Analysis Tech Saudi Arabia ‘leads GCC’ in adoption of robotics The rising number of robotics companies in Saudi Arabia has helped the kingdom become a regional leader in the adoption and development of the technology, experts have told AGBI. The number of robotics companies registered in the country surged to 2,344 in the second quarter of 2023, up from 1,537 a year earlier, according to […] March 14, 2024
Lifestyle Living like the Jetsons: Middle East homes go smart It has been six decades since the American animated sitcom The Jetsons offered a glimpse into a future filled with robots and smart kitchens. Now reality seems poised to beat this once-fanciful vision. Today, voice-activated assistants seamlessly control everything – from adjusting lights and thermostats to automating tasks such as unlocking doors or turning on […] December 17, 2023
Analysis Tech Gulf accelerates longevity push with AI and healthtech The Gulf is establishing itself at the forefront of the world’s fast-growing “longevity” sector. Saudi Arabia and the UAE in particular are making strides in the global race to prolong life, investing in health technologies that can predict medical risk and help develop medicines. They are investing in healthtech, building laboratories to support research and […] October 12, 2023
Analysis Tech Race is on for AI chips as nations seek tech supremacy The Gulf states are expected to invest heavily in powerful semiconductor chips in the years ahead to drive artificial intelligence forward. However, US restrictions on exports of the world’s biggest player in the chips market are a potential stumbling block. AI technology is critical to developing global influence and expanding high-growth industries, and the high-performance […] October 12, 2023
Tech Saudi Arabia launches $200m fund to invest in tech firms Saudi Arabia has launched a $200 million (SAR750 million) fund to invest in local and global high-tech companies as part of plans to diversify and create more high-quality technical jobs. The funding is part of the strategy that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled for the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, state-owned SPA […] August 21, 2023
Analysis Trade Defence giant leads UAE charge into Latin America UAE defence conglomerate Edge has partnered with the Brazilian navy to develop long-range anti-ship missiles, weeks after opening a new regional office in the federal capital, Brasilia. The deal, described as a “significant milestone” by Mansour AlMulla, managing director and CEO of Edge, was signed during the visit of a delegation led by Reem bint […] July 10, 2023
Tech Saudi Arabia makes move on Estonia’s tech industry Saudi Arabia has signed multiple deals with companies in Estonia as it tries to tap into the European country’s tech industry. Five memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements across trade, technology and entrepreneurship have been negotiated by Saudi’s Ministry of Investment. A Saudi-Estonian business council is also planned under an agreement between the Federation of […] July 5, 2023
Analysis Tech How tech is transforming Saudi’s Hajj travel industry Saudi Arabia’s strong digital infrastructure means it is ready to receive “whatever number of pilgrims and Umrah performers”, according to its director general of passports Sulaiman al-Yahya. Two million people are expected to converge on Mecca in the next week to complete the Hajj pilgrimage. By 2030 the kingdom is committed to tripling this number […] June 23, 2023
Opinion Economy Roubles, risks and rewards There are pros and cons to maintaining economic links with Russia despite Western sanctions June 13, 2023
Trade Clean energy and tech power UAE-Scotland trade It’s a long way from the icy waters of the North Sea to the saline depths of the Straits of Hormuz, but the world’s first offshore floating wind farm is proof of a burgeoning arrangement between Scotland and the UAE. Masdar, the UAE’s government-owned clean energy company, has a 25 percent stake in the 30 […] June 8, 2023
Aviation US electric aircraft developer lands in Abu Dhabi A hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft developer from California is planning to set up a regional HQ in Abu Dhabi as trade deals between the Emirates and the US focus on advanced technologies. Odys Aviation has joined the UAE Ministry of Economy’s NextGen foreign direct investment programme, which aims to attract digitally enabled businesses […] May 31, 2023
Opinion Economy China-GCC FTA will be a game changer A deal would galvanise Middle Eastern economic transformation May 25, 2023
Tech UAE’s Edge buys majority stake in Jordan robotics firm UAE’s technology and defence firm Edge Group has acquired an 80 percent stake in Mars Robotics, an autonomous robotics services provider in Jordan. Mars Robotics will work with Edge’s advanced concepts, focusing on design, development, and deployment of advanced and innovative technologies. Mansour Al Mulla, managing director and CEO of Edge, said: “As we rapidly […] May 24, 2023
Tech Amsterdam game maker to open regional HQ in UAE Dutch mobile, PC and console games developer MY.GAMES will establish its regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi in partnership with UAE-based AD Gaming. The Amsterdam-headquartered company will hire and develop local game developers, Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a statement. The company’s Abu Dhabi-based team will work on more than 70 games across AD Gaming’s […] May 22, 2023
Business of Sport G42 to give Mercedes a push in Formula One The Mercedes Formula One team is relying on a partnership with an Abu Dhabi based tech company to develop artificial intelligence to give it an edge on the track. A multi-year deal aims to harness the potential of AI as the two companies explore ways to embed software and tech solutions in the team’s operations, […] May 5, 2023
ChatGPT founder’s visit gets Dubai talking about AI Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the company that created controversial artificial intelligence-powered chatbot ChatGPT, is heading to Dubai this summer as part of a world tour to meet with users, developers and policymakers. Industry observers say the executive’s stop in the city is recognition of the Gulf’s digital advancement and anticipate that OpenAI will establish […] April 14, 2023
Analysis GCC and Japan move into fast lane for trade growth When Abu Dhabi announced the launch of the world’s largest autonomous racing league last month, it was with a significant nod to trade with Japan. Aspire, an arm of the emirate’s Advanced Technology Research Council, unveiled plans to host the first autonomous car race next year, featuring the Dallara-built Super Formula cars exclusively provided by […] April 13, 2023
Tech Brazil now has the Edge in defence technology Technology and defence giant Edge Group is opening a new regional office in Brazil’s federal capital, Brasilia. The office is part of Abu Dhabi-based Edge’s plans to take advantage of opportunities in local markets as experts expect defence spending in Brazil to increase to nearly $25 billion this year. The announcement was made at LAAD […] April 12, 2023
Retail Amazon bucks global tech slowdown with UAE expansion Amazon has strengthened its commitment to the UAE with the opening of a new fulfilment centre – in the same week the e-commerce giant announced 9,000 jobs are to go across its global network. This follows a previous announcement in January to cut 18,000 roles within the company. The latest redundancies will fall mostly in […] March 22, 2023
Opinion Tech Four ways ChatGPT could improve your finances AI programme can be a useful tool for everything from savings to wills March 8, 2023
Logistics Brazilian cargo drone maker expands operations to Dubai Tupan, a Brazilian cargo and military drone manufacturer, is setting up operations in Dubai, in a bid to help speed up e-commerce deliveries and boost cross-border trade, the company’s CEO told AGBI. The UAE’s civil aviation authority in December published what it said were the world’s first regulations for vertiports to govern the use of […] March 2, 2023
Tech Egypt’s farmers are prepping the soil for a digital revolution Agriculture may be the world’s least digitised industry. While machine learning and artificial intelligence are transforming many areas of our lives, in many countries farming is behind the curve. “Agriculture has been slow to transform and that’s largely because it happens in rural locations and it’s also very fragmented,” said Andy Jenkinson, chief technology at Varda, […] March 1, 2023
