
AI71's SuperHive gives AI boost to construction industry
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)Abu Dhabi-based AI71 has introduced SuperHive, a next-generation platform set to revolutionise the construction industry by streamlining every phase - from design and permitting to execution and asset management.Powered by embedded AI, real-time intelligence, and automation, SuperHive accelerates project delivery, reduces risk, and enhances performance. 'Construction underpins economic growth, yet it has seen limited disruption from modern technologies. With SuperHive, we are embedding intelligence across the entire infrastructure lifecycle - transforming how nations build and operate' said Faisal Al Bannai, Chairman of AI71.'This is not just about digital transformation - it is about rethinking how we approach scale, speed, and resilience in infrastructure delivery.'A171 is a pioneering AI company founded by Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council in collaboration with VentureOne.
Speaking with Aletihad , Klemensas Mecejus, VP Advisory at AI71, described SuperHive as 'a potential game-changer for national infrastructure delivery timelines and quality'. 'It supports the UAE's ambition to lead in smart regulation and infrastructure by reducing regulatory friction, expediting permit approvals, and enabling real-time government oversight,' said Mecejus.What sets SuperHive apart is its real-time validation of 2D CAD and 3D BIM models against UAE building codes, automatic issue flagging, AI-based document generation, and seamless integration across stakeholders, from design consultants and developers to permitting authorities. The platform also enables smart asset management through digital twins and live cost estimation, while drone-based site tracking enhances oversight and compliance.With its capabilities, SuperHive boosts productivity across the entire construction lifecycle, said Chiara Marcati, Chief AI Advisory and Business Officer at AI71.'It enables up to 50% faster decision-making, reduces manual documentation by 70%, and cuts on-site rework by half. With full AI coverage across all sub-stages, it transforms how teams plan, build, and deliver at scale,' Marcati said. Another standout innovation within its suite is the AiComply Studio, which automates compliance checks - streamlining approvals and eliminating regulatory bottlenecks to support scalable infrastructure across sectors.
'By digitising and automating compliance, municipalities save cost, consultants gain speed, and developers reduce risk. It is a win across the board,' Mecejus said.

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Al Etihad
6 hours ago
- Al Etihad
UAE PASS evolving toward a smarter, people-first future
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Continuously evolving through user feedback and testing, the digital identity system is being enhanced to deliver a seamless, AI-driven experience. By expanding the use of e-signatures and paperless solutions, UAE PASS is set to fully replace outdated processes and power a smarter, more connected country.'The goal is not merely to digitise existing services, but to rethink how the government functions, removing complexity, increasing efficiency, and making services available anywhere, anytime, and on any device,' Sultan said. UAE PASS links individuals to thousands of online services with a secure, single login — eliminating the need for users to create multiple accounts or visit customer care centres. Usage and feedback are closely monitored through a combination of quantitative and qualitative channels, Sultan said. 'With over 1.5 million daily transactions and thousands of new users joining every day, the growth itself is a key indicator of satisfaction and usability.''What sets it apart and makes it truly game-changing is how it simplifies and unifies digital identity, access, and signature across both government and private sectors,' she added. With emerging AI solutions, the UAE PASS team is now looking to 'deliver more personalised experiences, enhance accessibility, and enable smarter service recommendations', Sultan said. 'Operationally, AI helps us detect patterns, predict demand, and optimise delivery. All of this is governed by robust privacy and data protection frameworks. The future of UAE PASS lies in becoming more intelligent, responsive, and deeply integrated into citizens' daily lives.'The move toward paperless governance is anchored in national infrastructure, which includes the digital ID, online payment platforms, cloud services, and secure data sharing channels, Sultan said. 'Together, they enable a frictionless government that operates 24/7, anytime, anywhere. The ultimate goal is not just digitalisation, it is elevating the quality of life for every resident.' A Shared Vision Back when the UAE PASS was just a concept, days were filled with 'bold ideas and big questions', Sultan said. They asked: Is it really possible to create such a system? 'Could we unify digital identity across a diverse ecosystem? Could we convince entities to move away from their current identity systems entirely?' she recalled. Sultan admitted that the journey was challenging — but also 'incredibly rewarding', as the team was driven by a deep sense of responsibility to shape a platform that reflects the nation's values and empowers its people.'The trust placed in me, along with the shared vision we embraced as a team inspired me to push boundaries,' she said. Her personal motivation was rooted in impact.'I have always believed that true transformation happens when technology improves everyday lives. The opportunity to contribute to a national platform that embodies this mission, by saving time, enabling secure interactions, and simplifying life, was deeply motivating,' Sultan her, it wasn't just about launching a new tool but 'reshaping how people connect with government in the digital era'.Sultan's leadership journey has been moulded by the National Experts Programme (NEP), of which she is a graduate.'NEP has played a transformative role in sharpening my strategic lens. The focus on five leadership mindsets — global, analytical, reflective, collaborative, and execution-driven — empowered me to approach digital transformation with a broader perspective,' she said. Looking ahead, Sultan sees the UAE PASS evolving beyond its role as a gateway to services. 'It should remain human-centred, inclusive, and resilient in the face of change. My hope is that UAE PASS continues to inspire other nations while always keeping people at its core.' Early this year, the UAE PASS application has won the Gold Award in the International General Authority category for the 16th Edition of the Public Sector Transformation Awards, an annual global event that celebrates innovation culture and showcases best practices in the government sector.


