Sherif Tawfik

Chief Partnership Officer - AI & Cloud for Sovereignty - Middle East, Africa, Central Eastern Europe, and Central Asia @Microsoft | Innovation | Leadership

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

Adrian Hobbs, Mohammed Adnane Retmi, and I took on a unique challenge: explaining Sovereign Public Cloud to the media without using tech jargon.

The energy in the room was incredible. Reporters were genuinely curious about the big trade-off: do you go with hyperscale public clouds for nonstop #innovation, or private, air-gapped sovereign clouds for total control and compliance?

The answer? You don’t have to choose. The real breakthrough is combining both - delivering cutting-edge innovation and meeting the highest compliance standards. With @Microsoft Azure Public Cloud + @core42_ai Sovereign Controls through the Insights platform, you get #data sovereignty and the best of both worlds!

Exciting times for #Cloud & #AI transformation.

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

🚀 The #UAE just unveiled a 5GW #AI campus- spanning 10 square miles, it's larger than Silicon Valley and packs enough power to run a city the size of San Francisco.

🧠 With up to 1 million AI chips, that’s 1 chip for every 10 residents in the UAE - a per capita ratio unmatched globally.

The US–UAE AI Acceleration Partnership goes far beyond infrastructure. It’s a bold move to redefine tech diplomacy, sovereign innovation, and global AI leadership.

It’s also a powerful testament to the UAE’s outstanding visionary leadership, decisive political will, and the role of national champions like @G42ai in reshaping #AbuDhabi as the global capital for AI.

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

@ChatGPTapp's 182% YoY increase is even more remarkable when you realise that platform giants like @Google, @Wikipedia, and @YouTube (to name a few) are experiencing MoM traffic declines. But ChatGPT users need to be careful - #AI hallucinations, bias, and fabricated references can quickly turn a positive user experience into a negative misinformation spiral.

Image source: @VisualCap

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

As #AI further democratizes knowledge, clinging to “us vs. them” mindsets risks turning successful organizations into irrelevant players. Now, the true differentiator is how we connect.

Siloes thrive in company cultures that reward individual KPIs over collective breakthroughs, in places where knowledge hoarding feels like power.

AI demands the opposite. It encourages an environment that treats shared intelligence as its most valuable currency.

To move forward, organizations across the globe need to redefine their metrics for success. Tie rewards to team outcomes, celebrate generosity as fiercely as genius, and build systems where “learn-it-all” replaces “know-it-all” mindsets.

More than a cultural evolution, this is an imperative for leading-edge #leadership.

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

Public data pools are drying up, and the race is on to mine hidden reserves. #AI is starved for refined fuel. Future-proofing move? Companies sitting on structured #data. They'll become more than suppliers, they'll create entire marketplaces for data and redefine who holds the keys to next-gen AI.

Image generated on @Artlist_io

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

#ClimateAction demands clarity. When the term #sustainability is overused and ill-defined, organisations cannot drive effective ESG plans. Omar Shihab, founder of the UAE’s Michelin Green Star-awarded restaurant @BOCADubai joins @fusionmindsai's latest podcast to redefine "sustainability" for an authentic way forward.

🎙️ Watch the full episode here 👉 https://t.co/sB2lI6FQpc to learn how Omar's rebuilding sustainability in the food industry

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

@Microsoft Vice Chair and President @BradSmi proving that #AI has a significant part to play in our global #sustainability story!

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

@coinbase's S&P 500 entry signals growing crypto mainstream acceptance, but poses ongoing volatility risks. Here's what you need to know:

📥S&P 500 inclusion: Coinbase will join the S&P 500 on May 19, replacing Discover Financial Services (which has been acquired by @CapitalOne).

🤝Strategic expansion: Coinbase's US$2.9 billion acquisition of Dubai-based Deribit, the largest crypto industry deal to date, is part of the company's goal to increase its global footprint.

⚠️Market volatility: Despite @Bitcoin's recent surge (topping US$100,000) and institutional adoption (eg, spot Bitcoin ETFs), Coinbase shares remain volatile and are trading below their 2021 peak.

⚙️Tech-driven trends: The index continues adding tech-related firms (eg, @Dell, @PalantirTech, @CrowdStrike).

⚖️Regulatory compliance: Despite a declining net income, Coinbase met S&P 500 requirements (profitability in the latest quarter and cumulative four-quarter profits).

Image source: @Reuters

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

I was honored to join Mohammed Amin and Andrew Reakes at a recent @economistimpact event. Moderated by Corbin Duncan, we explored #AI’s role in reshaping industries and driving positive results in uncertain times.

Tomorrow’s challenges cannot be conquered with traditional methods. In an increasingly complex global landscape, the organizations that not only survive, but thrive, will be the ones with an AI playbook. More than the latest tech trend, AI is the next leap forward.

Are there risks to the technology? Yes. But this has been true for every nascent technology since the invention of the wheel. AI is the wheel of all wheels that will augment and #supercharge human ingenuity and #productivity to scales we haven’t seen before.

When we fully lean into AI, we unlock greater #scalability, broader #inclusivity, and new opportunities.

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

Tomorrow's top industry isn't #AI, it's #ecommerce. According to @McKinsey_MGI, online retail is expected to generate US$20 trillion in revenue by 2040, almost double the projected worth of AI software, #cloud services, #Semiconductors, and #cybersecurity combined.

