Artificial intelligence is now the driving force behind digital transformation. For Khalid Murshed, CEO of e& enterprise, the digital transformation division of global tech leader e&, AI’s true significance lies not just in technical prowess but in its tangible impact on governments, economies, and daily lives.
Murshed views AI, supported by cloud and cybersecurity, as the digital backbone propelling regional progress. It’s crucial yet unseen, facilitating smarter governance, stronger economies, and citizen-centered services.
“I urge my teams to demonstrate the outcomes for citizens before we discuss the technology. AI should enhance lives, not just exist for technology’s sake.”
Smart Governments: AI for Outcomes, Not Just Hype
In the Middle East, governments are advancing beyond digitalization to embrace AI-driven governance. Predictive traffic systems are cutting commute times, AI diagnostics are improving healthcare, and digital identity platforms like UAE Pass streamline access to over 1,000 public services.
For Murshed, these initiatives show that AI’s potential isn’t just about enhanced efficiency but delivering public value. Under his leadership, e& enterprise has launched over 200 AI applications across various sectors, including healthcare models for early disease detection, AI copilots for legal systems, and smart city platforms optimizing urban mobility, lighting, and waste management. “I focus on time saved during commutes, faster legal resolutions, and seamless access with a single identity. If people don’t notice improvements, we’ve missed the mark. Real innovation isn’t about adoption by a select few; it’s about making it accessible to all,” he explains.
Digital Economies: Sovereignty, Scalability, and AI Preparedness
As economies go digital, the ability to scale AI securely and locally becomes a key advantage. Sovereign cloud platforms ensure sensitive data stays within national borders, with cybersecurity providing essential trust.
This approach is central to e& enterprise’s global strategy. In Saudi Arabia, the firm aligns with Vision 2030, assisting ministries and enterprises with AI-ready cloud and cybersecurity solutions, while establishing in-country Security Operations Centres for national resilience.
In Egypt, e& enterprise is developing a regional cyber hub to secure vital infrastructure and support AI adoption across North Africa. Beyond the region, they are winning AI contracts in Eastern Europe, proving that Middle Eastern solutions can scale internationally while maintaining local relevance.
In all markets, the principle is consistent: AI innovation must be contextually rooted, regulatory-compliant, aligned with national goals, and supported by local talent. For Khalid, sovereignty isn’t just compliance; it’s a capacity for long-term resilience. He asserts, “I won’t deploy where sensitive data can’t remain in-country and where resilience can’t be proven. Sovereignty is capability, not a checklist. That’s why we establish local security operations and align with national goals before scaling.”
Citizen-Centric Services: AI Impacting Lives
The true test of AI is its perceptible impact on people. e& enterprise leverages AI in utilities, creating copilots that predict outages, optimize energy grids, and boost sustainability.
For small and medium enterprises, the economic backbone of the region, the company is crafting affordable AI copilots that offer small businesses the same digital insights as larger firms. In healthcare, AI is revolutionizing diagnostics and imaging, enhancing accuracy and expanding service access. “SMEs shouldn’t need a data science team to leverage AI. We’re developing copilots that integrate in a weekend, work with existing business tools, and deliver quick returns in precision and time saved. Technology only matters if it impacts citizens’ daily lives,” Khalid says.
Ecosystem Collaboration: Co-Creating AI Futures
The forthcoming transformation scale can’t be achieved in isolation. e& enterprise views its partnerships with AWS, Microsoft, and Meta as co-innovation platforms rather than vendor agreements.
Together, these collaborations advance sovereign cloud, establish GenAI Centres of Excellence, and design conversational commerce platforms for more relevant, multilingual citizen engagement.
These partnerships are not transactional but shared roadmaps, aligned with national priorities, designed to produce regional intellectual property, enhance sovereign capabilities, and create AI solutions that are locally relevant yet globally scalable.
Khalid notes, “We don’t just adopt global technologies; we adapt them to reflect our region’s needs and ambitions.”
Responsible AI: Trust as the Key Multiplier
With AI’s rapid growth come questions of governance, security, and ethics. For Murshed, responsibility is crucial. “In AI, speed is important, but trust is the multiplier. Without trust, even the fastest implementations won’t last.”
e& enterprise integrates governance and oversight into every project, from bias testing and explainability frameworks to sovereign data hosting and sector-specific compliance, recognizing each sector’s unique risks.
The company is also investing in people. Its AI Academy and Chief AI Officer Programme (in collaboration with Emeritus) equip industry leaders to assess, implement, and govern AI responsibly, ensuring that as technology scales, so does the capability to use it wisely.
A Vision Beyond Today
Looking ahead, Murshed aims to position e& enterprise as the region’s AI-powered digital backbone, crucial yet often invisible, facilitating movement, coordination, and resilience across industries and economies.
By embedding AI into government, business, and society, supported by cloud and cybersecurity, the company is crafting a secure, inclusive, and sustainable future.
As its influence extends across the Middle East, Africa, and now Eastern Europe, e& enterprise is exporting AI transformation models globally. From Arabic natural language processing to smart district platforms and cybersecurity hubs, their work shows the region can be a testbed for globally relevant innovation.
In Murshed’s view, true transformation for impact means technology that doesn’t just digitize processes but shapes nations’ futures, empowers citizens, and fosters shared societal growth.
