News
Aramco Installs Middle East’s First Industrial Quantum Computer
Saudi Arabia brings quantum hardware into day-to-day energy work, pushing the tech from theory to field use.
Aramco has switched on the Middle East’s first industrial quantum computer at its Dhahran data center, a direct move to fold advanced computing into upstream and downstream operations. The machine — built with French firm Pasqal — is the startup’s most powerful system yet and the first in the region intended for real industrial workloads rather than lab trials.
The rollout sits inside Aramco’s wider digital shift. Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Executive Vice President of Technology & Innovation, said quantum fits the company’s push to modernize core operations. “We are deploying AI and other technologies at scale to further enhance our operations, maximize efficiency and unlock value across our business,” he said.
Pasqal’s unit uses 200 neutral-atom qubits arranged in programmable two-dimensional arrays. That opens room for optimization and simulation work that stretches classical hardware. Aramco is targeting subsurface modelling, materials research and logistics planning — areas where marginal improvements can reshape high-volume industrial processes.
For Pasqal, the installation signals a foothold in a market aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. CEO Loïc Henriet called it “a historic milestone,” adding, “The deployment of our most powerful quantum computer yet is a piece of history and a landmark for the Middle East’s quantum future”.
Also Read: IBM Unveils Nighthawk And Loon Quantum Chips
The companies have been working together for several years. Wa’ed Ventures, Aramco’s VC arm, backed Pasqal early in 2023 and helped the firm build a presence in the Kingdom. Training programs and joint research tracks are planned, giving Saudi engineers access to live quantum hardware — a rarity even in mature tech markets.
Unlike many quantum setups still locked in academic roles, the Dhahran machine is meant for immediate testing and decision-making in industrial and high-end environments. Aramco aims to probe quantum-driven optimization, computational chemistry and predictive models, hoping to spot practical gains long before fault-tolerant systems arrive. The move places the Kingdom among a small set of countries exploring quantum tools on strategic industrial workloads.
News
Noon And Yango Switch On Robot Deliveries In Dubai
The rollout folds autonomous couriers into noon’s rapid-delivery network as the UAE tests everyday autonomy.
Noon and Yango Group have signed an agreement to put autonomous robot deliveries into commercial use in Dubai, turning Yango’s earlier pilots into a daily service for noon Minutes orders. The launch in Sobha Hartland is the first full integration of Yango Autonomy’s electric robots with a major e-commerce network in the region, with wider deployment planned across Dubai and, later, other GCC markets.
Residents can choose a robot at checkout, track it in the app and unlock its compartment once it arrives. The hardware runs on Yango’s AI navigation and routing stack, which plans paths, avoids obstacles and yields to pedestrians. The units had already covered more than 1,500 kilometers during previous Dubai pilots, a test bed that demonstrated their ability to operate in mixed pedestrian environments and dense residential streets.
The rollout adds a contactless option to noon’s last-mile network and is positioned as extra capacity during peak periods. “Partnering with Yango Group lets us bring a future-ready delivery option straight to our customers,” said Ali Kafil-Hussain, noon’s Chief Business Officer. Noon has used Minutes to set rapid-delivery expectations in UAE cities; autonomous units now slot into that same high-frequency model.
Regulatory clearance from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority underpins the move. The RTA authorized Yango’s robots to operate on public walkways and in neighborhoods, smoothing the shift from controlled trials to commercial work. Dubai has framed autonomous mobility as part of its smart-city buildout, and the partners lean on that agenda to accelerate integration.
Also Read: Uber And WeRide Roll Out Driverless Robotaxis In Abu Dhabi
For Yango, the partnership is an anchor for its autonomy platform in the Gulf. Islam Abdul Karim, Yango’s Middle East regional head, said the aim is to make autonomous delivery an “everyday, reliable service” for UAE communities. The company views operational data from early districts as the basis for scaling into more communities and, eventually, cross-border rollouts.
The move lands as Gulf retailers search for faster fulfilment and lower-emission logistics. Autonomous couriers remain a small share of last-mile delivery, but Dubai’s approvals and early usage data give the partners a clearer path to turn pilots into durable infrastructure.
Noon And Yango Switch On Robot Deliveries In Dubai
botim money & Binance Weigh UAE Path For Regulated Crypto Access
Kalshi Secures $1 Billion As Prediction Markets Race Heats Up
Uber And WeRide Roll Out Driverless Robotaxis In Abu Dhabi
Cartlow Rolls Out Subscription Model For GCC Retail Platform
Lebanon Sets 2027 Launch Date For Low-Cost “Fly Beirut” Airline
Emirates Airline To Roll Out Free Starlink Wi-Fi This Month
RØDE Shrinks Its All-In-One Studio Console With RØDECaster Video S
Dorsey-Backed diVine Brings Back Vine’s Looping Videos
