BATOOL GHAITH/WAM (ABU DHABI)
As cyber threats grow within growing economies, experts say resilience can no longer be treated as a technology issue alone, but as a strategic priority requiring innovation, leadership and collaboration across the public and private sectors.
Speaking at the Innovate through Resilience Summit 2026, participants discussed how AI, cybersecurity and innovation are reshaping resilience strategies for organisations and nations.
The summit, organised by the UAE Cyber Security Council in collaboration with Dell Technologies in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, witnessed the participation of senior government officials, technology leaders, business executives, and cybersecurity experts.
The summit explored the concept of "Kinetic Resilience" – the integration of cyber security, operational resilience, and critical infrastructure – to support preparedness and help organisations maintain continuity in an increasingly complex threat environment.
Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, said: "The World Economic Forum has highlighted that cyber security is becoming increasingly central to trade and economic policy. This reflects the reality organisations are navigating today, where cyber security plays an important role in supporting economic stability, operational continuity, and competitiveness.
"Success in today's digital economy is shaped not only by preventing disruption, but by the ability to anticipate change, respond effectively, recover with agility, and maintain trust throughout times of challenge."
Mohammed Amin, Senior Vice President, CEEMETA, Dell Technologies, said: "Resilience is built through a combination of secure digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, cyber security, and operational readiness. Organisations in the UAE are increasingly taking integrated approaches that bring these elements together.
"Collaboration between government and industry continues to play an important role in supporting trusted digital ecosystems that enable innovation, economic growth, and long-term resilience."
Speaking to Aletihad, Hani Khalaf, Field Chief Technology Officer at Dell Technologies, said the summit comes at a critical time following recent regional developments, with resilience now becoming a boardroom priority rather than simply an IT concern.
He emphasised that it is no longer enough today for organisations to be reactive and wait for events to unfold before taking action, stressing that businesses need to be proactive.
He explained that predictive AI can identify potential threats before they fully develop, as attacks happen over time, while generative AI and LLMs can analyse vast amounts of information from multiple systems to provide real-time situational awareness and continuously strengthen an organisation's security posture.
Walid Yehia, Managing Director of Dell Technologies in the South Gulf, said that the country's leadership, rapid execution of technology strategies and efficiency have positioned it among world's leading digital economies.
"As digital transformation accelerates, protecting innovation will require organisations to stay ahead of emerging technologies, including AI and quantum computing," Yehia told Aletihad.
Yehia indicated that Dell has been involved in more than 100 different incidents in the first 60 days of the recent crisis.
"Resilience, when it comes to technology systems, is all about being always on, always operational, always connected, and always protected, no matter what kind of threat we are facing," he added.
Hassan Al Noon, CEO of Ghisha AI and an expert at the UAE National Experts Programme, said that innovation has always driven the human evolution and is now becoming essential to building a better digital world.
"Innovation allows us to build capabilities that are aligned with how people think and interact especially in the social media era today," Al Noon told Aletihad.
He added that the foundation of AI innovation remains the human element, highlighting that the more people adapt to AI the more reliable it becomes.
Al Noon emphasised that the UAE has always ensured quick integration of innovation, whether in the public or private sectors. "Innovation is part of how we think and how we build things, which is what distinguishes the UAE from the rest of the world," he said.
He stressed that cybersecurity awareness is essential to maintain resilience, noting that the UAE Cybersecurity Council is working towards that. "Security is everyone's responsibility. Whenever and whatever you are doing something, you must think of security and safety first."