Future-ready UAE shows the world how foresight builds long-term resilience
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
For the UAE, foresight is not only a strategic imperative but a national compass guiding institutions and communities through rapid developments and boosting long-term resilience, a leading futurist has told Aletihad . Dr. Sulaiman Al Kaabi, CEO of the Future Foresight Foundation, said foresight was no longer some obscure academic practice but had been built into governance and policymaking.'Today, the element of foresight is clearly present in every government plan or initiative,' he said.'The leadership recognises that remaining at the forefront of innovative nations requires a long-term vision and constant preparedness for unexpected changes. Foresight is not a luxury; it is part of the national identity.'An expert in strategic foresight and futures studies, Dr. Al Kaabi is the first person from the UAE and the Gulf region to join the Association of Professional Futurists (APF). He is also a member of the World Future Society (WFS). He authored the Future Foresight Encyclopaedia in Arabic, the first of its kind in the Arab world.Foresight represents a way of thinking — a formative value and an element of national identity, he said.'It begins from the outside in; it examines global changes and builds scenarios around them. Traditional planning [on the other hand] starts from the inside out, building on current capabilities,' Dr. Al Kaabi said. 'Foresight is the compass, and planning is the roadmap,' he said, stressing its importance in a fast-changing world of 'technological, social, and economic revolutions.'Foresight 'places the UAE in a position of initiative, not reaction'. It is evident in how the country is preparing for challenges such as AI's impact on the workforce, climate change, cybersecurity, and resource sustainability, Dr. Al Kaabi said. Foresight allows the UAE to act fast in times of crisis, with plans ready before problems arise, he said. He pointed to the UAE's swift COVID-19 response as proof of how foresight works; just as it underpins long-term goals like We the UAE 2031 and UAE Centennial 2071.'Foresight provides the country with the tools necessary to review its path and update its goals based on global developments,' Dr. Al Kaabi said.
Leveraging New TechAI and big data have revolutionised how strategies are future-proofed, he added. Advanced technology now bolsters entities' ability to create 'accurate scenarios, faster decisions, and plans that can be adjusted instantly.' Future Foresight Foundation has been helping institutions build future-ready plans and stay ahead of emerging trends.'It is the first private foundation in the UAE and the Arabian Gulf to place scientific foresight at the core of its work,' Dr. Al Kaabi said. 'It specialises in conducting futures studies and developing practical, implementable scenarios.' The foundation collaborates with the public and private sectors and philanthropic organisations across the world through consultations, training courses, and strategic programmes to help them prepare for potential disruptions and capitalise on new opportunities. 'We are committed to applying globally recognised scientific methodologies and utilising the latest analytical and artificial intelligence tools to create accurate visions of the future,' Dr. Al Kaabi said. The foundation, for an instance, uses an Arab-developed foresight model based on global best practices. It uses big data and expert insights to build detailed, sector-specific scenarios. Foresight, he added, now drives progress in education, healthcare, energy, security, and the economy.
Empowering the Youth Central to building future-ready strategies is empowering the youth, and the UAE has been on the right track when it comes to highlighting the importance of looking ahead. 'Young people are the fuel and engine of any real change… We must empower them to become the makers of the future,' Dr. Al Kaabi said.In the country, foresight is being embedded in education, he added. 'We need foresight to be a fundamental component of the educational process, not just an additional subject or a side activity.
With the UAE's clear vision and a future-focused mindset, the country has become 'an international reference in future thinking.' Dr. Al Kaabi said.
