Roblox mandates facial age checks worldwide for access to chat
Roblox said the system will also support future measures, including age checks for creators using certain collaboration tools and features designed to make it easier for children to chat with parents and siblings
Roblox Corp has said it will require users globally to complete an age check to access chat features on its platform, rolling out the requirement over the next week in all regions where chat is available.
The move makes Roblox the first large online gaming platform to mandate age checks for users of all ages before allowing them to communicate with others, the company said.
Roblox said the change is aimed at strengthening user safety by enabling age-appropriate communication and limiting interactions between adults and minors.
Roblox began requiring age checks for chat access in December in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands, following a phased rollout announced in November.
More than 50 per cent of daily active users in those markets have already completed the process, the company said. Globally, tens of millions of users have completed age checks so far.
“Our commitment to safety is rooted in delivering the highest level of protection for our users,” said Matt Kaufman, Roblox’s chief safety officer. “By building proactive, age-based barriers, we can empower users to create and connect in ways that are both safe and appropriate.”
Here’s how age checks will be held through the Roblox app
Age checks are completed through the Roblox app using a device’s camera and rely on facial age estimation technology.
Images and videos used in the process are securely processed by Roblox’s vendor, Persona, and deleted immediately after processing, the company said. Users aged 13 and above can also verify their age using official identification.
While the age check is optional, users who do not complete it will not be able to access chat features.
Roblox said it offers appeal processes for users who believe their age has been incorrectly assessed, including alternative verification methods and parental controls that allow parents to update a child’s age.
The company added that it continuously evaluates user behaviour and may ask users to repeat the age check if there are significant discrepancies.
Users to be assigned to age groups
After completing an age check, users are assigned to one of six age groups, under 9, 9 to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, 18 to 20, and 21 and above.
By default, users can chat with others in their own age group as well as the groups directly above and below.
Chat is disabled by default for children under nine, unless a parent provides consent following an age check.
The company said the requirement is part of a broader safety strategy that includes strict communication rules for minors, content moderation and parental controls.
Roblox said the system will also support future measures, including age checks for creators using certain collaboration tools and features designed to make it easier for children to chat with parents and siblings in different age groups.
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths to lead global SAF initiative
Griffiths’ appointment comes as pressure mounts on the aviation industry to meet its long-term climate targets, including a sector-wide goal of net zero emissions by 2050
The Sustainable Markets Initiative, founded by UK’s King Charles III in 2020 when he was Prince of Wales, has appointed Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, as CEO Champion of its Sustainable Aviation Fuel Pathfinder Initiative, the organisation said on Thursday.
The initiative aims to accelerate the production and adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which is widely seen as the most viable near-term option for cutting aviation emissions. SAF can reduce flight emissions by up to 80 per cent, but currently accounts for less than 1 per cent of global jet fuel supply.
The SAF Pathfinder Initiative focuses on mobilising investment and demand signals to unlock production, advocating for harmonised global policies and incentives, enabling critical infrastructure upgrades, and driving collaboration across the aviation supply chain to address production and cost barriers.
Griffiths’ appointment comes as pressure mounts on the aviation industry to meet its long-term climate targets, including a sector-wide goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
Paul Griffiths: ‘SAF is one of the most important levers … to decarbonise flight’
“I’m honoured to take on this role at such a critical time for our industry,” Griffiths said in a statement. “Sustainable aviation fuel is one of the most important levers we have to decarbonise flight, and I’m committed to accelerating its availability and adoption across the sector.”
Griffiths said the work would align with the oneDXB Sustainability Alliance, a multi-stakeholder initiative led by Dubai Airports, which aims to drive decarbonisation, innovation, and resilience across Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International.
Under Griffiths’ leadership, Dubai Airports has achieved Level 4 “Transformation” accreditation from Airports Council International, placing it among the top 5 per cent of airports globally.
The accreditation reflects measures including collaboration with partners, the use of biodiesel-powered ground fleets, and the rollout of green infrastructure projects at Dubai International Airport.
Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, chief executive of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, said SAF could play a central role beyond aviation. “We view Sustainable Aviation Fuel as a powerful catalyst, not only for decarbonising aviation, but also for driving the global expansion of sustainable technologies and investment,” she said.
As the new year begins, WhatsApp is rolling out a series of product updates aimed at strengthening its position as one of the world’s most widely used communication platforms.
