tag

TikTok took part in Web Summit Qatar 2026 this week with a series of activities aimed at supporting knowledge exchange, celebrating creativity, and engaging with the State of Qatar’s evolving digital ecosystem. As part of its participation, TikTok and the Government Communications Office (GCO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on a multi-year program designed to support and celebrate global creative excellence. **media[412670]**The MOU establishes an annual initiative, running over three years, focused on discovering and nurturing international creators across a range of industries. Signed at Web Summit by Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al Thani, Director of the GCO and Chairman of the Permanent Web Summit Qatar Organizing Committee, and Kinda Ibrahim, Regional General Manager of Operations, TikTok Middle East, Africa, South and Central Asia, the agreement reflects a shared focus on nurturing creative talent and strengthening opportunities for creators to grow their presence and impact. “Our continued collaboration with TikTok reflects a shared commitment to building long-term value for creators,” said Sheikh Jassim. “Qatar is creating the space, infrastructure and support for regional and international talent to develop new ideas and reach global audiences, making Doha a place where creators can develop and thrive; a reflection of the national direction for innovation and economic diversification under Qatar National Vision 2030.”As part of its broader engagement in Qatar, TikTok welcomed over 50 leading international creators to Doha, collectively representing a global community of more than 156 million followers. During the week, the creators attended Web Summit and participated in a curated program focused on creativity, culture and collaboration. A highlight was the Global Creative Excellence Gala Dinner, held at the Four Seasons Doha, which brought together creators, partners and industry leaders for an evening centered on creative storytelling, shared learning and cultural exchange, including reflections from creators on how digital platforms help ideas reach global audiences.At Web Summit, TikTok’s presence was designed around a shared concept with the host country; enabling environments where creativity, community and ambition can grow and extend globally. The experience highlighted how people, communities and businesses build momentum when creativity and human insight are supported at scale. The TikTok space explored several themes, including the origin stories of creators who have overcome barriers to build global audiences, the role of communities in shaping culture and how brands can achieve impact through discovery-driven engagement.In addition, TikTok’s General Manager for Global Business Solutions, Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Central and South Asia, Shadi Kandil, took part in a fireside chat which explored how brands can combine AI-powered tools, such as Smart+ and Symphony, with human creativity and instinct to scale more effectively, unlock new forms of storytelling, and drive measurable business outcomes while keeping strategy and decision-making firmly human."Qatar continues to play an important role as a regional and global meeting point for creativity, culture, and innovation," said Kandil. "Much like TikTok, it is a place where ideas take shape, brands are built, and stories can travel beyond borders. Bringing creators, partners and conversations together during Web Summit reflects our focus on supporting creative communities, meaningful exchange, and long-term growth across the region." TikTok’s activities during Web Summit week take place against a backdrop of growing engagement in Qatar. In 2025, content consumption in Qatar experienced a year-on-year growth of 110% compared to 2024. Over the same period, content production in Qatar grew by 150% year-on-year. Together, these trends reflect an active and evolving creator ecosystem in Qatar and underline the country's role as a meeting point for ideas, culture, and global exchange. 

OpenAI is preparing to launch a standalone social app that resembles the TikTok experience, coinciding with the launch of its video generation AI model, Sora 2. According to a report published by Wired magazine, the app will feature a vertical video feed and swipe-to-scroll navigation. However, it will be limited to AI-generated content only, with no option to upload clips from a user's phone, and videos within the app are limited to 10 seconds or less, while the model's limit outside the platform remains unclear, Wired said. The report added that the app will integrate an identity verification feature that allows users to confirm their likeness created by the model, enabling others to tag users and use their likeness when they go to remix one of their videos, with the user receiving a notification immediately whenever their likeness is used by someone else, even if it is not posted. Regarding intellectual property owners, the app will not include copyrighted material, the report said. In this context, the Wall Street Journal said that OpenAI will require property owners to explicitly ask OpenAI not to include their copyright material in Sora 2 content. By incorporating a social aspect into the Sora model, OpenAI may seek to create its own community, making users less likely to migrate to competing platforms. Experts expect the app to be an early test of OpenAI's strategy of combining generative models with everyday user experiences, potentially opening the door to new forms of interaction between AI and social content. OpenAI recently launched ChatGPT Pulse for Pro subscribers, a tool that generates quick daily updates in the form of visual cards based on the user's personal data, including chat history and connected apps like Google Calendar and Gmail. These cards include personalized suggestions such as exercise plans, meal ideas, language lessons, and more.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that progress had been made on many issues, including trade and the approval of a TikTok deal with China.In a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump said that he had a "very good" phone call with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. He said: "We appreciate the TikTok approval, and both look forward to meeting at APEC."Trump also indicated that he will visit China "early next year" and that the Chinese president will visit the US "at a later date."For his part, the Chinese president said that his country and the US can achieve mutual success, but he stressed that the US side must avoid unilateral trade restrictions. He called on the US to provide an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.He added that the Chinese government respects the will of companies and is pleased to see them conduct trade negotiations in accordance with market rules and reach solutions that comply with Chinese laws and regulations and a balance of interests.