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Results h ighlights & business review: In 2025H1, the Group's overall revenue and profit declined due to the effects brought by the ongoing cost-reduction and efficiency-enhancement within the telecommunications sector. The Group managed to effectively control costs through its mature cost control mechanism and optimised personnel restructuring optimisation. - Revenue[2] amounted to approximately RMB2,598 million. - Gross profit was approximately RMB783 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.1%, with a gross profit margin of 30.1%, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.4 percentage points. Net operating cash outflow improved by 35.3% year-on-year. - Net loss was approximately RMB202 million compared to a loss of approximately RMB70 million in the same period of the previous year. Excluding the impact of one-off severance compensation due to personnel restructuring optimisation, net loss was approximately RMB48 million. AI large model application and delivery business achieved explosive growth, with revenue of approximately RMB 26 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 76 times; the order amount for 2025H1 was approximately RMB 70 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 78 times, demonstrating strong market demand. Through collaborations with Alibaba Cloud, Baidu Intelligent Cloud, NVIDIA, AsiaInfo Security and others, the Group has constructed end-to-end industrial large model solutions. Revenue from the 5G private network and application business was approximately RMB47 million; the order amount for 2025H1 was approximately RMB82 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 51.7%, which reflects growth potential in the market. Revenue from the ICT support business was approximately RMB2,118 million, representing a year-on-year decrease of 14.7%. 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In 2025H1, gross profit was approximately RMB783 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.1%, with a gross profit margin of 30.1%, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.4 percentage points. Net operating cash outflow improved by 35.3% year-on-year. Excluding the impact of one-off severance compensation due to personnel restructuring optimisation, net loss for the period was approximately RMB48 million, and the Group expected that net profit will continue to rebound in the second half of the year ("2025H2"), with full-year profit better than last year. The Board has attached great importance to the shareholders' interests and returns, and after giving due consideration to the Group's business development, profitability, and cash flow level, the Board has recommended the guideline of the final dividend for the year 2025 is 40% of the annual net profit attributable to shareholders. AI Large Model Application and Delivery Business Achieves Explosive Growth In 2025, the industrial application of AI large models witnessed explosive growth. In 2025H1, the Group secured orders worth approximately RMB70 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 78 times. In addition, the Company entered into a framework agreement that accounted for more than RMB40 million with a company. Revenue from the AI large model application and delivery business reached approximately RMB26 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 76 times. Through collaborations with Alibaba Cloud, Baidu Intelligent Cloud, NVIDIA, AsiaInfo Security and others, the Group has constructed end-to-end industrial large model solutions covering energy and power, industrial manufacturing, transportation, smart retail, and other large enterprises. The Group has become a partner in Alibaba Cloud's AI Large Model Galaxy Program, jointly developed nearly 100 projects and created numerous benchmark cases for large model delivery. With a robust pipeline of business opportunities, the Group is driving the industrialisation of large models. 5G Private Network and Application Business Continues to Gain Momentum The Group's 5G private network and application business provides an important emerging telecommunications network for energy industries such as the power and mining industries. By providing customised 5G private network products and advanced industry solutions, as well as offering professional one-stop services and turnkey projects, the Group created differentiation in its competitive advantage and became a leading company in the field of 5G private network. In 2025H1, the Group signed orders for the 5G private network and application business amounted to approximately RMB82 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 51.7%, while revenue amounted to approximately RMB47 million, representing a year-on-year decrease of 26.3%, which was mainly attributable to the delay in some nuclear power orders and the delay in revenue recognition. In 2025H2, the Group will expedite order conversion, which is expected to drive rapid performance growth. In terms of nuclear power, in 2025H1, on the basis of maintaining the continued market leadership of CNNC, the Group has successfully achieved a breakthrough in Huaneng Group and signed a contract for the 5G private network project for units 3 and 4 of the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in Hainan. Up to this point, the Group's nuclear power 5G private network projects have covered 29 units in seven national nuclear power bases, further consolidating its top one position in the market share of nuclear power 5G private network. In 2025H1, the country's investment in the new nuclear power sector exceeded RMB200 billion, and the Group's 5G private network in nuclear power business is expected to grow continuously. In the field of new energy, the Group continues to make efforts in wind power and photovoltaic markets, and has currently covered more than 210 new energy stations and achieved project breakthroughs for a number of energy group customers. In the field of mining, the Group established an associated company with Zhengzhou Coal Mining Machinery Group Company Limited to explore the new model of "digital and intelligent operation of mines and equipment manufacturing". In 2025H1, the Group acquired projects such as Zhengzhou Coal Smart Supervision Platform, China Coal AI Management and Control Platform, China Coal Pingshuo Open-pit Mining Smart Transportation and others. In addition, the Group's launch of intrinsically safe 5G private network base stations has obtained network access authorisation, and the Group has entered into cooperation with multiple 5G intrinsically safe certifiers, including CCTEG Changzhou Research Institute and China Coal. Meanwhile, the Group signed a framework procurement agreement with Hangzhou Jiaoyang Communications Technology Ltd. for intrinsically safe 5G private network base stations. Optimisation of Digital Intelligence-driven Operation Business Structure and Continued Growth in the Non-Telecommunications Industry Leveraging over 30 years of practical experience in business support and data governance in the telecommunications sector, along with an extensive network of industry experts, the Group has expanded