Hazem Galal: Data Strategy Will Define Telcos’ AI Competitiveness

At the opening keynote of the AI-TechCo panel on day one of the 20th edition of the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit, held on 20–21 October 2026 at the Ritz-Carlton, Dubai Jumeirah Beach Residence, Hazem Galal, Founder and CEO of Top Urban AI, urged telecom operators to treat data as strategic infrastructure to strengthen their competitiveness in the AI era. Drawing on two decades of consulting experience, including leading a global smart cities practice at PwC, Galal outlined three levels of AI r