Dubai Ruler talks about similarities between the Emirate and world’s largest tech event
The UAE Vice-President has opened the world's largest technology event, Gitex Global, which began on Monday. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, frequents the event every year.
He was seen going around the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), interacting with officials and exhibitors and checking out the latest tech solutions on display. Visitors queued to up take his photos as he walked across the exhibition. Among the stands he visited are those of Etisalat, Huawei, Beyon, Salesforce, Microsoft, and IBM.
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Sheikh Mohammed shared photos from his visit to the exhibition and drew parallels between Dubai and Gitex.
Dubai first hosted the event in 1981 as a one-hall exhibition. This year marks the 43rd edition of the event and it is 40 per cent bigger than the previous one, featuring more than 6,000 exhibitors from across the globe.
The latest innovations and trends in AI, the cloud, Web 3.0, cyber security, climate technology, urbanism, and more have been displayed across 2.7 million square feet of exhibition space.
“Gitex is similar to Dubai in how it grows rapidly. It is similar to Dubai in embracing the best minds from 180 countries. It is similar to Dubai in its passion for everything new that contributes to changing our future for the better,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote on microblogging platform X.
He highlighted how the UAE has brought together the brightest minds and innovators from across the globe for over four decades.
“The remarkable growth in participation at Gitex is a testament to the world's growing confidence in Dubai as a pivotal hub for the technology industry for tomorrow and beyond. This event is a testament to Dubai and the UAE’s steadfast commitment to driving progress and innovation and fostering international collaboration in the rapidly evolving technology landscape. We will continue to play a key role in opening new possibilities for the technology industry, forging new partnerships and advancing human well-being through excellence.”
This year, Gitex is themed ‘The Year to Imagine AI in Everything’. True to this, artificial intelligence (AI) is dominating the exhibition. Authorities and companies are exploring its use in everything from police patrolling to drone delivery, immigration and retail. Over 1,000 AI-infused companies demonstrating the power of tech.
The event will also host the biggest cyber security event of the year, Gitex Cyber Valley, bringing together leading brands and experts to tackle the challenges and opportunities of protecting digital assets and infrastructure in the age of AI.
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