Middle East Eye
6 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Why Trump is trying to put his seal on an Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal
The US is using "magic" to bring Armenia and Azerbaijan together for a peace deal, US President Donald Trump says. As the two historic foes appear to inch closer to an agreement, the Trump administration is conjuring diplomacy in the South Caucasus - fairly uncharted waters for the US. In May, Trump's billionaire Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said that Armenia and Azerbaijan could both join the Abraham Accords - the normalisation agreement that Israel signed with Bahrain, the UAE and Morocco in 2020 - after a deal between the two. Trump considers the accords a signature part of his foreign policy. Then, in July, Trump's other good friend and billionaire envoy, Tom Barrack, said the US was ready to sign a 100-year lease on a strategic transit corridor on Armenia's border with Iran. Baku wants to use the sliver of land, referred to as the Zangezur Corridor by Turkey and Azerbaijan, to connect with its exclave, called Nakhchivan, and eventually Turkey, where Barrack is also the US ambassador. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Trump's bid to put his stamp on a peace agreement through economic deals and the Abraham Accords comes as the South Caucasus is in flux. Trump, Turkey and a diplomatic win Russia, the region's historic great power, is tied down on the battlefields of Ukraine. Its prestige as a security guarantor was undermined in 2023 when Azerbaijan wrested back control of Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia in a lightning offensive. Christian Armenia had long relied on Russia for support against Turkic Azerbaijan. To the south, Iran - which has deepened its ties with Armenia and is wary of Israel's security links to Baku - is trying to regroup after a blistering 12-day conflict with Israel. Tehran's ability to project power abroad was clipped by Israel's takedown of its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon and the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria late last year. 'The status quo benefits Iran a lot. Right now it is the only connector between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan' - Alen Shadunts, American University of Armenia With Russia distracted in Ukraine and Iran on the back foot, Turkey's power in the region is growing. The US itself is signalling that it can work with Turkey as the predominant external power in Syria. Barrack's role in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks, experts say, is further evidence that Washington sees Ankara as a new regional power in the South Caucasus. "Trump doesn't have a stake in either Armenia or Azerbaijan. But he sees that a deal is possible. A win," George Meneshian, an Athens-based expert on the Middle East and Caucasus, told Middle East Eye. The US's foray into the region is led by Barack, who has been well received in Ankara. That has fueled concerns that Trump sees the region as an extension of Turkey's neighbourhood, Meneshian added. "The US is already giving Turkey its own zone of influence in Syria. That is clear. The same is happening in the South Caucasus," he said. The goodwill was visible on Tuesday when Trump shared a social media post of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev thanking him for his "aspiration" to end the dispute with Armenia. Aliyev praised Trump's "fundamental values, including family values" that he said mirror Azerbaijan's. From Syria and Gaza to Ukraine and the Caucasus The idea of the US leasing the corridor is in keeping with the Trump administration giving primacy to economic dealmaking, including with US control over physical assets, in conflict zones. It has had mixed results. Earlier this year, Trump said the US would take over the Gaza Strip, evict Palestinians and turn it into the Middle East's "Riviera". That proposal was widely slammed as calling for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. Israel continues to invoke the "Trump plan" to insist on the forced displacement of Palestinians. The US backed off after resistance from its Arab allies. 