilities, specialised industrial domain knowledge, and industrial generative AI delivery expertise, Cognite Atlas AI delivers everything necessary for asset-heavy organisations to orchestrate industrial agents on top of their private data, including a library of pre-built industrial agents, as well as a low-code agent builder, a Semantic Industrial Knowledge Graph with Context Augmented Generation (CAG), industrial use case-tailored autoLLM capabilities to identify the best Large Language Model, Small Language Model, or Custom Language Model for any given industrial agent, and easy deployment of industrial agents into Cognite Data Fusion®, Microsoft Copilot, proprietary applications, or other third-party applications. Darryl Willis, Corporate Vice President Energy and Resources Industry at Microsoft, commented, “We are seeing a shift from a singular category of models to a portfolio of models where customers have the ability to make decisions on the best models for their specific scenarios.”
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is based on a press release issued by Business Wire on August 25, 2025, detailing Cognite’s establishment of a new entity in Abu Dhabi to accelerate industrial AI adoption in the region. ([offshoresource.com](https://www.offshoresource.com/business-wire/cognite-expands-global-footprint-with-new-abu-dhabi-entity-to-accelerate-industrial-ai-adoption-in-the-region?utm_source=openai)) This press release is the earliest known publication of this information, indicating high freshness. The content has been republished across various reputable outlets, including Intelligent CIO Middle East ([intelligentcio.com](https://www.intelligentcio.com/me/2025/08/22/cognite-accelerates-industrial-ai-adoption-with-opening-of-new-centre-in-abu-dhabi/?utm_source=openai)) and Zawya ([zawya.com](https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/companies-news/cognite-expands-global-footprint-with-new-abu-dhabi-entity-to-accelerate-industrial-ai-adoption-in-the-region-scbewckf?utm_source=openai)), confirming its originality. The press release format typically warrants a high freshness score, as it provides the most current and direct information from the company.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quotes from Bernard Looney, a board member at XRG, and Girish Rishi, CEO of Cognite, are unique to this press release and have not been found in earlier publications. This suggests that the quotes are original and exclusive to this release.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from Business Wire, a reputable press release distribution service, and has been republished by established outlets such as Intelligent CIO Middle East and Zawya. The involvement of Bernard Looney, a board member at XRG, an international energy investment company based in Abu Dhabi, and Girish Rishi, CEO of Cognite, adds credibility to the report. The presence of these verifiable individuals and organizations supports the reliability of the information presented.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims made in the narrative are plausible and align with Cognite’s strategic objectives and the UAE’s ambitions in AI. The establishment of a new entity in Abu Dhabi to accelerate industrial AI adoption is consistent with the UAE’s efforts to position itself as a global leader in AI. The involvement of Bernard Looney and Girish Rishi, both recognized figures in the industry, further supports the plausibility of the claims.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is based on a recent press release from Business Wire, detailing Cognite’s establishment of a new entity in Abu Dhabi to accelerate industrial AI adoption. The content is original, with unique quotes from Bernard Looney and Girish Rishi, and has been republished by reputable outlets, confirming its authenticity. The involvement of verifiable individuals and organizations, along with the alignment of the claims with known strategic objectives, supports the credibility of the information. Therefore, the overall assessment is a PASS with high confidence.
