Al-Monitor’s Sam Wendel joins host Adam Lucente to discuss his new FutureVerse newsletter, his [interview with Saudi tech diplomat](https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2025/03/ai-superpowers-clash-saudi-tech-diplomat-pushes-collaboration-over-competition?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FutureVerse%203-11-2025&utm_content=FutureVerse%203-11-2025+CID_93c119e89f2f175ac19b73658a3e0b52&utm_source=campmgr&utm_term=full%20interview) Deemah Al-Yahya, how US economic trouble is influencing artificial intelligence in the Middle East and China’s impact on the regional AI sector.