Tech UAE cybersecurity is failing, say IT executives Inadequate technology is one of the primary causes of data breaches suffered by UAE companies, despite huge investments made by IT departments in the Gulf state to combat cyberattacks, say experts. Companies in the Mena region spent $2.8 billion on cybersecurity last year, according to US technology research and consulting firm Gartner. Yet a report […] December 8, 2023
Opinion Employment Clocking off: the pros and cons of a four-day week A shorter working week can boost productivity but will companies take the plunge? December 7, 2023
Tech US robot maker in talks over Abu Dhabi factory Gecko Robotics, a US maker of robots that inspect the infrastructure of buidings, vehicles and other physical assets, is in talks to open a factory in Abu Dhabi. The company has also raised $100 million as part of a Series C funding round. Gecko, which uses AI-powered software and advanced robotics, set up its international […] December 6, 2023
Infrastructure Gulf telcos sign deal to create $2bn tower company Telecom operators Ooredoo and Zain Group on Tuesday said agreements have been signed to create the largest tower company in the Middle East and North Africa. The cash and share deal, which also involves Dubai-based Tasc Towers Holding, will establish a company comprising 30,000 telecom towers in Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Algeria and Tunisia, with […] December 5, 2023
Tech Tax-friendly UAE beckons blockchain businesses The UAE is becoming a preferred destination for blockchain technology companies, ranking third globally as a crypto centre, according to a survey. Immigration consultancy Henley & Partners used six criteria to arrive at a global ranking and placed Singapore first because of its government’s close cooperation with banks, businesses and the public in developing its […] December 2, 2023
Exclusive Tech The Dubai startup with smart contact lenses in its sights In 1508, Leonardo Da Vinci sketched the concept of contact lenses in his Codex of the Eye, laying the groundwork for enhancing human sight. Fast forward a few centuries, and this early idea has evolved dramatically. Today’s contact lenses are on the brink of another step forward. New technology goes beyond correcting vision to display […] December 2, 2023
Tech Abu Dhabi sets up business to leverage AI expertise Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council has set up a company that aims to capitalise on the emirate’s growing expertise in artificial intelligence. The business, AI71, will build on Falcon, the open-source AI developed in Abu Dhabi. The Falcon 7B, 40B and 180B large language models (LLMs) – tools capable of digesting large amounts of […] November 29, 2023
Sustainability AI to help drive Middle East water reuse The International Water Management Institute is developing an AI platform to improve wastewater reuse in the Middle East and North Africa region, backed by a $1 million grant from Google. Water scarcity is a concern in the region. Almost three-quarters (73 percent) of the 1,000 UAE respondents to a recent survey listed access to clean […] November 27, 2023
Tech Binance scandal won’t rock UAE but clarity is needed Industry experts have told AGBI that the UAE needs to address some of its own internal challenges if it is to realise its ambitions to become a global cyptocurrency player. Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao’s guilty plea as part of a $4.3 billion settlement with US anti-money laundering authorities is unlikely to lead to major […] November 24, 2023
AGBI AI EVENT Tech ‘Human-in-the-loop’ model remains essential for AI Artificial intelligence is poised to complement and augment human capabilities, not replace them, according to a tech expert speaking at an AGBI event last week. Noel Tock, the founder of digital agency Human Made, emphasised the importance of the “human-in-the-loop” model. “For critical tasks such as analysing medical reports, human oversight remains essential until AI […] November 23, 2023
AGBI AI EVENT Tech Businesses shouldn’t leap onto ChatGPT bandwagon Companies looking to use AI to enhance business should not rush to jump on the “tech bandwagon” behind successes such as ChatGPT, one of the UK’s leading experts in artificial intelligence has said. ChatGPT, launched in November 2022, uses large language modelling (LLM) which enables it to do things like answer questions and write articles. […] November 23, 2023