The company is introducing new group chat features designed to improve organisation, expression, and coordination, while also marking another record-setting New Year’s period for global usage across messaging and calling, a WhatsApp blog said.
The updates reflect WhatsApp’s continued focus on enhancing everyday communication for its billions of users, regardless of device or location. From upgraded group chat tools to festive New Year experiences, the platform is positioning itself as an essential digital utility for both personal and group interactions.
WhatsApp group chats play a central role in how people stay connected, whether they are sharing resolutions, organising celebrations, or coordinating activities. To make those interactions smoother and more expressive, the company has introduced several new features aimed at improving how users interact within groups.
New group chat features focus on clarity and expression
One of the most notable additions is member tags, which allow users to assign themselves a role within each group. These tags are customisable per group, giving participants more context about who is who in a conversation. A user might appear as “Anna’s Dad” in a family group and “Goalkeeper” in a sports team chat, helping reduce confusion and streamline communication.
WhatsApp is also expanding creative tools with text stickers, allowing users to turn any word into a sticker by typing text into Sticker Search. Newly created stickers can be saved directly into sticker packs without needing to send them in a chat first, making expression faster and more intuitive.
Another productivity-focused update comes through event reminders. When creating an event in a group chat, users can now set custom early reminders for invitees. This feature is designed to help participants stay on schedule, whether they are commuting to a party or joining a scheduled call.
These additions build on existing group-focused capabilities, including sharing files up to 2GB, HD media, screen sharing, and voice chats. WhatsApp says the goal is to continue refining what it views as the best group chat experience available, with ongoing investments in both functionality and usability.
Image credit: WhatsApp/Website
New Year’s drives peak engagement across the platform
Alongside product updates, WhatsApp also reported another record-breaking New Year’s period, traditionally the platform’s busiest day of the year. On a typical day, WhatsApp supports more than 100 billion messages and 2 billion calls. However, the 24-hour period welcoming the new year consistently surpasses those figures.
The surge reflects how deeply embedded the platform has become in global communication, enabling everything from international family video calls to group chats coordinating local celebrations. WhatsApp described its role during the holiday as a small but meaningful part of how people connect during milestone moments.
To mark the occasion, the company introduced several festive features available through the holiday period. These include a 2026 sticker pack, celebratory video call effects such as fireworks and confetti, and the return of animated confetti reactions triggered by the confetti emoji.
For the first time, WhatsApp is also bringing animated stickers to Status, offering a special 2026 layout designed to help users share the New Year moment more dynamically.
Tools for planning and staying connected
WhatsApp also highlighted ways its existing tools support New Year planning within group chats. Users can create and pin events, collect RSVPs, and keep details centralised. Polls can be used to decide on food, drinks, and activities, while live location sharing helps guests find their way or confirm safe returns home.
Video and voice notes further enable users to capture moments in real time, keeping friends who cannot attend included in the experience.
Whether users are messaging from New York, New Delhi, Buenos Aires, or Jakarta, WhatsApp emphasised its role as a private and secure space where people come together. As the company enters the new year, it continues to focus on building features that support both large-scale global moments and everyday connections.
Artificial intelligence is advancing at an astonishing speed globally, reshaping industries, economies, and daily life.
While the technology’s rapid rise has triggered both optimism and scrutiny across developed markets, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are positioning themselves not merely as adopters of AI, but as architects of its next phase. From agentic systems and physical AI to sovereign models built around national priorities, the two Gulf economies are emerging as central players in what many see as the next global AI power shift.
At the same time, broader forces, from robotics adoption and labor shortages to growing demands for return on investment and trustworthy AI, are reshaping how businesses and governments deploy artificial intelligence. The convergence of these trends is placing Saudi Arabia and the UAE at the forefront of a rapidly evolving AI economy, one defined as much by execution and accountability as by ambition.
A global AI and robotics inflection point
According to Deloitte, the global cumulative installed capacity of industrial robots could reach 5.5 million by 2026, underscoring how automation is steadily embedding itself across industries. Yet despite this growth, annual new robot sales have stalled at just over half a million units since 2021. Deloitte suggests the market may be approaching an inflection point, with annual new robot shipments potentially doubling to one million units by 2030.
This next growth phase is expected to be driven by labor shortages in specialised industrial applications in developed countries, alongside exponential advancements in computing power and the emergence of specialized foundational AI models. Robots are increasingly permeating multiple industries and applications, including autonomous drones, signaling a broader shift toward physical AI systems that combine intelligence with real-world action.
