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A Visionary Leap into AI

The ambitious initiatives in education, ethics, and innovation set to position UAE as a global leader, fostering a skilled workforce and a responsible technological landscape for future generations through a recap of dynamic Gitex 2024

The UAE is poised to emerge as a global powerhouse in artificial intelligence, driven by an ambitious vision to integrate AI across all sectors. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is committed to making the UAE the world’s most prepared nation for AI. This commitment is underpinned by strategic investments and initiatives that promise to reshape the nation’s economy and society.

Educational Initiatives: Cultivating Future Talent

Recognising the importance of a skilled workforce, the UAE is investing substantially in AI education. The government, led by the Minister of Economy, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, is implementing programmes focused on youth development and STEM education. These initiatives include funding for student-focused boot camps and enhanced academic curricula that emphasise AI and technology. By fostering a new generation of skilled professionals, the UAE aims to secure its place as a hub for innovation and expertise in artificial intelligence.

Ethical Frameworks: A Responsible Approach to AI

As the UAE embraces the transformative power of AI, it is equally committed to ensuring that its deployment is ethical and responsible. The introduction of an international AI policy highlights the nation’s focus on aligning technological advancements with societal values.

Al Marri emphasises the need for AI to enhance people’s lives while addressing ethical, social, and environmental concerns. This balanced approach seeks to drive innovation while positioning the UAE as a leader in global discussions on responsible AI usage, fostering an environment where technology serves humanity.

The UAE is also making strides in AI infrastructure, currently possessing the 36th most powerful high-performance computer in the world. The private sector dominates the UAE’s AI ecosystem, owning 89 per cent of the total AI-related processing power. Academic institutions like NYU Abu Dhabi are home to large-scale systems, such as “Dalma,” a supercomputer with over 870 CPUs and 30 GPUs. Our survey identified more than ten high-end AI systems owned by the government, academia, and private sectors, showcasing the UAE's growing capabilities in this field.

GITEX Global 2024: A Recap

The 44th edition of Gitex Global, held from October 14-18, 2024, at the Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Harbour, showcased an unprecedented exhibition space of over 40 halls, featuring more than 6,500 exhibitors and 1,800 emerging companies from over 180 countries. This year’s event emphasized digital transformation and investment in technology, with AI taking centre stage.

AI-Powered Innovations

The exhibition featured groundbreaking proposals for AI-powered autonomous vehicles, including XPeng AeroHT’s eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) flying cars, marking a potential revolution in urban mobility.

With over 120 hours of debates and panels, Gitex 2024 explored AI's transformative potential across various sectors, emphasizing the need for collaboration to address global challenges.

Highlights from the Event

Dubai: Innovation and Security

Dubai Police presented its latest innovations, including the “Digital Twin for Tourist Police,” an AI-powered platform enhancing the tourist experience by providing real-time assistance. The police force also promoted the upcoming World Police Summit, aimed at fostering global collaboration in community safety.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library also concluded its participation leaving its impact on everybody.

Additionally, Dubai Police provided visitors with a detailed overview of the key themes and objectives of the upcoming World Police Summit, scheduled for 13–15 May 2025, in Dubai, under the theme “Designing the Future of Policing.” The summit will address global changes in line with the Fifth Industrial Revolution.

The Library’s stand attracted a wide range of visitors from public and private sector organisations, as well as individuals from the UAE and abroad. Visitors were given the opportunity to explore the Library’s cutting-edge services, innovative facilities, and the advanced technologies it uses to enhance access to its vast knowledge resources.

At Gitex Global 2024, the Library highlighted its “A World in Your Language” initiative, which leverages artificial intelligence to offer reading and listening options in eight languages, providing a personalised experience for diverse audiences. The Library also showcased the benefits of its membership programme, which offers various categories to cater to different needs. Members gain access to a wide range of library services, from reserving and borrowing books to utilising digital databases and other resources.

Throughout the event, the Library’s team engaged with visitors, providing comprehensive information on its digital services and features, and answering questions on how to access the wealth of knowledge it offers. Feedback and suggestions were also collected through the 04 Platform, the Dubai Government’s unified communication channel.

Abu Dhabi: Towards an AI-Native Government

The Abu Dhabi Government pavilion showcased over 30 government and academic entities, unveiling a range of innovative digital solutions and AI-enabled projects. This initiative highlighted the emirate’s commitment to providing next-generation AI-enabled government services. The pavilion attracted significant attention from global technology leaders, featuring discussions on governance, cybersecurity, and customer experience.

The pavilion featured five main zones – Services & Customer Experience, Data & Insights, Innovative Technology, Sustainable Technology, Cybersecurity and Digital Trust – where Abu Dhabi Government unveiled its latest cutting-edge AI-powered services and customer experience programmes.

Abu Dhabi Government's participation in Gitex Global 2024 has reflected the emirate’s commitment to move forward on this path and advance its achievements and innovations that lead to a pioneering future, further supporting innovation and adoption of emerging technologies, especially AI, and expanding its partnerships and collaborations with various organisations to enable government entities in Abu Dhabi to contribute to creating an integrated digital future for UAE Nationals and residents, and enhance the emirate’s position as a global model of digital excellence.

Sharjah: A Sustainable Digital Future

Sharjah’s pavilion, under the theme "Towards a Sustainable Digital Future," presented 18 innovative projects that showcased the latest in digital services and technological advancements. The emphasis was on creating an integrated digital ecosystem to support sustainable economic development, with significant participation from various government entities.

Among the honoured entities, the Sharjah Police General Command was awarded Best Participating Entity, followed by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock. Sharjah Municipality received the Best Project award based on visitor evaluations, while the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority and the Holy Quran Academy were also acknowledged for their outstanding contributions.

The Sharjah Government pavilion attracted significant attention from visitors, who were impressed by the latest digital initiatives and big data solutions designed to enhance service efficiency and transparency. The showcased projects aimed to build an integrated digital ecosystem that advances Sharjah's digital transformation and supports sustainable economic development.

The pavilion showcased a detailed vision for the future of digital transformation in the emirate, emphasising smart city development and sustainability through innovative technologies. Participating entities emphasised their upcoming initiatives aimed at enhancing service efficiency and promoting stronger engagement between the government and the community.

As the nation moves forward, the focus remains on harnessing AI's potential while ensuring ethical frameworks guide its integration into society. The future of AI in the UAE looks promising, paving the way for a new era of technological excellence and transformative growth.

Salvador Anglada, CEO, e& Enterprise, said: "During Gitex 2024, we showcased our comprehensive solutions across key verticals, including cloud, cybersecurity, customer Experience, and IoT. Visitors experienced how our tailored offerings empowered businesses to drive growth, enhance security, and transform customer engagement in the era of digital transformation."

In our digital transformation zone, he said attendees witnessed real-world projects that illustrated our promise of successful end-to-end digital transformation. Our three interactive pods — Smart Government, Smart Home, and Smart City — demonstrated tangible results, reinforcing belief in our expertise and innovative solutions.

"In our experience zone, visitors explored three innovative pods highlighting AI's transformative impact across industries. Our Sustainability Zone showcased how e& enterprise led the way in sustainability through impactful solutions, featuring success stories with Al Rawabi and Al Habib Group. We invited everyone to experience our cutting-edge solutions at Gitex, designed to drive success across industries. From AI-powered innovations to sustainable advancements, every aspect of our stand aimed to inspire, engage, and illustrate how e& enterprise was shaping the digital landscape of tomorrow," Anglada concluded.

— anam@khaleejtimes.com