its offerings to major industries with large end-user bases, such as finance, automobile and consumer sectors. It provides data operation services based on "data aggregation + scenario insights + AI empowerment", continuously creating and enhancing value for clients. This approach has further strengthened the Group's leading position in the results-based charging commerce models. In the non-telecommunications industry, the Group achieved an overall year-on-year order growth of 18.2% in 2025H1. Among them, orders in the finance sector increased significantly by 48.3% year-on-year, orders in the automobile sector increased by 5.3% year-on-year, and orders in the consumer sector increased by 4.4% year-on-year. In the telecommunications sector, the Group leveraged a "scenario + AI Agent" strategy to enhance operational efficiency of clients and drive business revenue growth. Firstly, through joint innovation with operators, the Group supported clients in implementing value-based operations at scale, securing projects such as an intelligent marketing service assistant agent for operators' household customers, an AI solution advisor for government and enterprise clients, and a frontline AI sales assistant. Secondly, the Group actively integrated the rights resources and technical capabilities of leading internet enterprises, and united with operator customers to develop operational innovations in areas such as households and business enterprise customers, and help customers to generate revenue by obtaining projects such as AI intelligent marketing, AI intelligent recommendation, and the introduction of rights to cooperative operations with a carrier. In 2025H1, revenue from digital intelligence-driven operation business reached approximately RMB408 million, representing a year-on-year decrease of 8.8%, primarily driven by increased cost control efforts by operators. However, the business structure continued to improve, with revenue from results-based and commission-based charging models accounting for 33.4%, up by 6.7 percentage points year-on-year. The Group will accelerate order conversion and revenue realisation in 2025H2 to ensure the achievement of full-year targets. ICT Support Business Proactively Responds to Industry Transformation and Accelerates Expansion in New Customers and Projects The Group has clearly positioned itself as a software service provider, acknowledging the structural adjustments occurring in the traditional operator industry while basing itself on its operator's base of business, stabilising the ICT support business in the telecommunications sector, and laying a solid foundation for the Group's overall business enhancement and transformation. In 2025H1, the Group's ICT support business maintained a leading market share, with revenue reaching approximately RMB2,118 million. However, due to factors such as reduced overall investment by operators, revenue declined by 14.7% year-on-year. To offset the downward pressure in the BSS business, the Group implemented a series of measures, including AI empowerment, expansion into new services for existing customers, expansion of new clients, and joint market development in the government and enterprise sector. Meanwhile, the Group continued to restructure its organisational model from an "olive-shaped" to a "pyramid-shaped" structure to reduce delivery costs. The Group also leveraged AI large models and other new tools to empower internal operations to achieve cost reductions and enhance operational efficiency in order to significantly narrow the decline in full-year revenue of the ICT support business. In 2025H1, the Group accelerated the application of AI in the BSS and OSS businesses, and 48 new projects were signed, including the R&D project of an operator's intelligent platform and the project of technological innovation platform, etc. The deployment of AI tool platform exceeded 10 provinces, and more than 10 metahuman projects have been implemented, including product sales and assisted acceptance. In addition, the Group has been steadily sourcing new customers and projects, the first phase of the HKT project has been successfully launched. In terms of joint market development in the government and enterprise sectors, the Group focused on data governance, trusted data space, public services, low altitude economy and other areas, and collaborated with operators to open up the market and break the ceiling of traditional business. Several projects have been successfully delivered, including data governance of an energy central enterprise, digital network of a province's energy bureau, a province's construction supervision and public service platform, a city's health service platform, a province's Forestry and Grassland Bureau's digital forestry platform, and a city's intelligent tourism service platform, among others. Strengthening the Technological Leadership of Products such as Cloud Network and Digital Intelligence In 2025H1, AsiaInfo Technologies continued to focus on the three major product systems of "Cloud Network", "Digital Intelligence" and "IT", comprehensively promoting the evolution and innovation of the product system towards AI Native, and continuously strengthening its technological leadership to provide strong support for the Group's three growth engines. In 2025H1, the Group's R&D investment amounted to approximately RMB415 million, with continued efforts to strengthen technological leadership in cloud and digital-intelligent products. Future Prospects Dr. TIAN Suning, Chairman and Executive Director of AsiaInfo Technologies, said, "We expect the results for 2025H2 to improve significantly compared to 2025H1, and we are determined to achieve our full-year targets by optimising the rhythm of signing contracts. In this regard, the Group will adhere to a steady and progressive development strategy. On one hand, we will continue to consolidate the foundation of our core telecommunications business to promote a steady recovery of our fundamental operations in ICT support business. On the other hand, we will continue to focus on cultivating three core growth engines, including AI large model application and delivery, 5G private network and application, and digital intelligence-driven operation. We will also accelerate our pace of signing contracts, to maintain a stable and healthy annual performance. Meanwhile, we will accelerate the commercialisation of AI large model application and delivery, 5G private network and application business orders, to achieve high performance growth for the year. Combining digital intelligence-driven operation business with AI and intelligent agent technology, we will continue to promote the innovative results-based charging commerce models, and optimise the business structure." [1] Excluding the impact of one-off severance compensation due to personnel restructuring optimisation. [2] Revenue includes revenue from the ICT support business, the AI large model application and delivery business, the 5G private network and application business and the digital intelligence-driven operation business. Hashtag: #AsiaInfo The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. AsiaInfo Technologies Limited