However, Deloitte cautions that unless the broader technology, AI, and robotics ecosystem addresses persistent bottlenecks related to data quality, system integration, and cybersecurity, the industrial robotics market may remain constrained to relatively modest growth.
These global dynamics form the backdrop against which Saudi Arabia and the UAE are accelerating their AI strategies, aiming not only to deploy intelligent systems, but to do so at scale, across government, industry, and society.
The rise of agentic, physical, and sovereign AI
Artificial intelligence is revolutionising industries across the globe, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading the charge in the Middle East. The latest wave of innovation is being shaped by three key trends: agentic AI, physical AI, and sovereign AI. Together, these approaches are redefining how organizations deploy AI systems and how nations seek to retain control over critical digital infrastructure.
Agentic AI refers to autonomous systems capable of planning, acting, and executing tasks with minimal human intervention. Physical AI connects intelligence with machines operating in the real world, while sovereign AI emphasizes national ownership, governance, and localization of models and data.
These trends are not only transforming traditional markets but are also being actively shaped by ambitious national strategies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which are emerging as global leaders in AI adoption and innovation.
Regional adoption outpaces global markets
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are at the forefront of agentic AI adoption. According to Deloitte’s 2025 State of AI in the Middle East Report, more than 80 per cent of organisations in the region feel intense pressure to adopt AI, with 69 per cent planning increased investment. Consumer adoption is also notably high, with 58 per cent of UAE and Saudi consumers using generative AI tools, significantly outpacing UK and European markets.
Institutional momentum is also building. Deloitte Middle East’s launch of the Centre of Excellence for Oracle AI Agents in October 2025 highlights a regional commitment to scaling autonomous agents securely and responsibly. The initiative reflects a broader effort to operationalize AI across enterprises while addressing governance, integration, and risk management challenges.
Yet despite the enthusiasm, nearly half of organisations cite talent shortages and insufficient technological capabilities as key barriers to scaling agentic AI. This “perfect storm” of high investment appetite and readiness gaps underscores the complexity of translating ambition into execution.
Managing risk in autonomous systems
As organizations deploy increasingly autonomous systems, the risks associated with agentic AI are becoming more pronounced. Error propagation in multi-agent environments is a central concern.
Dr Aleksei Minin, head of Deloitte AI Institute, warns that errors originating in one agent can cascade across systems, leading to operational risks, erosion of trust, and scalability constraints. He emphasizes that robust validation, error detection, and human-in-the-loop safeguards are essential to ensure enterprise-grade reliability.
These concerns are shaping how governments and enterprises in the region approach AI governance, particularly as deployment scales across mission-critical functions.
Three early predictions for 2026 in the Middle East
First, government deployment is expected to scale rapidly. AI has the potential to reduce manual workloads by 30% in government ministries, with full-scale rollouts anticipated as data maturity improves.
Second, Arabic-optimised agents are expected to proliferate. Localized AI solutions designed for information lookup, email editing, and translation are likely to surge, reflecting the importance of linguistic and cultural specificity in sovereign AI strategies.
Third, industry-specific solutions are set to commercialise at pace. AI models tailored for sectors such as energy, finance, and healthcare are expected to move rapidly to market, aligning AI innovation with the region’s core economic pillars.
The global reckoning on AI ROI
While adoption accelerates, accountability is becoming the defining theme of the next AI phase. SAS experts predict that 2026 will be a year of reckoning, when AI power brokers are held to the fire to deliver tangible return on investment while confronting ethical and economic challenges.
Despite legitimate concerns, SAS thought leaders stress that progress depends on a renewed focus on fundamentals. Embracing sound data management and trustworthy AI practices is seen as essential for the technology to mature and deliver meaningful benefits to humans and organisations alike.
Jared Peterson, SVP of Platform Engineering, points to the mounting pressure around infrastructure investments. “Major investments in data center buildouts will prove impractical as costs come home to roost; expectations were high, but resulting revenue wasn’t enough to cover the expense. Tech companies angle for alternatives. Economics experts crow told-you-so.”
Financial scrutiny is intensifying across enterprises as well. “After billions wasted on ChatGPT wrappers and vaporware, CFOs are demanding real ROI,” says Manisha Khanna, senior product manager, AI & Generative AI. “The honeymoon phase where ‘AI innovation’ justified any budget is over.”
