Health and life sciences in 2026: Data earns its doctorate and AI prescribes the future of care

Manal Saleh

SAS predicts the path for data and AI to reshape how the industry discovers, treats and delivers care

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2 April 2026 – As we step into 2026, the AI and analytics story for health care and life sciences isn’t about sudden disruption – it’s about a steady, strategic evolution toward smart, practical innovation. The 2026 predictions from health care and life sciences experts at SAS, a global leader in data and AI, offer a look at the breakthroughs set to redefine science, medicine and the business operations holding it all together.

This year’s forecast is equal parts ambition and reality check: Data streams finally harmonize, quantum models crash the preclinical party, regulatory sandboxes open for business and AI shows up everywhere – from clinical decisions to home health to the factory floor. The through line is clear: Leading organizations will treat data and AI as core infrastructure, not experimental add-ons.

SAS 2026 predictions for health care and life sciences

Data orchestration harmonizes life sciences. As life sciences moves toward personalized medicine, we are no longer dealing with isolated data points. Instead, in 2026 and beyond we will orchestrate high-quality, continuous data streams from digital biomarkers, genomics, imaging and clinical laboratories. The promise of multimodal analysis – from genome-wide association studies to polygenic risk scores – depends on robust data engineering that can harmonize and contextualize these complex signals. Expect to see significant investment in the joining of the discovery and clinical analytical data fields.

– Dr. Mark Lambrecht, Global Head of Health Care & Life Sciences

Augmented intelligence unlocks the next era of rural care. AI will become the main driver of rural health access as virtual agents handle triage, care navigation and ongoing monitoring. Hybrid care teams will use AI tools that enhance human decision making by interpreting diagnostics, highlighting risks and guiding clinicians to the best next step. Value-based programs will shift toward predictive, AI-informed population management, while community resources such as transportation, food access and maternal support will be coordinated by intelligent agents that match services to patient needs at scale.

– Amanda Barefoot, Head, Global Health Care & Life Sciences Strategic Advisory

Quantum leaps into clinical research. Quantum machine learning (QML) will be successfully applied to the predictive toxicology of novel drug candidates in 2026. By simulating complex quantum mechanical effects with unprecedented accuracy, these models will flag potential safety issues earlier than classical AI, substantially reducing the failure rate in preclinical research.

– Brittany Shriver, Head, Global Life Sciences Strategic Advisory

Rise of in-home care programs spur tech innovation. In 2026, home health spending is expected to rise as hospital-at-home programs gain momentum and demand for in-home and community-based care continues to grow. Remote patient monitoring will become increasingly essential and will leverage IoT devices, event stream processing and AI to deliver real-time insights that help manage chronic conditions, improve outcomes and reduce costs. While the industry is still in the early stages of this transformation, more demonstration projects will emerge to validate the benefits and support the shift toward decentralized, data-driven care.

– Heather Hallett, RN, Head, US Health Care Strategic Advisory

Regulatory sandboxes accelerate health innovation. Hospitals, health organizations and startups will use regulatory-approved sandboxes with synthetic clinical data to test AI models, simulate clinical trials, prototype decision-support tools and accelerate validation process – without breaching privacy laws or health care regulations.

– Christian Hardahl, Head, EMEA Health Care Strategic Advisory

AI productivity stacks become the norm. By the end of 2026, every major enterprise will have an AI productivity stack. The same way every business today has cloud and customer relationship management (CRM), LLMs stitched into deterministic engines will run everything from marketing copy to medical billing. Generative AI gets the headlines, but deterministic AI writes the checks. Together they make the modern enterprise faster, leaner, and more inhumanly efficient. The losers will be clinging to the illusion that AI is another “tech wave.”

–  Heather Trimble, Health Care Strategic Advisor

Multimodal RWD becomes the rule, not the exception. Leveraging multimodal data is rapidly becoming standard practice in real-world evidence generation, providing a better understanding of patient populations by seamlessly integrating structured electronic medical record data, unstructured clinical progress notes, medical imaging, wearables, patient-reported outcomes, genomics and social determinants of health. The evolution of LLMs will finally solve decades-old interoperability challenges by speeding the data standardization process or even the direct understanding of the heterogeneous data sources.

–  William Kuan, Health Care and Life Sciences Strategic Advisor

AI technology boosts pharma manufacturing. The pharmaceutical supply chain will be more digitally integrated and resilient to handle disruptions like pandemics, geopolitical shifts and raw material shortages. AI and machine learning will support predictive maintenance, real-time process monitoring and automated quality assurance, while emerging technologies like digital twins for real-time simulation and optimization and blockchain for traceability and compliance are tapped.

