Bilal Abu-Ghazaleh has raised $9 million for his new company, 1001 AI, which builds decision-making software for essential industries in the Middle East and North Africa. He recently moved to London from Dubai after spending almost a decade in the United States, including at Scale AI.
The company aims to reduce waste and delays in sectors such as aviation, ports, oil and gas, and construction. “Just looking at the top three or four industries like airports, ports, construction, and oil and gas, we see more than $10 billion in inefficiencies across the Gulf alone,” he said
The seed round was led by CIV, General Catalyst and Lux Capital, with backing from Chris Ré, Amjad Masad, Amira Sajwani, Khalid Bin Bader Al Saud and Hisham Al-Falih. Though only two months old, 1001 AI is building teams between Dubai and London and preparing to launch its first product by the end of the year in the construction sector. The company is also in talks with major airport operators in the Gulf.
Why the Gulf Is 1001 AI’s Ultimate Test Ground
Abu-Ghazaleh was born in Jordan and moved to the U.S. for college. He worked at Hive AI before joining Scale AI in 2020 when the company was growing quickly. There, he managed generative AI operations and helped expand global data annotation networks. After a shift in company direction, he left to found 1001 AI.
The Gulf region has become one of the fastest adopters of AI and advanced infrastructure systems. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are investing billions to reduce reliance on imports and build local tech ecosystems. Yet, many of the region’s most expensive projects still run using spreadsheets, calls and siloed software tools. Mega-projects often run over budget or finish late, and airports or ports rely on manual coordination. This gap between infrastructure spending and operational efficiency is where 1001 AI wants to act.
How 1001 AI Plans to Run Airports, Ports and Construction Sites Smarter
1001 AI connects to a client’s existing tools, maps day-to-day workflows and issues real-time instructions to improve coordination. Abu-Ghazaleh explained that tasks like rerouting fuel trucks or sending cleaning crews, which are now handled through calls or messaging, are automated by their system. It processes live operational data to assign staff, move vehicles and avoid delays.
To ensure accuracy, the company embeds teams on-site with clients to observe how operations actually function. These observations are then built into a customized workflow engine. Rather than creating individual tools for each sector, 1001 AI develops a core platform that applies across industries with similar logistics, airports, ports, and construction sites all rely on timing, assets and coordinated teams.
