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- OpenAI Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit; UAE Launches Local Mounjaro Packaging; China Fangda Secures $306M Saudi Stadium Facade Contract
OpenAI Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit; UAE Launches Local Mounjaro Packaging; China Fangda Secures $306M Saudi Stadium Facade Contract
AI, tech, startup and business stories from the Arab world. For the driven, the dreamers and the doers
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Thursday, October 22, 2026
Happy Thursday everyone!
Legal actions surrounding artificial intelligence safety, regional pharmaceutical supply partnerships, and sports infrastructure developments headline today's business news. In San Francisco, parents of a 15-year-old filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman, alleging its AI chatbot contributed to their son's suicide. In healthcare manufacturing, Mubadala Bio partnered with US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly to package weight-loss drug Mounjaro locally in the UAE for regional export. Meanwhile, China Fangda Group secured a SAR 1.15 billion ($306 million) contract through a joint venture to build the curtain-wall facade for the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya.
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OpenAI and Sam Altman Face Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Minor's Suicide
🔹 What Is It About
Lebanese parents Charbel Habib and Soha Samaha filed a wrongful death lawsuit in San Francisco against OpenAI, its corporate entities, and Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman. The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT contributed to the suicide of their 15-year-old son, Mathias Habib, in April 2026 after steering him into harmful philosophical discussions over a three-year period. The complaint asserts that OpenAI failed to implement basic safety guardrails to shield underage users from unsafe conversational loops.
Filing Legal Complaint: The family filed a wrongful death suit against OpenAI and Sam Altman in San Francisco courts.
Citing Safety Failures: The lawsuit claims ChatGPT engaged in harmful discussions with a minor without adequate safety checks.
🔹 Why It Matters
Mounting litigation against major AI developers highlights growing legal liabilities regarding user safety, minor protections, and content moderation. Establishing corporate negligence for algorithm-driven interactions could force software companies to redesign conversational safety protocols. Legal challenges press tech firms to enforce strict age-verification mechanisms and real-time safety monitoring across consumer AI products.
🔹 What’s Next
OpenAI legal teams will file initial response motions before the San Francisco court. Regulatory agencies will review software safety guidelines to evaluate binding safety mandates for AI consumer products.
Filing Court Responses: Defense attorneys will submit preliminary response motions to the wrongful death claims.
Reviewing Safety Mandates: Regulators will examine product safety protocols governing consumer AI tools.
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The ice cream shop that makes money when it's cold
28 Wishes sells ice cream in Los Angeles. Below 70°F, sales fall about 20%. The weather is out of their hands. Rent isn't.
So the owners started putting about $20 a day into Kalshi weather markets, taking the cold side. The days that keep customers away now pay something back.
This is hedging. Big companies have done it for decades, buying protection against bad weather, fuel spikes and rising rates. It used to take a broker, a trading desk, and an order size no corner shop could meet.
Kalshi opens it up. Contracts on weather, fuel prices, inflation, tariffs and regulation, starting at a few dollars. Take a position on the outcome that would hurt you. If it hits, the payout softens it. If it doesn't, the contract expires and the good month was the point.
UAE to Package Eli Lilly's Mounjaro Locally Under Mubadala Bio Partnership
🔹 What Is It About
The UAE announced plans to package weight-loss drug Mounjaro and diabetes medication Foundayo locally under a manufacturing agreement between US drugmaker Eli Lilly and Mubadala Bio. Announced at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit, the initiative transfers contract manufacturing and packaging operations to domestic facilities. Deputy CEO Hamad Almarzooqi confirmed the output will serve domestic demand and supply regional export markets across the Middle East.
Packaging Local Pharmaceuticals: Mubadala Bio and Eli Lilly partnered to manufacture and package Mounjaro in the UAE.
Supplying Export Markets: Production facilities will distribute medicines locally and export to regional markets.