The enterprise transforms around AI agents
As agentic AI proliferates, enterprise leadership roles are evolving. Jay Upchurch, chief information officer, predicts that CIOs will increasingly act as chief integration officers, orchestrating governance, integration, and cross-functional leadership in an agent-led world.
The nature of work itself is also changing. “In 2026, enterprises will be expected to operate with mixed human-AI teams,” says Udo Sglavo, vice president of Applied AI and Modeling Research and Development.
“AI agents are no longer tools; they are teammates.”
Accountability will extend to the bottom line. Iain Brown, head of AI and Data Science for Northern Europe, forecasts that by the end of 2026, Fortune 500 companies will report agentic systems autonomously resolving more than a quarter of multi-step customer interactions, bringing both revenue impact and new operational risks.
Human resources functions will also adapt. Jenn Mann, chief human resources officer, notes that HR leaders will increasingly manage hybrid workforces of humans and AI agents, redefining onboarding, performance, and collaboration.
As global markets reassess AI economics, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leveraging their national strategies, regulatory alignment, and investment momentum to move faster from experimentation to scaled deployment. By focusing on agentic, physical, and sovereign AI, while confronting governance, talent, and ROI challenges head-on, the two countries are positioning themselves as durable AI heavyweights in a world moving beyond hype toward accountability.
Gold prices fell on Thursday, January 8, as investors braced for futures selling tied to a commodity index reshuffle, with a stronger US dollar adding pressure by making the metal costlier for overseas buyers.
Spot gold fell 0.6 per cent to $4,427.48 per ounce, as of 0921 GMT US gold futures for February delivery fell 0.6 per cent to $4,435.40.
“Gold and silver remain under pressure as the annual commodity-index rebalancing gets underway. Over the next five days, COMEX futures could see selling in the region of $6 to $7bn in each metal,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.
The annual Bloomberg Commodity Index rebalancing aims to keep the index aligned with the current state of the global commodity market.
This year’s window runs from January 9-15.
“(The US-Venezuela tension) added a small georisk premium at the beginning of the week which is now deflating as the attention turns to the rebalancing,” Hansen added.
Meanwhile, the US dollar hovered near a one-month high as investors assessed mixed economic data ahead of Friday’s nonfarm payrolls report.
Data on Wednesday showed US job openings dropped to a 14-month low in November while hiring resumed its sluggish tone, pointing to ebbing labor demand.
Investors are now awaiting the US non-farm payrolls data for more clues on monetary policy, with markets pricing in two interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year.
On the geopolitical front, the US seized two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday.
Spot silver lost 3.1 per cent to $75.73 per ounce, after hitting an all-time high of $83.62 on December 29.
HSBC sees gold hitting $5,000 per ounce in the first half of 2026 on geopolitical risks and rising fiscal debts, and expects silver to trade between $58 and $88 in 2026, driven by supply deficits, robust investment demand, and high gold prices, but warned of a market correction later in the year.
Pure Electric and EV LAB founders on where e-scooters go next
A new partnership between British e-scooter pioneer Pure Electric and UAE-based EV LAB is betting that the future of urban travel fits in the palm of your hand, and folds into your car boot
Urban mobility is quietly undergoing a reset. As cities grow denser, congestion worsens, and sustainability targets tighten, how people move short distances is becoming just as important as how they travel long ones. Electric scooters, once dismissed as a novelty, are now emerging as a serious piece of urban transport infrastructure, backed by policy, consumer demand, and hard economics.
The numbers add more weight to this trend: The global micro-mobility market size was valued at $41.01bn in 2024. The market is projected to grow from $46.47bn in 2025 to $145.83bn by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 13.5 per cent during 2025–2034, according to a report by Polaris Market Research.
Closer to home, the Middle East’s micromobility market is also accelerating. Valued at $10.4bn in 2024, the sector is projected to more than double to $25.1bn by 2032 (stats courtesy: P&S Intelligence’s Middle East Micromobility Market Report), driven by government smart city initiatives, swelling urban populations, and a generation increasingly reluctant to sit in traffic.
In Dubai alone, electric scooter trips climbed from 30 million in 2023 to 32.3 million in 2024, representing an 8.7 per cent rise, according to the RTA. The authority has expanded electric scooter zones across 21 districts, integrating them with metro and bus routes as part of a broader push toward a “20-minute city” where residents can reach destinations without cars. Abu Dhabi is building over 1,200 kilometres of dedicated cycling paths.
