The UAE is one of three global markets where OpenAI runs model inference locally

The UAE is now one of only three markets globally where OpenAI runs AI model inference locally, alongside the US and Europe, under a new Inference Residency offering for eligible API, ChatGPT Enterprise, and ChatGPT Edu customers, the company stated. But this isn’t full local coverage yet — only GPT-5.2 is currently supported under the UAE configuration, and several features are carved out, with image generation, ChatGPT Work, improved memory, and GPT-Live all falling outside the residency framework. ChatGPT’s flagship model is currently 5.6 Sol.

Why it matters: Data residency only governs where content is stored at rest — inference residency means the actual computation happens on GPUs inside the UAE, not just the data sitting there afterward. The offering gives organizations with local compliance and governance requirements a new way to deploy OpenAI models within the country.

Did Egypt just land new global mining interest?

We may soon hear about new mining players in Egypt (or existing ones expanding their portfolios) after bidding closed last week on 42 exploration blocks for gold and associated minerals, as well as phosphate, according to a government document seen by EnterpriseAM. This is the first test of the government’s newly minted rolling exploration system, launched in June, which dismantled the old, highly bureaucratic single-deadline tender format in favor of a rolling application window in which placing an initial bid on a block triggers an automatic 30-day competitive counteroffer period before closing.

The Egyptian government is targeting 40 companies operating across gold, silver, and other mineral resources, up from 13 currently, an MRMIA official tells us. It also targets USD 840 mn in private mining investment this year after it raised the Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority’s (MRMIA) budget by over a third. Cairo hopes to see mining’s contribution to GDP rise to 5-6% by 2030 from under 1% today.

Lebanon’s creative sector under strain

Lebanon’s creative sector is facing a funding and demand squeeze as demand from the GCC, a major source of demand for the country’s creative sector, slows down, Reuters reports. The slowdown comes as GCC-based clients and donors embrace prudent spending to hedge against the war uncertainty — forcing Lebanese creative houses to resort to layoffs to adapt.

A case in point: A Lebanese advertising and strategy consultancy that serves the Gulf told Reuters it laid off half of its staff and is expecting its year-end revenues to fall by more than 70% this year, whereas others in the sector are reporting some 30% to 60% drop in their income due to GCC clients cutting down on new projects.

Why it matters: Lebanon’s cultural and creative sector is a major employer and contributor to Lebanon’s services exports, with some USD 1.1 bn in export revenues and about 166k employees.