AI-Augmented. Human-Driven: Yango Tech's Vladimir Razuvaev on Why the Firm Is Positioning Trust as AI's Most Valuable Currency While the global business ecosystem has largely come to terms with an AI-driven future, what remains to be seen is how transparent and trustworthy the technology's agents will be in the long run. Steadily making impactful inroads in this space is UAE-based Yango Tech—here's how.

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms from a nice-to-have to a must-have across global businesses, there is simultaneous discourse on the laws and regulations that govern this advanced technology. For Vladimir Razuvaev, taking on the roles of Head of Legal and Chief Executive of UAE-based global technology company Yango Tech, has afforded him the unique position to concurrently observe both industries' shifts from an eagle eye's view. "Wearing both hats allows me to see technology not only as innovation, but as governance in motion," he says. "The legal mindset teaches you to anticipate risk, build systems that scale responsibly, and ensure that progress is rooted in trust. But AI, much like law, only works when people believe in its fairness, transparency, and accountability. At Yango Tech, we see AI governance as a core part of innovation itself. Every solution we build — from AI agents to computer vision systems — is designed with ethical logic and compliance by design. This makes our technologies both scalable and sustainable across markets like the UAE, KSA, and others."

At its core, Yango Tech simplifies access to advanced technologies, and thus enables businesses to streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve customer experiences. Launched in 2018, the global AI and technology integrator designs and deploys intelligent automation, voice AI, computer vision, and data-driven systems for enterprises and governments.

^{Image courtesy Yango Tech}

Operating across the UAE, MENA, and international markets, the company focuses on solving real operational challenges with ethical, compliant, and locally adapted AI—turning data into connected, decision-ready business ecosystems. Part of ensuring its AI systems are successfully deployed across the plethora of geographical jurisdictions, with their different legal and regulatory frameworks, lies in clinching effective cross-border partnerships, notes Razuvaev. "Operating across regions with diverse regulations and expectations, we use our dual perspective [across law and AI] to align innovation with integrity," he continues. "My ultimate vision is therefore for Yango Tech to establish itself as the UAE's most trusted AI integrator — a company that turns data into intelligent ecosystems, and transforms ethical innovation into a global export."

That philosophy becomes most evident in Yango Tech's work across high-intensity operational environments, particularly in retail and logistics, where its AI solutions are reshaping how data moves through both physical and digital systems. Today, the company positions itself not as a product vendor, but as an AI integrator—building tailored intelligence layers around each client's core business challenges. "We don't sell tools; we solve problems," Razuvaev says. "Our approach always starts with the client's operational pain point—whether it's the accuracy of catalogue data, visibility across the supply chain, or real-time execution—and we build a tailored AI layer that connects all of it."

One such example is ROOTS' "Image-to-Card" feature, which converts raw product visuals into structured catalogue data, significantly reducing manual input and error rates. Another is the warehouse management system implemented for Grand Hypermarkets, which streamlines fulfillment operations by centralizing order processing, inventory tracking, shipping, and returns within a single intelligent platform. "But the key is not the technology itself; it's the integration between these systems," Razuvaev adds. "When you combine computer vision, data structuring, and intelligent automation into one ecosystem, you move from digitalization to decision intelligence. That's the core of our integrator model—bridging AI platforms with each client's business reality. Our mission is to make AI practical, measurable, and native to every market we enter—from retail and logistics to banking, mobility, and beyond."

^{Image courtesy Yango Tech}

Now, while Yango Tech's presence is largely felt across the retail and logistics industries, the firm also operates within a myriad of other sectors, including banking and financial services, aviation, hospitality, insurance, government and public-sector services, mobility, energy management, and smart infrastructure. It is in the retail space, however, that one gets to notice the scale of opportunities that Yango Tech is targeting. For starters, the global retail market alone is currently valued at approximately US$31.3 trillion, with the MENA retail sector projected to reach US$1.4 trillion by 2032—underscoring why intelligent, scalable, and ethical automation is fast becoming a business imperative across the wider economy. Add to that the growing affinity towards AI displayed by retailers worldwide—according to a 2024 report by US-based global tech firm NVIDIA, 42% of surveyed retailers are already using AI, and an additional 34% are assessing or piloting AI initiatives. This adoption rate is more pronounced among the larger retailers' ecosystem—those with annual revenues exceeding US$500 million—wherein 64% are already using AI, a number that is 55% higher than the total retail industry adoption rate.

For Razuvaev, all these statistics—particularly those pertaining to the MENA region—are more than just numbers and "signal transformation" that requires renewed conversations. "Growth at that scale requires not just digitalization, but rethinking how technology and human connection coexist," he says. "At Yango Tech, we believe the future of innovation is not about replacing people with algorithms, but about augmenting them. Our AI agents are designed to remove friction—to automate what's repetitive, predict what's coming, and let humans focus on what only they can do: build trust, creativity, and emotional connection with customers. We apply this philosophy across every layer of our work—from AI-powered cataloging and shelf analytics to intelligent service assistants. The goal is to keep innovation human-centered, measurable, and ethical. As an AI integrator, our role is to make technology invisible—so that what remains visible is experience, not complexity. That's how we'll keep driving innovation across MENA: by scaling intelligence, while preserving empathy. Because the most advanced technology still means nothing if it forgets the human at the center."