Image source: @VisualCap

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

@Microsoft's major 2025 wins to date:

⚙️#AI & azure performance:
- Model performance doubled every 6 months due to advancements in pre-training, inference, and systems design

- Azure optimised AI infrastructure for lower cost per token, faster dock-to-live times, and better performance per megawatt

🛠️Microsoft 365 & @Copilot adoption:
- Hundreds of thousands of customers now use Microsoft 365 Copilot, representing a 3x increase YoY

- Customers have created over 1 million custom agents using @SharePoint and Copilot Studio

- New Researcher and Analyst AI agents launched for 24/7 expert support

📈Consumer & engagement growth:
- Ad revenue surpassed US$20bn in the past year
- @LinkedIn saw double-digit membership growth
- @bing and Edge gained market share; Copilot app engagement rose post-update
- @Minecraft weekly active users jumped 75% YoY after the movie release

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

@shctechnologies @Microsoft @cpx Absolutely agreed, @shctechnologies - when dealing with complex challenges, strategic partnerships are the solution!

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

Smarter tech means smarter security breaches. @Microsoft and @CPX’s strategic collaboration merges two key fundamentals of #AI – advanced automation and deep analytics – to drive smart and reliable #cybersecurity solutions. While quantum solutions are still a few years ahead, organisations can build the foundations of their security operations today for a secure tomorrow.

Video source: Microsoft

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

Is #AI driving psychosis, or are we enabling our worst habits? From the infamous "#ChatGPT induced psychosis" @Reddit thread to @RollingStone's recent article highlighting several cases of people turning to AI for #SpiritualGrowth, more and more people are turning away from each other and towards their screens - whether for therapy, companionship, or spiritual guidance.

The tech's fast-paced development has, as the @OpenAI group noted to Rolling Stone, "focused too much on short-term feedback, and did not fully account for how users' interactions evolve over time".

Given that even AI developers are not fully aware of how their systems operate, clear ethical frameworks need to be established to protect users from engaging in unhealthy habits.

Check out the full article here: https://t.co/A2n4XXhId5

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

🌏 Win a $3,700 #climate leadership scholarship

@fusionmindsai, in strategic partnership with Sustain Labs Paris and backed by global climate pioneer Miniya Chatterji, presents the Fusion Climate Challenger Campaign - a transformative initiative designed to equip leaders with cutting-edge knowledge and tools to pioneer sustainable solutions.

You could earn:
🏆 Full tuition scholarship (valued at $3,700) to the elite #SLP Climate Leadership Certificate Program, curated by faculty from the @wef, @EBRD, and Switzerland’s foremost leadership experts. This is an amazing opportunity providing unparalleled access to a global network of sustainability trailblazers and strategic frameworks to address humanity’s greatest challenges.

To apply:
1️⃣ Master 6 Fusion ED Courses | To begin, click here ➡️ https://t.co/6EDmU0uE1A
2️⃣ Craft a 1–3 minute video | Highlight your personal climate journey and commitment to sustainable action.
3️⃣ Film a 3–5 minute expert briefing | Demystify a complex sustainability challenge for broad impact.
4️⃣ Share both videos and tag Fusion Minds AI | Use #FusionForClimate to join the movement.

This is more than a scholarship - it’s a call to action. By advancing your expertise, you can help inspire actionable change on a global scale. Are you ready?

📌 Apply now: https://t.co/wKr51BiwSE
🔑 Scholarship code: FM100 (Apply directly via SLP)
⏳ Deadline: May 15, 2025
📅 Program schedule: June 2 - October 15, 2025
📘 Curriculum preview: https://t.co/tUbgnZptQ1

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

Rapidly changing weather conditions are more than changing seasons - they're an alarm bell. Since 1961, sudden temperature shifts have increased in both frequency and intensity. To mitigate the consequences of the #ClimateCrisis, we need to act now.

Image source: @FinancialTimes

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

#Coffee is a staple across the world - but at what cost? The @WWF's "The Hidden Cost" campaign exposes the destructive truths behind modern consumption. From coffee destroying jaguar habitats to rampant deforestation in the name of avocado farming, we need to change our ways and build #sustainable habits that do not come at the cost of other species.

Image sources: WWF

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

A #sustainable future is more than possible – all we need is the right tools. Check out here to learn more about @fusionmindsai's amazing #ESG course offerings: https://t.co/I6U0xdmitO

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

Embracing #AI begins with demystifying it – and that’s just what Microsoft Worklab’s latest series is setting out to do, one carousel at a time.

[Sherif Tawfik @sheriftwt]

#AI is the foundational base for agile workforces. To avoid being left behind, companies must adapt now. @Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index highlights four key themes defining our evolving labour market:

•⁠ ⁠The rise of the frontier firm: Early AI adopters report 2x employee optimism and 55% higher capacity for impactful work.

•⁠ ⁠Human-agent synery: Success hinges on carefully calibrating the human-AI ratio, with employees preferring AI for speed/availability, not as a human replacement.

•⁠ ⁠Skills focus: Many leaders (47%) are focused on #upskilling and envision employees managing AI "teams" to tackle strategic work earlier in their careers.

•⁠ ⁠Act now, scale fast: Moving beyond pilots, leaders are looking to embed AI org-wide, redesign workflows, and treat scaling like a business transformation. Startups and enterprises alike are already saving millions and boosting margins by +20% with #AIagents.

Read the full report here: https://t.co/7IDkrcQjxD