'Trump doesn't care about the European Union. In the Caucasus, that is especially obvious' - George Meneshian, Caucasus expert Trump's penchant for business deals in countries where sectarian and regional tensions are rife has been better received by Turkey and Gulf states in Syria, where he has pushed through the speedy lifting of sanctions. The Zangezur Corridor idea seems to fall closer to the minerals deal Trump signed with Ukraine in April. That agreement set up a joint fund to monetise Ukraine's mineral wealth. Earlier this year, Trump also said EU states would purchase air-defence systems from the US on Ukraine's behalf. Azerbaijan, a major gas exporter, flaunts the sort of energy riches that Trump prizes, but Armenia is poor. The South Caucasus's value to the US is that the region is crisscrossed by trade routes, including the Middle Corridor that aims to link Asia and Europe, bypassing both Russia and Iran. Peter Frankopan, an expert on trade routes at the University of Oxford, told MEE that having a third party operate the corridor "is not a bad idea in principle", but faces obstacles. "First, the US proposal is that it is a commercial endeavour – which means it needs to be run for profit. So an operator needs to be clear and certain that it can make a return on investments," he said. In January, Armenia replaced Russian troops at its southern border crossing to Iran with its own forces. Moscow continued to oversee the crossing after the collapse of the Soviet Union. "Russia is likely to react badly to any US presence [in the corridor], whether commercial or notionally benign," Frankopan, the author of Silk Roads, added. A US presence would also unnerve Iran. 'If the border opens, Iran loses' The Islamic Republic of Iran and Armenia enjoy good ties. Iran's parliament allocates three seats for members of its Armenian minority. Earlier this year, the two conducted joint military drills. Both countries are wary of Turkey and Azerbaijan's growing power in the region. "The status quo benefits Iran a lot," Alen Shadunts, an Iran specialist at the American University of Armenia, told MEE. "Iran right now is the only connector between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan." With no direct land link now, Azerbaijani trucks have to pass through Iran to reach the exclave. Azerbaijan also relies on Iran to help supply electricity to Nakchivan. That has been a source of leverage for Iran to use against Azerbaijan since the end of the Cold War. "If the border opens, Iran is going to lose," Shadunts said. "There are suspicions of an Israeli presence in Azerbaijan already. If an American company comes in and leases the corridor, Iran may see that as encirclement." Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian (R) shaking hands with Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (L) during a meeting in Tehran on 30 July 2024 (ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP) Iran has also received a $1.4bn loan from Russia to complete a rail link for the International North-South Transport Corridor that will run from Russia through Azerbaijan to Iran's coast. The route is intended to cut travel time between India and Russia. Trade between the two hit $68bn in 2024 - more than four times the amount it stood at before western sanctions were slapped on Russia in response to the Ukraine war. Azerbaijan already has deep security ties with Israel. Baku has been hosting talks between Syria and Israel. The city is so swarming with Israeli spies that Iranian officials have accidentally bumped into them at the same restaurant, MEE has reported. Armenia also has diplomatic relations with Israel. But Steve Witkoff said in May that the US was looking to bring both countries into the Abraham Accords. Regional analysts say that could mean more economic ties. "Armenia is interested in connectivity with Israel. Any regional project could be a lifeline for resource-poor Armenia," Shadunts said. Will the US manage the Zangezur Corridor? Barrack's offer to lease the Zangezur Corridor faced backlash in Armenia. Experts say the idea for a 100-year lease that Barrack floated in public would go against Armenia's constitution. Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan is already under pressure from an escalating feud with Armenia's Catholic Apostolic Church and faces resentment from pro-Russian voters who are wary of the country's tilt to the US. 'The US proposal is a commercial endeavour – which means it needs to be run for profit' Peter Frankopan, author Silk Roads Pashinyan's bid to reach a peace deal with Azerbaijan, with an eye towards normalising with Armenia's bigger neighbour, Turkey, has been met with wariness. Resentment and anger over Ottoman atrocities against Armenian Christians in the final years of WWI, which many historians label a genocide, still feel warm to the touch. Armenia is still reeling from its 2023 military loss to Azerbaijan, and is worried its neighbour harbours territorial designs on its southern Syunik province, where the corridor sits. For its part, Azerbaijan does not want the corridor to be controlled strictly by Armenia. "They're arguing over 32 kilometres of road, but this is no joke. It's been going on for a decade – 32 kilometres of road," Barrack said earlier this month in a press briefing. "So what happens is America comes in and says, 'Okay, we'll take it over. Give us the 32 kilometres of road on a hundred-year lease, and you can all share it'." Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at a military parade, 8 November 2023 (AFP) Pashinyan confirmed in July that the US gave "proposals" to manage the corridor. The idea has been around for years, Olesya Vartanyan, a conflict analyst in the South Caucasus, told MEE: "Before the Americans, the Europeans were floating this." She said it drew inspiration from projects in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan's northern neighbour. More than a decade ago, Switzerland mediated a US-backed deal that saw corridors established through two breakaway Georgian regions controlled by Russia to enable trade. European powers floated a corridor deal based on that model to Armenia and Azerbaijan. "People in the region were waiting for Trump to come in. There is an interest to engage with the administration. It's not like they have a well-crafted plan, but the Americans are willing to adjust." Barrack's comments caught many US diplomats off guard, one former US official briefed by colleagues told MEE. "This is very top-down. Barrack is a one-man show. He has a relationship with Erdogan and Trump. He feels that is all he needs," the official said. The Trump administration's language, as well as those involved in the diplomacy efforts, seem to suggest that this US government sees the South Caucasus as closer to the Arab Middle East than Europe. "Trump doesn't care about the European Union. In the Caucasus, that is especially obvious," Meneshian told MEE. 'Turkey is in the middle of all of it, just like Azerbaijan and Armenia' Tom Barrack, US envoy and Ambassador to Turkey Meneshian said the focus on the Abraham Accords "says something" about the true balance of power on the ground. In 2023, the UAE emerged as the largest source of Foreign Direct Investment in Armenia. The Emirates state-owned renewable energy company Masdar is working on construction of Armenia's largest solar energy plant. It already has a plant in Azerbaijan. Latching onto that trade would help Witkoff package a deal to Trump with his seal on it. But the US does face real economic competition. Last week, Armenia applied to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Chinese-led regional security and trade club. "It's dealing and trading with everybody," Barrack said. "Where East meets West with the Bosphorus and Dardanelles; with the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Spice Road – everything comes through there. "Turkey is in the middle of all of it, just like Azerbaijan and Armenia."


The National
10 hours ago
- The National
UAE has hosted more than 17,600 Afghan evacuees since 2021
Almost four years since the Taliban took power following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, UAE authorities have provided details of how many Afghans it has hosted. The UAE has spent almost Dh1.35 billion ($367.6 million) hosting Afghan refugees before relocating them to other countries since 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. There have been 17,619 Afghans hosted in Emirates Humanitarian City in Abu Dhabi since there were widespread evacuations after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, two decades after they were toppled by the US and Nato. The assistance covered all the needs of Afghan citizens − including health care, logistical and diplomatic services, communications, shelter and food − ensuring comfort, a dignified life and well-being, said a statement from the ministry released on Thursday. EHC also provided services related to departure procedures, with 17 offices opened for the embassies of the countries to where Afghans were seeking relocation. School transport was also provided, along with on-site education and training courses. Almost 2,600 Afghans benefitted from training and professional development workshops, the ministry added. 'The UAE has spared no effort in assisting the Afghan people, being at the forefront of countries that have initiated support for Afghanistan,' said the ministry. 'This reflects its humanitarian mission, which is based on the values of giving, charitable work, spreading peace and consolidating coexistence, tolerance, and the principles of human fraternity. 'It also promotes solidarity with peoples during the most difficult circumstances and crises facing countries. 'The focus on caring for people and preserving their dignity has been a constant approach in the UAE's journey since its founding, regardless of ethnic, religious, or geographical backgrounds and in line with its noble humanitarian principles. It has become a global symbol of humanitarian giving and sustainable good.' A US news outlet reported earlier this month that the UAE was preparing to send a small number of evacuees back to Afghanistan in July.