It is at this point that Razuvaev raises the operational mindset that Yango Tech has grown to value the most when designing and modifying its AI agents and related tools. "AI-driven personalization is powerful — but it's also personal," Razuvaev iterates. "The moment a brand hands over part of its customer interaction to an AI agent, it's not just outsourcing efficiency — it's outsourcing trust. That's why reliability and brand alignment are at the core of how we build AI at Yango Tech. Our philosophy is simple: an AI agent should speak in the brand's voice, not in the language of the algorithm. We achieve this through what we call "brand DNA modeling" — training AI agents not only on data, but on tone, values, and the emotional logic behind customer communication. Impartiality and reliability come from rigorous governance layers — continuous feedback loops, bias detection models, and multi-market compliance testing. We don't allow personalization to become manipulation; our AI systems are designed to understand customers, not to influence them unfairly. Ultimately, every AI agent we deploy must earn the same level of trust as a human employee would. That's the standard we hold ourselves to — and the reason our partners choose Yango Tech as the engine behind their customer intelligence."

^{Image courtesy Yango Tech}

The connecting thread between ensuring purpose-led outcomes and AI-led engagements is inevitably the very "voice" with which the technology communicates. "Voice is becoming the most natural bridge between humans and technology—it's intuitive, emotional, and immediate, which makes it the next frontier for brand communication," Razuvaev explains. "At Yango Tech, we see voice not just as a feature, but as a new form of brand presence. What distinguishes our AI Voice Agents is their ability to listen, understand, and adapt — not just respond. Unlike traditional chatbots or scripted call-center automation, our agents are context-aware and continuously learning. They can switch tones, languages, and intent in real time while staying fully aligned with a brand's voice and service logic. We don't offer off-the-shelf bots; we co-create voice ecosystems with our clients. Each implementation is trained on the company's communication DNA, integrated with internal data systems, and governed by ethical and compliance standards. The result is an AI that sounds not like a robot — but like the brand itself."

The impact of this approach is heightened in a multicultural nation such as the UAE. According to Razuvaev, Yango Tech is relishing the opportunity to cater to such a diverse population. "The UAE is one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse markets in the world — and that makes it the perfect testing ground for next-generation voice AI," he says. "Our agents are being built with localization by design, but more importantly — they understand context, tone, and culture. That means recognizing how politeness is expressed in Arabic, how customer expectations differ between Emirates, or how emotional tone shifts across languages. Our agents are designed to reflect that nuance, ensuring conversations feel natural, not mechanical. We expect early adoption from sectors such as banking, aviation, hospitality, government services, and insurance. These are industries that define service excellence in the UAE, and they demand AI systems capable of delivering not just speed, but empathy and cultural fluency."

^{Image courtesy Yango Tech}

As the team at Yango Tech gears up for a promising 2026, Razuvaev is now most excited at the thought of a future where AI agents could easily evolve from "being assistants to becoming co-workers" — a possibility that he sees being attainable in a matter of a few years. "These AI agents will manage entire workflows —from customer service to logistics coordination and financial operations— while seamlessly collaborating with human teams," he remarks. "In the MENA region, where businesses are scaling fast and digital transformation is happening at record pace, AI agents will become the invisible infrastructure behind efficiency. They will automate the repetitive, accelerate decision-making, and free humans to focus on creativity, strategy, and emotional connection. We don't see AI agents replacing people — we see them amplifying human capability. The organizations that embrace this synergy early will redefine customer experience, not just optimize it. At Yango Tech, our goal is to make that future accessible, ethical, and locally relevant — turning AI agents into trusted members of every enterprise ecosystem."

'TREP TALK: Vladimir Razuvaev, Head of Legal and Chief Executive of Yango Tech, how Yango Tech's strategic partnerships have allowed the company to further its mission

"At Yango Tech, we've always seen partnerships as the real catalyst of growth — not just commercial, but intellectual. Our expansion across the UAE has been driven by collaboration: with retailers, logistics operators, telcos, and increasingly — with public-sector innovation programs. Each partnership helps us apply AI in the real economy, where efficiency, ethics, and scale must coexist.

The UAE is unique in how it approaches artificial intelligence. The government here doesn't just regulate innovation — it accelerates it. This is one of the few markets where the state is not only setting governance frameworks but is actively championing the adoption of AI agents to boost productivity across both public and private sectors.

That alignment between vision and execution creates an ideal environment for integrators like us. Beyond this, we see immense potential in mobility, fintech, energy management, and smart infrastructure — domains where AI can connect systems, automate routine decisions, and free human capacity for higher-value work. Our mission is to be the trusted AI integrator bridging these ecosystems — transforming data into intelligence, and intelligence into progress."