The Middle East’s AI Arms Race episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 25, 2026 · 56 MIN

The Middle East’s AI Arms Race

from CONFLICTED · host Message Heard

As the Middle East wakes up to an unnerving new normal following the signing of the M.O.U., Aimen and Thomas turn their attention to something truly cutting edge: the AI Arms Race that is rapidly transforming the Gulf into the front lines of a truly global U.S.-China confrontation. Aimen and Thomas discuss: Iran’s drone attacks on Gulf data centres. AI in missile defence and military targeting. The physical infrastructure behind cloud computing. Cheap Gulf energy and rapid data-centre construction. The UAE–Saudi competition for AI leadership. Sheikh Tahnoon, G42 and MGX. Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN strategy. The US–China global AI rivalry. Israel’s cybersecurity and military-AI role. Whether AI-generated art can be genuinely creative. Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Conflicted is a Message Heard production. Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren. Produced and edited by Thomas Small. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Middle East wakes up to an unnerving new normal following the signing of the M.O.U., Aimen and Thomas turn their attention to something truly cutting edge: the AI Arms Race that is rapidly transforming the Gulf into the front lines of a truly global U.S.-China confrontation. Aimen and Thomas discuss: Iran’s drone attacks on Gulf data centres. AI in missile defence and military targeting. The physical infrastructure behind cloud computing. Cheap Gulf energy and rapid data-centre construction. The UAE–Saudi competition for AI leadership. Sheikh Tahnoon, G42 and MGX. Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN strategy. The US–China global AI rivalry. Israel’s cybersecurity and military-AI role. Whether AI-generated art can be genuinely creative. Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Conflicted is a Message Heard production. Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren. Produced and edited by Thomas Small. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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The Middle East’s AI Arms Race

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The State of State Schools John Stamper The State of State Schools podcast explores the most important topics and resources in education from a Christian perspective. The goal is to help teachers, parents, and families stay up-to-speed on what's going on in public schools, private schools, and home education. John Stamper is a former homeschooler, former public school teacher, and author of the books "Courage to Stand: Profiles of Enduring Faith" and "Conflicted: Pulling Back the Curtain on Public Education." His homeschool background, coupled with his experience teaching in the nation’s third largest public school system, provide a unique perspective on education that parents and teachers will want to hear.Website: johnstamper.orgTwitter: @thesosspodcastInstagram: thestateofstateschoolsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9PXMwAv4_RcVXknCBY1BfyhsuPCa Classy with Jonathan Menjivar Pineapple Street Studios and Audacy *** Named one of the best podcasts of 2023 by The New Yorker, Time, The Atlantic, Apple, Vogue, the CBC, and Lifehacker. ***Classy is a collection of surprising stories, juicy and uncomfortable interviews, and engaging segments that explore the ways that class infiltrates our day-to-day lives. In the host seat is Jonathan Menjivar – a working-class Latino kid who started working in media and became someone who likes oysters, wears cashmere socks, and is very conflicted about all of it. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Lina Wuthering Heights is a haunting tale of obsessive passion and destructive revenge set against the bleak Yorkshire moors. The story follows the turbulent lives of Heathcliff, a brooding and vengeful foundling, and Catherine Earnshaw, whose deep, conflicted love sparks a relentless cycle of cruelty. Their turbulent relationship affects two generations, intertwining the fates of the Earnshaw and Linton families. Through raw emotions and bitter conflicts, Emily Brontë explores the destructive power of love, social class, and the relentless grip of revenge. Ultimately, tragedy and redemption intertwine, challenging destiny. Summary by Lina Forking Off Forking Off A podcast by former feds who got the fork out of government service. In 2025, hosts and former FBI intelligence analysts Jill and Philip Fields joined the exodus of public servants leaving federal service under the deferred resignation program. Conflicted over what to do next, they began encountering other recently departed feds fighting to find their voice.They started Forking Off as a platform to lift them up, preserve the public record, and document the destruction of American governance. Join us the last Tuesday of every month as we share their stories.

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This episode is 56 minutes long.

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This episode was published on June 25, 2026.

What is this episode about?

As the Middle East wakes up to an unnerving new normal following the signing of the M.O.U., Aimen and Thomas turn their attention to something truly cutting edge: the AI Arms Race that is rapidly transforming the Gulf into the front lines of a truly...

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