–  Sharon Napier, Life Sciences Strategic Advisor

Clinical decisions get an AI boost. In 2026, health care will see accelerated adoption of AI-enabled clinical decision support systems, driven by their proven ability to enhance diagnostic precision and personalize therapeutic recommendations. This shift is underpinned by growing clinical trust, improved data interoperability and strategic investments highlighted in recent industry analyses.

– Dr. Mark Wolff, Health Care and Life Sciences Strategic Advisor

AI drives personalized medicine and patient care optimization. In 2026, AI models will be tapped to analyze patient genomics, history and treatment data to recommend optimal therapies or clinical trial participation. The use of AI to model molecular interactions, screen drug candidates and predict toxicity will reduce time and cost in early-stage discovery.

– Pritesh Desai, Life Sciences Strategic Advisor

Copilots and agents step up. In 2026, there will be a shift from the use of copilots as only code assistants to take on automation of manual tasks and accelerate drug submission approvals. Meanwhile AI agents take on a bigger role in 2026, but humans will still be engaged to validate and approve agent output. In Europe, the EU AI Act will refine human ownership on the overall process.

– Olivier Bouchard, Life Sciences Strategic Advisor

Data quality defines the future of health care success. As artificial intelligence continues to transform health care, a clear truth is emerging: The success of AI doesn’t depend on the algorithms alone, it depends on the data that fuels them. In the era of predictive health and precision medicine, organizations that can access high-quality, patient-centric data and integrate it seamlessly across workflows will lead the way in delivering value, improving outcomes and earning consumer trust.

– Grace Gu, Health Care Strategic Advisor

Benefits (and risks) from health digitalization continue. Improvements in health care, health behaviors, medical research and clinical development – especially the application of AI and machine learning – have been made possible by the digitization of health care data. With those same benefits come additional risks to privacy and misuse of data. In 2026, we’ll see investments in ensuring AI benefits while limiting the risks.

– Robert Collins, Health Care & Life Sciences Strategic Advisor

AI becomes ubiquitous, from marketing and administrative workflows to remote diagnostics. In 2026, machine learning and cloud-native platforms will be central to life sciences R&D, minimizing clinical trial failures and accelerating regulatory approvals. AI-driven drug discovery will shorten timelines for identifying viable drug candidates, while decentralized trials will play a pivotal role in reshaping study design and patient access. This transformation will elevate the strategic importance of data governance, model transparency and regulatory harmonization across the industry.

– Soundarya Palanisamy, Life Sciences Strategic Advisor

AI starts to bear fruit in sustainability. Expect a meaningful shift in health care and life sciences sustainability from reporting and data collection to practical changes driven by AI in areas like optimization and predictive logistics. In parallel, the environmental impact of AI will come under more scrutiny and will start to be a factor in procurement decisions, along with the broader supply chain footprint.

– Lisa Murch, Life Sciences Strategic Advisor

 Manal Saleh

Manal Saleh

-         Dammam dominates Saudi residential growth chart as sales values rise 30%

-         New reforms set to deepen investor interest in KSA real estate

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2 April 2026 – Residential property sales in Jeddah set a new annual record, with 30,500 transactions collectively worth SAR36.6 billion (US$9.75 billion) in 2025, says real estate advisory and property consultancy, Cavendish Maxwell.

Manal Saleh

Manal Saleh

In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with the desert is different. It is part of everyday life, part of how people explore, gather, and move. But this reality demands systems that can keep up. Because connectivity is not always there, and when it disappears, so does the sense of control.

This is where Najm Suhail begins.

Developed in collaboration between GWM TANK and Social Clinic, the platform is rooted in a clear and urgent problem. Every month, rescue teams respond to more than a hundred desert incidents, many involving young drivers and off-roaders who rely entirely on their phones. The issue is not being adventurous. It is dependency.

A generation raised on instant access has never needed to think beyond it. The moment signal drops, decision-making collapses. The instinct is to keep moving, often turning a manageable situation into a dangerous one.

Najm Suhail is not a message about safety. It is a system designed for when safety becomes critical. A device and platform that prepares drivers before entering the desert, guides them when they lose direction, and supports them when situations escalate.

What makes it effective is not the technology. It is the removal of complexity.

