Dubai ranks as most expensive city for mobile data Dubai has taken the unenviable top spot as the most expensive city for affordability of mobile data, with the average cost of 1GB equating to 0.55 percent of personal disposable income, said a new study. In second place is Auckland with 0.37 percent, followed by Seoul (0.32 percent), Buenos Aires (0.32 percent) and Manila with 0.31 […] August 15, 2022
Analysis Banking & Finance Traditional UAE banks must snap up neobanks to survive The UAE’s growing army of digital-only banks could soon be snapped up by traditional banks as digitisation continues apace, experts have told AGBI. A global survey published on Tuesday by UK-based comparison platform, Finder, said 19 percent of adults in the UAE have a neobank account, up from 17 percent last year – and that […] August 11, 2022
Tech Dubai ranks 18th in new index of top digital cities Dubai is the only Middle Eastern city to be highlighted in the Digital Cities Index (DCI) 2022 – a new ranking of 30 global cities across four key pillars: connectivity, services, culture and sustainability. Ranked 18th with an overall score of 63.8, the city’s position highlights its forward-thinking approach to the digitised economy, underpinned by […] August 5, 2022
Analysis Agriculture Food security report delivers stark warning to import-reliant Gulf GCC governments must step up their efforts to develop agri-food technology and recycle waste, a new food security report has warned. The Gulf is one of the world’s most import-dependent regions. The main food security challenge for the GCC is a natural or man-made crisis that could block one or more countries’ access to imports, […] August 2, 2022
Analysis The billion-dollar question: what does it take to make a unicorn? Can the UAE meet its target of being home to 20 unicorns by 2031? Only if entrepreneurs, venture capital and the government work together to build companies that can truly “translate across borders”, according to experts. Today the UAE has just three startups valued at $1 billion: Vista Global, Emerging Market Property Group and Kitopi. […] August 1, 2022
Opinion Mark your diaries: the human longevity revolution is coming Ageing populations can be a challenge, but they're a huge opportunity too. By 2030, spending by senior citizens will make up 10 percent of global GDP July 25, 2022
Analysis Employment Saudi unemployment rate drops as over 1 million expats leave The unemployment rate among Saudi nationals, especially women, continues to decline, as the latest data from the Saudi General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) also showed that over a million expats left the kingdom during the pandemic. The population at the mid-year point in 2021 was 34.1 million, a 2.6 percent year-on-year decrease. Foreign workers and […] July 1, 2022
Opinion Drone technology will power the Gulf’s fourth industrial revolution Once a gimmick in futuristic novels, drones now have the potential to transform the world we live in June 28, 2022
Analysis Banking & Finance UK Islamic fintech wants to take on the world UK fintech has enjoyed meteoric growth in recent years, and Islamic fintech has been a key part of that success. AGBI speaks to industry experts to get the inside track on the sector’s development UK fintech investment hit $37.3 billion in 2021, up sevenfold from $5.2 billion in 2020, according to figures published by global […] June 24, 2022
Analysis From chocolate to solar power, the UK-GCC trade deal is a winner A trade deal between the United Kingdom and the Gulf region has the potential to support jobs “from Dover to Doha”, while building vital green industries and supplying innovative services to the GCC. That’s according to UK Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who today launched free trade negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council, made up of […] June 22, 2022
11 ways robots are transforming the UAE A new AED1 billion ($272 million) library, which opened in Dubai on Thursday, will employ artificial intelligence (AI) in its operations, including in choosing titles and borrowing and returning books. The Mohammed bin Rashid Library will use a first-of-its-kind smart system in the Middle East to send commands to robots to locate books and deliver […] June 16, 2022
Analysis New deal allows Abu Dhabi to tap into global tech talent pool Abu Dhabi’s latest partnership agreement, part of its $545 million Innovation Programme, will help address urgent skill shortages in the technology sector and widen access to the global talent pool. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) yesterday announced a partnership with global in-house centre consulting firm ANSR and artificial intelligence-powered talent sourcing platform Talent500. ADIO […] June 10, 2022
Analysis Crypto users turn to chatbots in crisis UAE-based crypto exchange BitOasis has seen the number of interactions with its chatbot surge from about 300 late last year, to nearly 3,000 this year after Bitcoin’s violent crash – a total rise of 1,400 percent. Bitcoin, the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency, has more than halved since hitting its all-time high of $69,000 in November […] June 7, 2022
Analysis Banking & Finance Opening a bank account still the ‘biggest hurdle’ for UAE startups Some bank accounts taking up to a year to set up Startups waiting, despite obtaining a business licence Lack of consistency on requirements, rules for new businesses Opening a bank account is “still the biggest hurdle” entrepreneurs and business founders face in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with some waiting as long as a year […] June 1, 2022
Exclusive How technology is transforming the UAE-UK trade relationship A quick look at the latest UAE-UK trade figures might give the impression that the centuries-old relationship isn’t what it used to be. But dig a little deeper and the figures – down sharply from close to £18 billion in 2018-2019 to £12.3 billion in the year to last September – can be explained by […] May 19, 2022
Opinion Why we must harness AI for the common good Artificial intelligence can and should serve goals such as sustainability and gender equity May 18, 2022
Opinion Banking & Finance A crypto market crash doesn’t have to fill us with dread History shows us that these instances are a pivotal point of positive systemic change May 16, 2022
Exclusive Tech Why London-Dubai tech tie-up hits investment ‘sweet spot’ The London Technology Club (LTC), a community in Europe for investment opportunities in the technology sector, has announced the launch of LTC Dubai, its first international investment hub. The hub is supported by Global Ventures, the international venture capital firm focused on investing in emerging market founders. Konstantin Sidorov, founder, CEO and general partner of […] May 12, 2022
Tech Make it happen: How to digitally transform your business Here is the first of our monthly guides to harnessing global trends with a razor-sharp regional focus May 10, 2022
Exclusive Interviews UK-Gulf deal will be ‘tough nut to crack,’ says top Johnson ally The co-chairman of the UAE-UK Business Council and former chief strategic adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the upcoming UK-Gulf trade agreements could be delayed but bilateral opportunities remain immense Lord Udny-Lister, co-chairman of the UAE-UK Business Council and one of Boris Johnson’s closest political allies, cuts a distinguished figure amid the sumptuous surroundings […] May 10, 2022
