Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the Middle East and North Africa’s energy landscape — both as a driver of electricity demand and as a critical enabler of renewable energy deployment. As data centers and AI computing capacity expand across the region, solar power is emerging as the fastest and most cost-effective source of new generation. At the same time, AI itself is transforming how solar assets are designed, built, and operated in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
In this article, published as part of MESIA’s Annual Solar Outlook ahead of World Future Energy Summit 2026, Nextpower's Jamie Manley, Jyoti Jain, and Francesco Borrelli explore the symbiotic relationship between AI and solar energy in MENA. They examine how AI-driven digital tools and robotics can help overcome harsh desert conditions, improve safety, optimize performance, and accelerate large-scale deployment in order to meet the region's increasing electricity demands and renewable energy transition targets.
Read the article.