Kerno and Saal.ai are combining locally manufactured enterprise infrastructure with locally developed AI capabilities to create a new sovereign technology stack designed to reduce dependence on foreign technology supply chains and cross-border platforms.
The companies have signed a strategic MoU at AI Everything 2026 to develop Sovereign AI-in-a-Box, an integrated platform bringing together enterprise compute, operating environments, containerisation and purpose-built AI models within a single architecture.
The partnership addresses a growing challenge for organisations deploying AI in critical sectors: how to scale advanced workloads while retaining ownership and control of data, models and infrastructure.
“True AI sovereignty requires ownership of the technology stack, from the silicon to the software. By combining UAE-manufactured infrastructure with locally developed AI, we are giving customers greater independence while investing in the local industrial base and national talent.”
— Yevgeny Ostrovsky, Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Kerno
Under the agreement, Kerno will provide the infrastructure foundation, with its enterprise systems engineered, manufactured, tested and supported within the UAE. Saal.ai will provide the AI layer, delivering specialised solutions aimed at improving operational efficiency, decision-making and digital transformation across government and private-sector organisations.
The companies position the model as more than an AI deployment platform. By combining domestic hardware manufacturing with locally developed AI software, the partnership seeks to retain more technology value within the UAE, strengthen critical supply chains and build national capabilities across hardware engineering, manufacturing, AI development and deployment.
For customers, the architecture is designed to provide full ownership and control of their data, AI models and underlying infrastructure. This could be particularly relevant for organisations handling sensitive workloads where data sovereignty, operational control and supply-chain resilience are strategic requirements.
The partnership also reflects a broader shift in the UAE from technology adoption toward technology creation. Kerno and Saal.ai aim to develop local expertise capable of designing, deploying and managing next-generation digital infrastructure, while creating a foundation that can potentially support technology exports beyond the domestic market.
“Sovereignty in AI is fundamentally about ownership, control and the freedom to innovate. Together with Kerno, we are giving enterprises a new model for adopting and scaling AI without giving up control of their technology.”
— Vikraman Puthoval, CEO, Saal.ai
Saal.ai brings its portfolio of locally developed platforms, including DigiXT, Academy X, Dataprism360 and Market Hub, targeting sectors such as defence, healthcare, oil and gas, smart cities and education.
The collaboration ultimately positions sovereign AI as an integrated infrastructure question rather than simply a software or model choice. By controlling more layers of the technology stack locally, organisations can seek greater autonomy while scaling AI workloads without relying entirely on external infrastructure, support or cross-border platforms.