When disorientation happens, the platform delivers one clear action. Retrace. Move. Or stay. This clarity is the idea. In moments of stress, people do not need more information. They need certainty. Najm Suhail turns panic into direction and hesitation into action.

More importantly, it moves beyond communication. This is not a campaign that lives in content. It lives in behavior. The device becomes part of the journey, present at the moment risk begins and relied on when things go wrong. The tone is grounded, local, and respectful.

For GWM TANK, the impact is strategic. Entering a market dominated by heritage brands, it had no authority to speak about the desert. Najm Suhail created that authority through action. Instead of claiming performance, the brand demonstrates responsibility. Instead of competing on legacy, it competes on relevance.

Najm Suhail is more than a device or campaign. It is a statement of intent. A reminder that the future of advertising will be defined by what brands build.

Manal Saleh

Alriyadh , 30 March 2026 The Mate series once represented the pinnacle of smartphone innovation. Now, the series returns to the global stage after a brief hiatus. Building on the Mate series’ strong tradition of pioneering technology, the Mate 80 Pro sets new standards in imaging authenticity, durability, performance, and intelligence. At a time when innovation among standard slab smartphones appears to have stalled, the Mate 80 Pro emerges as a serious contender for the best flagship smartphone of the year.

Capturing Reality with True Fidelity

The HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro revolutionises mobile photography with its True-to-Color Camera System. Compared to the previous generation, this system achieves a 43% improvement in colour reproduction to guarantee authentic, professional-grade results in any scenario. The system is powered by a premium 50 MP Ultra Lighting Main Camera featuring a large 1/1.28-inch sensor. This flagship main sensor captures significantly more light and detail than those of previous generations, providing superior low-light capabilities and lifelike textures.

The true strength of the Mate 80 Pro lies in its True-to-Color Camera. This camera system boasts 96% better light intake to offer more accurate, true-to-life detail in low-light conditions. Additionally, DCG HDR technology enhances dynamic range by 300% when compared to the previous generation, preserving details and contrast even in strong backlight scenarios.

The Mate 80 Pro's 48 MP Ultra Lighting Telephoto Macro Lens supports 4x optical zoom and a minimum focus distance of 5 cm, unlocking effortless close-up and long-range shooting to support stunning clarity and enchanting bokeh. For capturing wide canvases, there is the 40 MP ultra-wide-angle camera.

Built to Endure Adventures

The HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro features the Super Durable Architecture, providing comprehensive protection without compromising elegance. The 2nd Generation Kunlun Glass offers 20x greater drop resistance than conventional glass, safeguarding the display from accidental falls. In addition, the ultra-durable vegan fibre back panel boosts impact resistance by 5x, all while maintaining a silky scratch- and wear-resistant texture.

The device also has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance (up to 6 m depth) and an IP69 rating for high temperatures and high-pressure jets, offering a multi-layer shield against spills, rain, and dust. This makes the Mate 80 Pro an ideal companion for splash days, workouts, or rainy commutes.

Powerful Performance

The HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro supports all-day usage thanks to a huge 5750 mAh battery, which can be rapidly recharged through 100 W wired SuperCharge or 80 W wireless SuperCharge. The device also comes equipped with the industry-first SuperCool Dual Phase Change Heat Dissipation System, capable of boosting thermal conductivity by 16% and reducing temperature rise by 33%. This allows the phone to remain 1°C cooler during gaming and 2.5°C cooler during HD streaming compared with the previous generation—ensuring smooth, lag-free performance under heavy loads.

Dual space ring design

The HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro introduces a Dual Space Ring Design with a symmetrical aesthetic. The Mate 80 Pro is available in three colours inspired by nature: Gold, Green, and Black. Paired with a silky, ultra-durable vegan fibre back panel, the phone offers a premium feel.

A Smarter Experience

The HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro integrates innovative AI features for exceptional creativity. With AI Remove, users can effortlessly erase unwanted elements like passers-by or clutter, after which backgrounds are seamlessly reconstructed. AI Best Expression is capable of analysing burst shots and then merging everyone's best faces into a single image, creating timeless group photos. In addition, AI Composition provides real-time framing guidance for professional-level shots, while Two-Way AI Noise Cancellation filters ambient noise for crystal-clear calls in noisy environments.

The HUAWEI Mate 80 Pro will be available for pre-order in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia starting April 1st at 3699 SAR with valuable gifts offered through the Huawei online store and several authorized retailers.

