An AI model that proposes a new material is impressive. A laboratory that can test promising candidates, a factory that can reproduce the successful result and an energy system that can support production are what turn that possibility into economic change. Each capability matters individually. The larger transformation begins when they work together—and when what happens in the physical world improves the next round of design.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—is pivoting from its oil-dependent past toward a future defined by smart cities.

Introduction: Across the Gulf, technology is reshaping the way businesses operate, innovate, and connect with their customers. Digital...