Into this momentum steps a transatlantic partnership: EV LAB, the Middle East’s first multi-brand electric mobility platform, has invested in Pure Electric, the UK’s leading electric scooter manufacturer, founded by entrepreneur Adam Norris, father of Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris. The partnership kicked off in December last year with the launch of Pure Electric’s three new e-scooters in the UAE – Air⁴, Pure x McLaren and Pure Flex.
The Pure Air⁴, a remastered fourth-generation classic e-ride with a smoother, more powerful ride featuring a 710W motor and 30-kilometre range; the Pure x Mclaren finished in McLaren’s iconic orange livery, built with active steering stabilisation, a 900W motor, and a 50-kilometre range; and the Pure flex, the world’s most compact scooter featuring a unique forward-facing stance, ultra-compact design, and a 45-kilometre range, built for maximum control and stability.
“Collaborating with Pure Electric to launch these state-of-the-art e-scooters in the UAE is an incredible opportunity to drive innovation and sustainability,” says Kevin Chalhoub, CEO and founder of EV LAB. “Over the past few years, consumers in the region have grown more environmentally conscious and are looking for smarter and greener approaches to travel.”
Gulf Business spoke to Norris and Chalhoub to discuss what’s driving adoption, why safety trumps everything, and whether every urban dweller will eventually own a scooter.
Left to Right-Adam Norris, CEO and founder of Pure Electric, and Kevin Chalhoub, CEO and founder of EV LAB. Image: Supplied
Designing e-scooters for real life, not just the ride
The e-scooter market is crowded. Chinese manufacturers flood the segment with budget options, while rental fleets from Lime and TIER dominate shared mobility. So, what makes a privately owned scooter worth the investment?
For Norris, the answer came from watching what was wrong with existing products.
“I founded Pure because there simply wasn’t a high-quality, truly safe electric scooter on the market,” he explains. “If we wanted more people to adopt these vehicles as a mode of mobility, we needed to create something safer.”
Pure’s solution drew on expertise from unexpected quarters. Norris recruited the former head of Dyson’s hairdryer project to lead design and consulted F1 engineers on stability. The result: a forward-facing stance that positions riders shoulder-width apart rather than one foot behind the other, lowering the centre of gravity like a racing car. Patented steering stabilisation technology reduces wobble at speed or on uneven terrain.
“These features significantly enhance safety and confidence, helping us broaden the market and encourage more people to enjoy the product,” Norris says.
The McLaren partnership, announced shortly after Lando Norris’s breakthrough Miami Grand Prix victory in 2024, brought the technology to a global audience. Limited-edition models, the Senna tribute, the iconic Papaya, the Chrome heritage edition, sold out within days. Today, the scooters are a fixture in F1 paddocks worldwide, ridden by drivers, team principals, and mechanics navigating the sprawling circuits.
The sustainability equation
Critics often question whether personal electric vehicles are genuinely green once manufacturing and battery disposal are factored in. Chalhoub pushes back.
“Using an electric scooter saves at least 120 grams of CO₂ per kilometre compared with traditional modes of transport,” he says. “It’s essential to evaluate the entire lifecycle, because certain stages can generate more emissions upfront. This idea is often misunderstood.
However, when assessed from production through daily use, both electric scooters and electric cars consistently produce lower overall emissions than combustion-based vehicles.”
The extent of those savings depends heavily on local energy grids. “In countries like Poland, where the grid is still coal-heavy, electric vehicles reduce lifetime emissions by around 33 per cent,” Chalhoub notes. “In France, where nuclear energy is prominent and renewables continue to grow, the reduction reaches about 75 per cent.”
The UAE sits somewhere in between, but is moving fast. The Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 aims to generate 75 per cent of the emirate’s power from clean sources, a trajectory that will progressively improve the carbon footprint of every electric kilometre travelled.
Air quality is perhaps the more immediate concern for Gulf cities. “Particulate matter produced by emissions is extremely harmful and is linked to cancer and other serious health issues,” Chalhoub says. “Reducing these emissions is critical, and electric mobility offers a clear path forward. We’re already seeing more residential communities and work environments in Dubai that are supportive of scooter use. For many short trips, there’s no need to rely on a car.”
Balancing price, quality and scale
Affordability remains a barrier for mass adoption. Premium electric scooters like the McLaren editions retail north of $1,500, a significant outlay in a market where cheap alternatives abound.
Norris acknowledges the tension but refuses to compete at the bottom.