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Manal Saleh

·        HP announces HP IQ,¹ a workplace intelligence layer that can coordinate experiences across HP devices through local, on-device AI capabilities and proximity-based connectivity, helping reduce digital friction and improve productivity.

Manal Saleh

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 15, 2026 – This spring, Zuma invites guests to experience its renowned weekend brunch in Riyadh, designed for sharing and inspired by the restaurant’s signature contemporary Japanese flavours.

Crafted by Zuma’s Head Chef, the Shūmatsu Menu is served as a set menu for the entire table. The experience begins with an unlimited selection of signature starters, including shrimp tempura with lime and chilli dip, chilli lemon chicken karaage, prawn maki with tenkasu, avocado and wasabi mentaiko sauce, and more. Vegetarian options such as spicy fried tofu and Japanese potato salad are also available, while guests may request a chef’s selection of sashimi and nigiri.

For the main course, each guest selects one dish from a range of options, including marinated lamb chops with pickled baby onion and myoga, salmon teriyaki with pickled cucumber, spicy beef tenderloin with sesame, red chilli and sweet soy, barley miso-marinated baby chicken roasted on cedar wood, and miso-marinated black cod wrapped in hoba leaf. Vegetarian options include yakisoba with seasonal vegetables and spicy fried tofu with avocado and Japanese herbs.

Each main is served with a selection of sides, including steamed rice with sesame and seaweed, Japanese mushroom rice, sweetcorn with shiso ponzu butter, and roasted whole potato with chilli ponzu butter and lime.

The brunch concludes with a choice of unlimited desserts in Zuma’s dessert room, showcasing seasonal creations alongside Zuma favourites. Guests can also enjoy two signature non-alcoholic cocktails.

With its vibrant atmosphere, signature flavours, and carefully curated menu, Zuma’s weekend brunch in Riyadh offers a lively and celebratory dining experience, perfect for family gatherings, group celebrations, or a stylish weekend outing with friends.

During Eid Holiday: Saturday and Sunday

Regular Schedule: Every Saturday

Brunch Kids Menu (6-12PM): SAR135 per person

Under 6 years old: Complimentary

Manal Saleh

           Genesis Magma Racing is set to begin its first FIA World Endurance Championship campaign just 499 days after the team was publicly announced

-                  Genesis will run the pair of GMR-001 Hypercars in the series as a fully manufacturer team, rather than in partnership with an existing external outfit

-                  Built from scratch, the team is based at Le Castellet in France and combines experience and approaches from across the range of motorsports

LIWA LE CASTELLET, France, March 29, 2026 — When Genesis Magma Racing was announced in Dubai in December 2024, it marked the first public steps in a huge task. With only 499 days between the announcement and the first race of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), it was not just a car and an engine that needed to be built, but a whole team.

“No Alternative” to Entering WEC as a Full Manufacturer Team

The scale of the challenge was made even greater by the decision that Genesis would enter the WEC paddock as an in-house manufacturer team, rather than partner with an existing outfit. “Given the long-term objectives, there was absolutely no alternative,” explained Genesis Magma Racing Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul. “It was mandatory for us to do everything ourselves, instead of giving responsibility to a partner team, which would have been the easier thing to do.”

He continued: “This is the start of a long-term project for Genesis Magma Racing, and we wanted to start with our own soul, skill and people. Genesis also wants to understand motorsport as a manufacturer and bring that high-performance culture to the company. The only way to do this is to remove the firewall between the race team and the brand and take full control ourselves.”

What has been built is a team of 75 people representing 16 different nationalities. They are split between Genesis Magma Racing’s race base at Le Castellet in France, Hyundai Motorsport’s Headquarters in Offenbach, Germany, and the company’s nearby Technical Centre in Fechenheim, where the Genesis G8MR 3.2l Turbo V8 at the heart of the GMR-001 Hypercar is built. For the eight rounds of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, starting with next month’s 6 Hours of Imola, they will join together in the paddock for Genesis Magma Racing’s debut season.

Team Assembled from Scratch Without Compromise

Within the team are specialists with a range of backgrounds representing not only endurance racing but across the motorsport spectrum, including 15 team members from Hyundai Motorsport, who moved to Genesis Magma Racing as part of the Trajectory Program. The assembled team brings a range of experience and approaches to an organization started from a blank sheet of paper.

