Middle East Institute

The Gulf is going to be a region of AI competition between China and the United States...Whoever is going to win the Gulf AI ecosystem is going to be in a very favorable position when it comes to the AI race globally.” said MEI’s Mohammed Soliman https://lnkd.in/ekeezQAP

After decades of managing tensions through careful balancing, Turkey and Iran now find themselves increasingly at odds following recent shifts in the regional balance of power. With Ankara emboldened and Tehran on its back foot after the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the struggle for influence between the two neighbors and long-time?rivals is escalating in both Syria and Iraq and could spread well beyond their borders. MEI's?G?nül Tol and?Alex Vatanka break down the situation.?

"Just days before Turkey’s main opposition party was set to select its next presidential candidate, the leading contender, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, was arrested and jailed, effectively removing him from the race. In this brazen act of political suppression, the Turkish government has taken a momentous step toward full-fledged autocracy," MEI's G?nül Tol writes in Foreign Affairs Magazine.

In response to a request for information (RFI) from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) regarding the "Development of an Artificial Intelligence Action Plan" in support of the objectives outlined in Executive Order (EO) 14179, Vincent Carchidi and I, on behalf of the Middle East Institute, offer the following recommendations. These aim to strengthen the United States’ position as the global leader in AI innovation while addressing key regulatory and infrastructural imperatives. Our recommendations focus on these strategic priorities: 1. Regulations and Export Controls: MEI advocates for the creation of a Tier 1.5 classification that recognizes the growing strategic partnership between the United States and Gulf states, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. This would accommodate their increasing role in global AI development while addressing national security concerns. The proposed framework would balance innovation with security, ensuring continued collaboration on AI governance, development, and export without sacrificing the guardrails imposed by Tier 2. 2. Energy and Infrastructure: MEI stresses the importance of reforming energy and infrastructure policies to support the vast energy requirements of AI. The US must modernize the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to streamline approvals for clean energy projects, such as geothermal, modular nuclear, and solar power, to fuel AI data centers. 3. Research and Development (R&D): To maintain global AI leadership, MEI recommends an aggressive, long-term investment in AI R&D. This includes the establishment of a National AI Research Institute, focused on advancing Third Wave AI — a hybrid approach combining machine learning with symbolic reasoning. This will ensure that AI systems are not only more effective but also more explainable and reliable, particularly in critical sectors like healthcare. MEI also supports increased collaboration between government agencies, the private sector, and academic institutions to drive high-risk, high-reward AI research. 4. AI Systems and Governance: To ensure that AI systems remain unbiased and socially responsible, MEI recommends policy actions focused on improving the factual accuracy, explainability, robustness, and adaptability of AI models. The US must prioritize developing AI systems that are intellectually autonomous, capable of real-time learning, and able to address complex global challenges. #AI #Trump #China #UAE #SaudiArabia https://lnkd.in/eRdkCn4r

This week's analysis for my column with the Middle East Institute - Making Sense: A Weekly Take on US Foreign Policy "President Donald Trump’s administration dialed up its use of military power in the Middle East this past week just as it took more steps to dismantle American institutions central to advancing peace and stability through diplomacy."

"The U.S. now faces a complex dilemma: it supports one of the entities involved in the merger while actively sanctioning the other. How Washington navigates this contradiction could heavily influence the [Damascus-SDF] agreement’s viability, particularly in shaping its security and governance aspects," MEI's Ibrahim Al-Assil writes in the Middle East Peace and Security Forum.

Today marks the beginning of spring and the Persian New Year, a time of renewal and hope celebrated by millions across the Middle East and beyond. MEI extends its warmest wishes for a joyful and prosperous Norooz to all who celebrate!

“The fundamental problem is [that] the Houthis, a transnational armed group backed by Iran … started a civil war, took the capital, refuse to engage in dialogue, and feel they are entitled to rule the country by a divine promise,” said MEI’s Nadwa Al-Dawsari https://lnkd.in/eQCQcAtN

The United States dramatically stepped up its military campaign against the Houthis in Yemen, initiating heavy bombing and missile strikes targeting the group on March 15. In today's virtual briefing moderated by Zeina Al-Shaib, MEI's Gen. (ret.) Joseph Votel and Nadwa Al-Dawsari discussed what this will mean for the wider Red Sea region and the global security order. Watch the full webinar at the link below.