iFLYTEK and MBK Holding Group Sign Global Strategic Partnership Agreement to Advance AI and Industry Collaboration

iFLYTEK Open Platform and MBK Holding Group ("MBK") signed a Global Strategic Partnership Agreement at iFLYTEK's Beijing headquarters during the 2026 iFLYTEK 1024 Global Developer Festival. Combining their strengths in AI technology and industry resources, the partners will prioritize Qatar, expand cooperation across the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, and explore broader global AI opportunities.

The signing ceremony was attended by H.E. Sheikh Mansoor Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, a member of Qatar's royal family and Founder and Chairman of MBK; Huda Al-Jefairi, Counsellor at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Beijing; Richard Yu, Senior Vice President of iFLYTEK and President of its Consumer Business Group; and William Zhou, Vice President of iFLYTEK Open Platform and President of Overseas Business.

Headquartered in Qatar, MBK is a technology investment and industrial development group with a global presence and more than 100 investment projects implemented. Its business spans digital technology, natural resources and high-tech industries, with activities across the Middle East, Central Asia, North Africa and the United Kingdom. Through strategic investment, incubation, management support and global partnerships, MBK supports cooperation in AI, digital infrastructure and technology talent development, helping companies transform their operations and bring innovations into practical use.

Under the agreement, the partners will focus on healthcare, education, media, and oil and gas. They plan to jointly establish AI research, development and delivery centers in mutually agreed countries, localize proven AI technologies and solutions, and develop local AI talent. iFLYTEK Open Platform will provide core technologies, platforms, expert teams, and R&D and delivery support. MBK will lead government and institutional engagement, identify project opportunities and coordinate local ecosystems, while facilitating access to funding, data and testing resources.

During the visit, H.E. Sheikh Mansoor led the delegation to the Developer Ecosystem Launch and the Beijing Science and Technology Exhibition of the festival. The delegation experienced GuideX, AStudio, iFLYTEK AI Translation Earbuds, iFLYTEK Smart Translator, SPARK Smart Blackboard and SPARK AI Grader, exploring iFLYTEK's innovations in multilingual communication, AI agents and education. In a media interview, H.E. Sheikh Mansoor said iFLYTEK's technological capabilities and attention to human needs had left a strong impression.

Welcoming the delegation, William Zhou said AI should not only make machines smarter, but also help people become more capable. He emphasized the value of technology in improving lives, connecting cultures and creating opportunities. iFLYTEK Open Platform looks forward to translating this shared vision into practical projects with MBK and expanding cooperation in research and innovation.

H.E. Sheikh Mansoor previously attended the 2025 iFLYTEK 1024 Developer Festival and the iFLYTEK Open Platform Central Asia Launch on July 1, 2026. Continued exchanges have helped the partners explore cooperation at multiple levels, laying the groundwork for the agreement and future collaboration.

Yanson Li, Pre-sales Manager for MENA at iFLYTEK Open Platform, presented capabilities in multilingual speech recognition and translation, digital human services, private deployment of enterprise-grade AI, data annotation, model training and adaptation. Drawing on media production, public services and industrial equipment monitoring, he outlined solutions and implementation approaches. The partners also discussed working with local partners and service providers to adapt technologies to local languages, business scenarios and project requirements.

H.E. Sheikh Mansoor expressed particular interest in iFLYTEK's speech data annotation platform and training framework. He proposed holding technical workshops and exploring the possibility of forming a joint R&D team focused on speech optimization and robotics architecture. He also recognized AINOTE's practical value in improving document-related productivity, allowing users to devote more attention to the quality of their work. MBK Chief Technology Officer Bashar Hasan introduced the group's business and cooperation priorities, highlighting opportunities to combine local resources with iFLYTEK's AI capabilities.

The partnership extends iFLYTEK Open Platform's ongoing development in the Middle East. iFLYTEK has delivered real-time transcription and translation engines to the multimedia newsroom at Al Jazeera Media Network's headquarters in Doha, supporting multilingual news production. Other regional applications include GuideX public services at Abu Dhabi Customs, smart office applications at Omantel, and the WallEX smart hotel project at Bunyan Hotel in Riyadh. These projects provide experience in language adaptation, business system integration and services tailored to local needs, supporting further regional AI applications.

The agreement marks a new stage in the partnership. With Qatar as a starting point, iFLYTEK Open Platform and MBK will address industry needs across the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, deepen AI research and industry cooperation, and translate technological advances into solutions that meet local needs while exploring broader international opportunities.

Media Contacts
Company: iFLYTEK Co., Ltd.
Contact Person: Tara Deng
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://mena.xfyun.com/
Country: China

City: Beijing