Origen and TACTICAᴬᴵ partner to advance AI-powered digital twin technology in UAE

Abu Dhabi-based companies Origen and TACTICAᴬᴵ have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop artificial intelligence-powered decision intelligence and digital twin simulation solutions for cities and critical infrastructure.

The agreement, signed in Abu Dhabi on November 6, 2026, brings together Origen's data integration and digital twin capabilities with TACTICAᴬᴵ's agentic AI, geospatial intelligence and command-and-control technologies.

The MoU was signed by Sebastian Shi, Co-founder of Origen, and Dr Chaouki Kasmi, Co-founder of TACTICAᴬᴵ, in the presence of Dr Najwa Aaraj, Chief Executive Officer of the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), and Frank Dai, Founder of Origen.

The companies intend to develop applications that enable government and enterprise operators to integrate information from multiple sources, simulate potential scenarios and make better-informed operational decisions.

Combining data integration and AI intelligence

The collaboration aims to address challenges faced by city operators and infrastructure managers, particularly the fragmentation of information across different systems and the difficulty of predicting the consequences of operational decisions.

Origen's digital twin environment integrates and governs existing city data, while TACTICAᴬᴵ combines information from satellite, aerial, ground, sensor and open-source sources to provide operators with a consolidated view of conditions.

The companies plan to expand these capabilities through multi-source data integration and processing, while adhering to local data-residency and security requirements.

Origen's digital twin technology will provide the visualisation and simulation layer, combining Earth observation with live operational data to create a detailed representation of real-world urban environments.

TACTICAᴬᴵ will contribute AI analytics, geospatial intelligence, agentic AI and command-and-control capabilities to interpret information, prioritise responses and coordinate teams and assets.

Simulating scenarios before decisions are made

The partnership will also focus on using digital twins to simulate potential situations before operational decisions are implemented.

The technology is intended to allow decision-makers to assess different scenarios, compare possible outcomes and visualise their potential impact. TACTICAᴬᴵ's AI agents will be able to provide scenario inputs, recommend possible actions and support response coordination.

The companies said this approach could help reduce the time between gathering information and making decisions, while allowing operators to assess potential risks before taking action.

The solutions are designed to integrate with existing platforms and data sources rather than replace current systems.

UAE-based development and data governance

Both companies are headquartered in Abu Dhabi and intend to develop the applications in the UAE, with a focus on local technical, security and data-residency requirements.

The proposed solutions are intended to ensure that operational data relating to the country's cities and infrastructure is governed locally and remains within the UAE.

Customer-provided data will remain the property of customers, while personal data will be handled in accordance with the UAE's federal data protection law. The companies also plan to jointly develop and enhance AI models, with training, refinement and deployment intended to take place in the UAE.

Sebastian Shi, Co-founder of Origen, said the partnership would combine digital twin simulation with coordinated operational action, creating a locally developed foundation for managing cities and critical infrastructure.

Dr Chaouki Kasmi, Co-founder of TACTICAᴬᴵ, said integrating the company's decision-intelligence and command-and-control technology with Origen's digital twin capabilities would help operators understand how situations could develop and assess available options.

Proof-of-concept projects planned

Work under the agreement is expected to begin with focused proof-of-concept exercises before progressing to validated applications and solutions for government and enterprise customers.

Each company will contribute its specialist capabilities, combining Origen's digital twin technology with TACTICAᴬᴵ's decision-intelligence and command-and-control systems.

The collaboration reflects a broader shift in smart-city development towards predictive management, where digital twins and AI-powered operational systems can help authorities move beyond monitoring infrastructure to simulating scenarios and anticipating potential challenges.