IBM (NYSE: IBM), a global leader in hybrid cloud, AI, and consulting, and nybl, a science-based AI company and IBM Business Partner, today announced a new collaboration to accelerate the adoption of AI across critical infrastructure sectors, including energy, utilities, and industrial operations. By combining IBM’s watsonx portfolio of AI products, specifically watsonx.governance, with nybl’s domain-specific expertise, the collaboration aims to enhance enterprise operational resilience, improve efficiency, and deliver greater business value.
At the center of this collaboration is nybl’s ‘n.vision’ platform, integrated with IBM’s watsonx AI and data platform, which includes robust AI governance capabilities, and the IBM Maximo Application Suite. Together, these technologies provide organizations with secure, intelligent asset and operations management capabilities that help reduce costs, improve safety outcomes, and enhance overall performance. watsonx.governance plays a foundational role, offering built-in transparency, compliance, and lifecycle AI management.
Building on this integrated foundation, the solution leverages IBM Maximo Visual Inspection (MVI) to bring AI-powered visual intelligence into industrial operations. n.vision analyzes large volumes of imagery data, including drone and camera feeds, to detect faults, predict equipment failures, and recommend prescriptive actions that help prevent unplanned downtime. By automating quality checks and defect detection, the combined approach streamlines workflows while maintaining high operational standards.
The platform combines nybl’s proprietary AI models with a robust data processing engine and intuitive interface. Its core modules include ‘Director’, which powers real-time analytics and decision-making, and ‘Stage’, which visualizes insights to enable faster, smarter operational responses. By combining deep AI functionality with ease of use, the solution empowers organizations to maximize asset uptime, increase reliability, and achieve measurable improvements in efficiency and safety.
“At IBM, we believe the future of industry is AI-powered, and our watsonx platform is built to help clients scale trustworthy AI across their business,” said Zaidoun Arbad, VP – Ecosystem, IBM Middle East and Africa. “By combining nybl’s domain-specific innovation with IBM’s enterprise AI capabilities, including Maximo and watsonx, we are enabling clients to transform operations and make smarter decisions in real time.”
Noor Alnahhas, Founder and CEO of nybl and a member of Dubai’s official AI and Ethics Advisory Board, said, “At nybl, we build AI grounded in science and driven by a commitment to ethical impact. Our mission is to solve some of humanity’s most critical challenges across sectors like energy, power, water, agriculture, and healthcare. This collaboration with IBM significantly amplifies our ability to scale that impact globally, combining nybl’s domain-specific innovation with IBM’s enterprise-grade platforms to deliver real, measurable value where it’s needed most.”
Rooted in a shared mission to solve real-world challenges, the collaboration brings advanced, purpose-built AI to industries that serve humanity. It also allows IBM to integrate nybl’s cutting-edge solutions into its global portfolio, while advancing nybl’s goal to export homegrown innovation from the Middle East to the world, strengthening the region’s role in shaping the future of technology.
About nybl
nybl is a deep-tech development company with a mission to develop and export technology and innovation from the Middle East to the rest of the world nybl’s technology focuses on delivering real-time failure prediction, prescription, prevention and optimization, increasing efficiency and reducing costs for critical industries and challenges facing humanity. The power of nybl’s AI is that it solves challenges by helping brilliant people address our most pressing humanitarian, energy, scientific and sustainability challenges. The vision at nybl is to democratize AI – building a world in which, together we can unlock the full depth and breadth of human potential. This is achieved with nybl’s suite of AI applications, a world-class ML framework, and AI platform, and with the aim of transforming data into actionable intelligence.
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.
Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
An innovative, multilingual CEO with over 25 years’ experience leading organizations by providing exceptional business transformation services and cutting-edge solutions. Ability to create and establish robust strategic direction. Trusted advisor to partners in multinational corporations in petroleum and natural gas, chemical manufacturing, power and utility, and water and wastewater treatment industries. Proven leader with the ability to drive strategic short and long-term plans, shifting priorities, and delivering compelling collaboration skills that foster strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Influential in nature, with excellent presentation and communication skills.
Lane Sloan is a 30-year veteran of the oil and gas industry and comes from a long and distinguished career with Shell Oil. During his tenure, Mr. Sloan was a member of Shell’s senior management, and served at various times as general manager of products for finance, vice president of corporate planning, chief financial officer and VP Business Services, regional coordinator for Far East, director of East Zone Oil Products, and president of Shell Chemical Company.
After leaving Shell, Mr. Sloan joined SAIC, an IT and engineering consultancy headquartered in San Diego, California, as executive vice president in charge of energy activities. He was subsequently named CEO of SAIC’s joint venture with Halliburton in Grand Basin.
Mr. Sloan later became an executive professor at the University of Houston, where he taught leadership, corporate strategy, and energy courses. He also served as executive director of University of Houston’s Global Energy Management Institute. Today, he is a Silver Fox Advisor and president of Sloan Consulting Services, where he mentors entrepreneurial CEOs.
Mr. Sloan has a bachelor’s Degree in Business and a Master’s in Management Science, both from the University of Colorado. He also has a Master’s in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston. He has co-authored Terra Incognita: A Navigation Aid for Energy Leaders and authored Develop a Leadership Plan: Become a Great Leader.
Mohammed was one of the founding members of the Digital Transformation Project Management office at Saudi Aramco, which oversees the key business initiatives under the company’s 4th Industrial Revolution program. A 20-year veteran of the IT industry, Mohammed started as a software developer delivering applications in knowledge management and systems integration. He earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Tulane University and his MBA from Strathclyde University.
Sufyaan has built management systems and environmental monitoring solutions for a variety of industries, including energy and security. He is a certified project manager (PMI) and an active member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI), which supports the advancement of information and communications technology. Sufyaan earned a Bachelor of Engineering in electronics and instrumentation from Birla Institute of Technology & Science and a Master of Science in electrical engineering from George Mason University.