“We serve different customer segments,” he says. “If we compare our product range to cars, we have a top-tier model, the McLaren edition. But we also realise that not everyone can afford it. That’s where the Pure Air comes in. It’s more comparable to an Audi: high-quality, reliable, well-designed, but not the most expensive option.”
The deliberate decision to avoid the budget segment stems from experience. “Cheaper alternatives often compromise on reliability and safety. Our priority has always been to deliver products that are durable and safe, even if that means not being the cheapest option.”
Reliability was among the most common complaints about earlier scooter generations. “People wanted a product they could depend on, something durable that would continue performing well for years,” Norris says. “They also wanted easy access to spare parts so that the scooter could be repaired if anything broke. With this new launch, we’ve focused on addressing those issues.”
The stereotype of the e-scooter rider, young, male, tech-forward, doesn’t match reality, according to Norris.
“We see a very diverse range of consumers, both male and female, young and old. In Europe, we’ve seen people in their 60s, as well as those with lower incomes who choose scooters because it’s cheaper than public transport. At the same time, high-income professionals, hedge fund managers earning several million a year, use them as a convenient means to navigate the city.”
What unites them is practicality. “If you’re at a hotel and your car is parked in a garage, taking an e-scooter can get you to your destination faster than walking to your vehicle. While cars remain essential for longer trips, scooters are perfect for short-distance travel within the city. Even people who own electric cars often rely on e-scooters for urban mobility.”
In the UAE, the McLaren editions have generated particular excitement. “We have fans from Brazil who are huge admirers of Ayrton Senna and were thrilled by the limited-edition McLaren scooter,” Chalhoub says. “The combination of the McLaren brand, precision engineering, and functionality makes these scooters stand out.”
But broader adoption requires infrastructure. “What we need now are more supportive regulations and designated areas to ride,” he adds.
From niche convenience to serious alternative
The ultimate question: will e-scooters remain a novelty, or become a genuine alternative to car trips?
Both founders are unequivocal.
“We genuinely believe that in the future, every person will have a scooter or a similar lightweight, zero-emission vehicle,” Chalhoub says. “Whether it remains electric or moves toward other technologies like hydrogen, it’s clear that cities will increasingly require zero-emission mobility solutions.”
The trajectory mirrors mobile phone adoption, they argue. “Nearly 25 years ago, mobile phone penetration started with just 1-2 per cent, then gradually grew to 5, 10, and eventually reached mass adoption,” Norris observes. “We see a similar story for electric scooters.”
Demographic shifts are accelerating the trend. “In Europe, fewer young people are taking driving licences as they live in cities and obtaining a licence can be complicated. Scooters offer a simple, affordable alternative, often cheaper than public transport. The same trend is seen with the rise of ride-hailing services like Uber, fewer people feel the need to own a car.”
Urban planning is catching up. Across Europe, cities are restricting or banning cars in certain areas, a movement that’s beginning to gain traction in the Gulf. “As urban centres continue to do this, people will need alternative ways to get around,” Chalhoub says. “Besides walking, bicycles are an option but can be inconvenient to lock and are often stolen. Lightweight, zero-emission vehicles like electric scooters provide an efficient and environment-friendly solution for short trips in dense urban environments.”
The road ahead
For Pure Electric, the Gulf expansion marks a pivotal moment. Founded in Bristol in 2018, the company now operates in eight countries with over 250,000 riders globally. The Middle East represents both a growth market and a proving ground, if scooters can handle Dubai summers and the region’s demanding urban landscape, they can work anywhere.
For EV LAB, the partnership extends a broader mission.
Beyond consumer scooters, the platform operates the UAE’s first multi-brand Electric Mobility Experience Centre, provides fleet electrification services to corporations (including a recent deal with luxury retailer Chalhoub Group), and distributes electric yachts from Silent Yachts and Marian Boats.
“Our ambition is to support companies across the region in their transition to electrifying their fleets,” Chalhoub says. “This partnership will demonstrate the viability and benefits of electric mobility.”
Norris, whose son continues to race at the pinnacle of motorsport – Lando was named the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ World Champion at the F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – while championing the family’s micromobility venture, sees the convergence as natural.
“We’re on a mission to improve city travel,” he says. “This collaboration reflects the pioneering engineering and design that we stand for, precision and performance, beyond the racetrack.”
Note: Pure Electric scooters, including the McLaren special editions, are available through EV LAB’s Experience Centre at One Central, Dubai World Trade Centre, and online at ev-lab.io.