🔹 Why It Matters
Localizing pharmaceutical production reduces supply chain disruptions for high-demand metabolic and diabetes treatments across the Gulf. Manufacturing brand-name therapies domestically advances Abu Dhabi's strategy to build a regional biotechnology hub. Partnering with global pharmaceutical firms supports broader efforts to treat chronic health conditions early, reducing long-term public healthcare expenditures.
Securing Drug Supplies: Domestic packaging protects regional markets against global pharmaceutical supply shortages.
🔹 What’s Next
Mubadala Bio engineering teams will complete facility installations to prepare for initial packaging runs. Commercial distribution leads will coordinate export logistics with regional health authorities.
China Fangda Group Secures $306M Facade Contract for Qiddiya World Cup Stadium
🔹 What Is It About
China Fangda Group secured a SAR 1.15 billion ($306 million) contract to design, supply, and install curtain-wall facades for the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya. The 863-day project will be delivered through a joint venture between Shihui International Holdings (51%) and Saudi Arabia's IKK Group (49%). The cliffside venue forms a centerpiece of Qiddiya City's master plan and serves as a planned host site for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Securing $306M Contract: The joint venture won the SAR 1.15 billion curtain-wall installation contract.
Structuring Joint Equity: Shihui International holds 51% of the project company, with Saudi IKK Group holding 49%.
Building World Cup Venues: The 863-day installation covers facade works for the cliffside stadium and supporting facilities.
🔹 Why It Matters
Awarding major facade packages demonstrates that physical construction remains active across core venue sites for the 2034 World Cup. Partnering Chinese curtain-wall specialists with Saudi contractors brings technical expertise to complex cliffside engineering projects. Executing multi-hundred-million-dollar subcontracts keeps key sports and entertainment infrastructure moving toward completion deadlines.
Advancing Venue Construction: Contracting facade works keeps primary tournament infrastructure on schedule.
🔹 What’s Next
Shihui and IKK engineering teams will initiate site setup and structural testing along the Qiddiya cliffside. Manufacturing plants will begin fabricating specialized glass panels for shipment to Riyadh.
Beginning Site Works: Construction crews will install mounting brackets along the stadium's structural frame.
👨💻From Smashi Business’ Desk
Dubai-born fragrance brand KAYALI will enter China on October 15.
Saudi-born dining platform SPICE has ruled out offering cashback on shisha or alcohol at partner restaurants as it keeps its rewards model aligned with Islamic principles.
Uber will invest $50 million in Jordan over the next three years, targeting the country’s mobility ecosystem while supporting economic opportunities, tourism and access.
Dubai Crown Prince HH Sheikh Hamdan just shared his Etihad Rail ticket on Snapchat as Dubai-Abu Dhabi passenger services prepare to launch on September 30.
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🔍In other news…
UAE and France deepen defence ties with Rafale F5 fighter-jet deal
Abu Dhabi and Qatar funds back Jio IPO
Weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Foundayo to be packaged in UAE
Bahrain and France to co-develop civil nuclear energy
UAE is powering along with US technology co-operation, Yousef Al Otaiba says
Hormuz could be 'redundant' in five years, replaced by new routes, HSBC CEO says
Syria’s first DNA-based identifications offer hope for families of the missing
🦄 World of Startups
Echelon: Riyadh AI firm Echelon names East40, RAED Ventures, Avra and Ben Horowitz as backers.
MNT-Halan: MNT-Halan prices its EGX IPO at EGP 24.50 per share, valuing the 20% stake at EGP 7.84 billion.
Project Suppliers: Saudi platform Project Suppliers raises $1 million in pre-seed funding to develop AI cash-flow tools.
MoneyHash × VaultsPay: MoneyHash merchants can now accept VaultsPay’s UAE card and wallet payments without separate integration.
TiE Women MENA: Five startups win regional TiE Women MENA tracks and advance to the GITEX Global final.
Sheraa × Nestlé UAE: Sheraa, Nestlé UAE, MAJRA and UAE Food Cluster launch a three-month programme for young founders.
