iNNOV8 Participates in Iraq Political Science Day: Panel on AI-Powered Defense in the Middle East

iNNOV8 Research Center participated in the Iraq Political Science Day, held on May 29 at the University of Kurdistan Hewlêr (UKH), with Research Specialist Noor Omer joining as a panelist in the session titled: “AI-Powered Defense in the Middle East: Opportunities and Risks in the Region’s New Security Order.”  The original paper is published on the iNNOV8 website here.

The panel examined how artificial intelligence is transforming defense strategies across the Middle East, with Noor presenting findings from a cross-case analysis of Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Israel, the region’s leading adopters of AI in defense. The research highlighted how these states are embedding AI into military planning, surveillance, and strategic deterrence, while also revealing growing dependencies on foreign technologies and vulnerabilities in cyber governance, especially for Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Türkiye. 

The session emphasized that AI is no longer merely a tool but a geopolitical force reshaping sovereignty, deterrence, and power projection. It called for strengthened AI governance frameworks, regional coordination, and long-term investment in defense innovation to prevent deepening asymmetries in regional security.  

The Iraq Political Science Day brought together faculty, researchers, and students from seven universities and research institutes across Baghdad, Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah. The event featured over 25 research presentations across five thematic panels, covering regional politics, governance, international political economy, and societal dynamics throughout Iraq and beyond.