Genesis Magma Racing Team Manager Anouck Abadie said: “Starting from a white page does have advantages. We could do what we thought was best for the team’s structure, without having to follow anything that had gone before. We were only focused on what we thought would work best. For the people too, we had everyone starting new, so we could put the right people in the right roles without any compromises or politics.”

The team structure was tested alongside the GMR-001 Hypercar through the second half of 2025. This culminated in the December test at Barcelona where 80% of the on-event team was present, validating Genesis Magma Racing’s operational plans for the 2026 season.

Setting up an entirely new facility, Genesis Magma Racing was also able to avoid compromise on the location for the race base. Specifically choosing a location close to both chassis partner ORECA and Circuit Paul Ricard, where the GMR-001 Hypercar completed its first tests, the team is run from a 2,900-square-meter workshop where the race cars will be prepared between races.

Genesis Magma Racing Operations Director Sebastien Metz said: “At the Genesis Magma Racing race base we have all the key departments and requirements of the team in one place. We have a dedicated area for the mechanics’ pitstop practice, and a space for remote engineering operations during each race weekend. It was important for us to have as much capability as we could within the team and workshop, and we have a perfect opportunity to do that.”

Team Clothing Design Features “Distinctly Korean” Hallmarks

Genesis Magma Racing team members will be instantly recognizable in the paddock, sporting team clothing featuring the signature combination of black and Magma Orange. Supplied by the team’s Official Team Apparel Partner, Kappa, the kit features the now-familiar geometric Genesis Magma Racing logo, with the traditional Korean hangul writing that inspires it included as a subtle tone-on-tone repeating design as the team remains true to its “distinctly Korean” philosophy.

The combination of colors holds strong meaning – the black representing the humble attitude and the brighter shade symbolic of the self-confidence and passion of Korean culture – as the team prepares to be the first manufacturer in the championship from the country.

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About Genesis Middle East & Africa

Manal Saleh

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 29 March 2026: In line with its commitment to building integrated communities that enhance quality of life, Dar wa Emaar Real Estate Investment & Development hosted an open community event to celebrate Eid Al Fitr at Saraya Al Jawan 1 Park in Riyadh during the third day of Eid. The event welcomed wide participation from families and visitors in a festive atmosphere that reflected the spirit of Eid and the values of community connection.

The celebration featured a diverse range of activities and interactive experiences designed to provide a well-rounded social experience for families. These included a welcome and reception area, a main stage for musical performances and live entertainment, a dedicated children’s zone, a family majlis for social gatherings, a food and hospitality area, as well as a dedicated Dar wa Emaar experience corner, reinforcing the concept of integrated community living that the company brings to its residential developments.

The event also spotlighted a number of Dar wa Emaar’s residential projects in Riyadh, most notably Saraya Al Fursan 2 and Saraya Al Ruba, as two examples that reflect the company’s vision of developing integrated residential communities that offer a modern lifestyle tailored to the needs of Saudi families, in strategic locations that support stability, well-being, and quality of life.

This initiative forms part of Dar wa Emaar’s broader corporate social responsibility strategy, which places residential communities at the heart of its priorities. The company believes its role does not end with the development and delivery of housing units, but extends to creating integrated environments that are full of life and offer residents spaces for connection and engagement, in line with the objectives of the Quality-of-Life Program under Saudi Vision 2030.

Commenting on the occasion, Mansour Al Jifaili, Kingdom Sales Director at Dar wa Emaar, said:

“At Dar wa Emaar, we are committed to ensuring that our residential communities are more than just real estate developments, but integrated environments that foster human connection and support everyday quality of life. Through this event, we sought to create a family experience that reflects the spirit of Eid and reinforces our commitment to building vibrant communities that meet the aspirations of Saudi families and offer residents and visitors a truly integrated living and social experience.”

Since its establishment in 2007, Dar wa Emaar has continued to develop fully integrated residential communities in strategic locations across the Kingdom, with a commitment to delivering high quality and a residential experience centered around the needs of residents. These efforts form part of its ongoing commitment to support the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 by enhancing quality of life and expanding homeownership opportunities.

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As an active contributor to Vision 2030, Dar wa Emaar is committed to bridging the housing market gap by offering smart, accessible, and future-ready residential solutions. The company’s flagship projects, Saraya and Tala, prioritize functional design, innovation, and well-being, ensuring long-term value for homeowners.

By combining modern aesthetics, sustainability, and flexible financing options, the company continues to set new benchmarks in Saudi Arabia’s evolving real estate landscape.

Manal Saleh