Analysis Trade Raiven launches fund to strengthen UAE-Canada ties Raiven Capital, a venture capital company based in Toronto, has launched a new $125 million fund in Dubai with a focus on tech-based founders. The fund, set up in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), will invest in entrepreneurs developing artificial intelligence to disrupt sectors including fintech and cybersecurity. “Raiven has ambitious plans for the region […] November 23, 2023
Video length: 0:57 AGBI AI EVENT Tech AI ‘not just a problem-solving tool’ for journalists Journalists must embrace artificial intelligence technologies in their day-to-day work, according to a panel of leading experts during a session hosted by AGBI at the Global Media Congress. “AI is not just a tool for problem-solving or generating the next stories but it also allows the development of new creative skill sets,” said Professor Neil […] November 23, 2023
Video length: 54:12 Learn from the experts on implementing AI in business AGBI brought together AI experts from around the world to tackle the “less familiar but more strategically critical” aspects of the subject that has captured global attention with its possibilities – and risks. The panel at AGBI‘s VIP event at the Capital Club in Dubai consisted of: Groopman pointed out that making proper use of […] November 22, 2023
AGBI AI EVENT Tech Bias a challenge for AI ethics, says Silicon Valley analyst The ethical considerations surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) should focus on the inherent biases introduced during the design phase by those crafting the technology, a Silicon Valley analyst and AI advocate, Jessica Groopman, told an event organised by AGBI last week. “When we create these tools, we inevitably embed biases in them, reflecting our human biases,” […] November 21, 2023
Tech UAE takes next step in developing satellite industry The Crown Princes of Abu Dhabi and Dubai have launched the execution phase of the UAE’s Sirb satellite programme, which aims to commercialise satellites and the data they generate. Sirb – Arabic for a flock of birds – consists of a constellation of synthetic aperture radar satellites. Highly accurate, the satellites will support a wide […] November 21, 2023
Tech E-commerce beats fintech to Jordan VC funding top spot The e-commerce sector accounts for the biggest share of Jordan’s venture capital funding, bucking the dominance of fintechs across the wider Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region. E-commerce/retail has attracted 20 percent of Jordan’s total funding, and 17 percent of deals, between 2018 and 2022, according to a report by Jordan’s Ministry of Digital […] November 20, 2023
Tech PIF raises stake in Egyptian e-finance company Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has raised its stake in an Egyptian developer of digital payments infrastructure. PIF submitted a request to increase its stake by two percent in E-Finance Company to the Financial Regulatory Authority almost a month ago, Egypt Today newspaper reported, citing details from the technology company’s chairman Ibrahim Sarhan. The […] November 20, 2023
Tech Ousted OpenAI CEO Altman mulls new AI venture Sam Altman, the just ousted CEO of OpenAI, is discussing a possible return to the company behind the ChatGPT bot even as he considers launching a new artificial intelligence (AI) venture, a person briefed on the matter said on Saturday. A day after the board fired him in a surprise move that rocked the tech […] November 20, 2023
Video length: 01:03 AGBI AI EVENT Tech AI can redefine customer experience, say experts Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the customer experience, said a panel of leading experts during a special reception hosted by Arabian Gulf Business Insight (AGBI). The exclusive invite-only event, sponsored by Oliver Wyman at the Capital Club Dubai on November 15, welcomed an audience of senior business leaders from across the UAE to […] November 16, 2023
DUBAI AIRSHOW Aviation Neom flying taxis ‘should be ready by 2026,’ says developer Neom could have “flying taxis” in the air by 2026 if testing and regulatory work stays on track, according to the company developing them for the Saudi giga-project. Borja Blond, CEO of the joint venture between Neom and German manufacturer Volocopter, said it ran successful test flights in the summer and was working with the […] November 16, 2023
DUBAI AIRSHOW Aviation Unmanned flights brace for take-off in Dubai Terrifying to some, exciting to others, the launch of self-flying commercial aircraft in the region would represent a new chapter for the aviation industry. Unmanned aeroplanes are in the early stages of global development. But with the industry’s biggest manufacturers Boeing and Airbus testing autonomous systems and craft, the concept is inching closer to revolutionising […] November 16, 2023
