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VEON and MeetKai Expand Their Collaboration for Sovereign AI Infrastructure

In an innovative move to enhance local AI capabilities, VEON Ltd. has announced the expansion of its partnership with MeetKai Inc. This strategic collaboration aims to launch sovereign AI infrastructures that are locally deployed across various markets where VEON operates. This partnership was formalized with the signing of a memorandum of understanding during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) held in Barcelona, a significant event for technology and telecommunications.

Goals of the Partnership

The main objective of this expanded partnership is to establish a rapid and standardized deployment of secure computational environments that comply with local data residency requirements and governance processes. By focusing on these aspects, VEON and MeetKai are set to enhance the development of AI-based services tailored to meet the specific needs of various markets. The culmination of VEON's extensive regional presence, advanced customer access capabilities, and data center resources combined with MeetKai's sovereign AI platform and localized AI application layer is expected to deliver significant value.

Value Proposition

MeetKai's technology stands out for its ability to deliver high-quality large language models (LLMs) while minimizing development costs and inference expenses through smart post-training optimization and hardware-aware deployment. This efficiency is a game changer for VEON, allowing the company to optimize unit economics, speed up time-to-market, and improve returns on research and development investments. As a result, this collaboration aims to expand AI services across both consumer and enterprise applications, thereby catering to a broader audience.

Leaders’ Vision

Kaan Terzioğlu, the Group Chief Executive Officer of VEON, spoke passionately about the vision behind the partnership, stating, "VEON is building a sovereign, locally rooted augmented intelligence ecosystem. This ecosystem can be deployed within countries and scaled responsibly across our markets." He underscored the commitment to creating end-to-end sovereign AI capabilities that resonate culturally with the communities served by VEON.

On the other side, MeetKai’s CEO James Kaplan expressed excitement about this partnership, noting, “MeetKai was built to deliver sovereignty in AI that operates inside sovereign borders, aligned with local languages and policies. Working with VEON, we will help accelerate the rollout of AI services that are both cost-effective and scalable across several markets.” This highlights the intention of both companies to pioneer a new era of AI solutions that not only respect local laws but also drive economic growth.

Inclusive Digital Growth

This initiative is a testament to VEON’s broader commitment to advancing inclusive digital growth through augmented intelligence solutions addressing local needs in emerging markets. This partnership builds on the prior collaboration initiated in November 2025 between MeetKai and VEON's Kazakhstan-based company QazCode, focused on developing next-generation large language models.

In seeking to roll out this partnership across its various operating markets, VEON and MeetKai also intend to explore additional strategic partnerships and regulatory frameworks that would further bolster sovereign deployments. Such steps will not only enhance local AI capabilities but will also ensure that technology serves as a vehicle for economic empowerment in the regions they operate.

Conclusion

As the landscape of digital services continues to expand, VEON and MeetKai's enhanced collaboration marks an important development in the deployment of sovereign AI infrastructures. It demonstrates a commitment to local markets and the creation of culturally relevant AI solutions that can benefit communities across the globe. By combining their strengths, these two organizations aim to redefine what is possible in the world of AI, creating localized solutions that meet the unique challenges and opportunities of emerging markets.