Technology in the UAE is entering a new era and the success stories emerging from the nation demonstrate it
UAE vice president and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who toured GITEX 2022 on Tuesday, said the world will see a “historic” new era driven by technology. The UAE leader also emphasised on how knowledge-based economies would change the future.
There is a need to invest in data, which is the “most important wealth” he said.
Sheikh Mohammed added that GITEX 2022, which ends on Friday, is the “largest technology exhibition in the world”. The event is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), and has seen participation from over 5,000 companies across 90 countries.
“A quick tour of the existing global technology companies confirms that humanity is in a historical transit stage towards a future governed by technology,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote in a Twitter post.
He added: “And its economy is made of knowledge … and its most important wealth lies in data.”
On his visit to the four-day event, the Dubai ruler explored various pavilions, and visited industry leaders such as Huawei, Microsoft and Cisco.
In addition, the event also saw participation from new-timers such as Binance, AMD, Tencent and ByteDance.
“The biggest ever edition of GITEX Global places Dubai at the vanguard of cities opening new horizons for innovation and shaping the future of technology,” Sheikh Mohammed said in a statement, according to WAM.
He added: “The global entrepreneurial success stories that have emerged from Dubai demonstrate its ability to provide a fertile ground for technology innovators to transform their promising ideas into reality.”
Sheikh Mohammed also said the emirate “will continue to adopt the latest technological advances to further its vision and strategy to enhance human happiness and well-being.”
The Dubai ruler was joined by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed, chairman of the Dubai Border Security Council; Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports and chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group and other officials from the Dubai government.
Here’s an overview of recent technological strides made by the UAE:
- UAE launches tech programme, $4.1bn Emirati products to be exported annually
- UAE to launch first metaverse eye test in the world
- DEWA becomes first government entity to launch in the metaverse
- Most advanced humanoid robot in the world joins Dubai’s Museum of the Future
- RTA unveils first of its fleet of self-driving cars coming to Dubai
- AWS to accelerate UAE economy, powered by cloud, driven by innovation
UAE launches tech programme, $4.1bn Emirati products to be exported annually
The UAE has launched a new national programme, as part of its efforts to accelerate technological transformation in the industrial and production sector.
The programme falls in line with the nation’s aim to place the Emirates as a global industrial centre by 2031.
The new project will ensure the development of 1,000 technological projects, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
The programme will include the establishment of national centres for industrial empowerment. Additionally, the plan will also include the export AED 15 billion ($4.1 billion) worth of advanced Emirati technological products a year, and also the development of 1,000 technological projects.
“Our goal is a paradigm shift for the automation of the industry,” Sheikh Mohammed said via Twitter.
The 10-year programme is also aimed at “primarily contributing AED110 billion to the NDP,” WAM said, adding that the country will also invest AED11 billion in advanced technology, “in addition to nurturing Emirati talent across advanced technology projects”
The programme will be set in motion through the launch of five initiatives:
- Fourth Industrial Revolution Index
- Industrial Empowerment Centres
- Advanced Technology Incentives
- Future Plant Award
- Experiemntal Ecosystem for Testing Advanced Technology
“Through advanced technology, we see opportunities to achieve our national priorities and ambitions for the next fifty years. The programme will make it possible for technology developers, entrepreneurs and emerging technology firms to experiment with technology in the UAE and transit from it for global transformational projects with a tangible impact,” Sheikh Mohamed said.
Adding to this, the UAE minister of industry and advanced technology Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber said, “The technology transformation programme is one of the transformational projects launched by the UAE government, which establishes a fresh era for development in the next 50 years, to consolidate the country’s position regionally and globally in all sectors.”
UAE to launch first metaverse eye test in the world
After arts, real estate and sports wares, the metaverse is spreading its wings to the world of medical sciences.
Dubai-based healthtech startup ShopDoc is partnering with the US-based CLEAR, a digital eye-care company founded by former NASA optical physicist Brandon Zimmerman, to launch eyeglasses prescription tests in the metaverse.
The metaverse digital eye test project will be rolled out in the UAE and Indian markets in the initial phase, with plans to expand it to other regional markets later.
“Our partnership will harness the power of CLEAR’s algorithmically driven technology to deliver easy and accessible eye testing facilities to users of our metaverse venture – ShopDoc Metaverse,” Shihab Makaniyil, founder of ShopDoc told Arabian Business.
“Basically, we will be replacing optometrists for eye testing through this ground-breaking technology,” Makaniyil said.
The project involves using advanced optical modeling and frontier mathematics to enable an accurate calculation and simulation of customers’ optical prescription and 20/20 visual performance.
Makaniyil, however, said unlike the current metaverse projects, the CLEAR eye test project will not be an entirely a virtual world affair.
“Though we will be introducing the digital eye test through the metaverse, it will not be done 100 percent in the metaverse. It will take customers to a normal web environment where they need to use a computer and get their eye tests done, following certain instructions on the screen to complete the process,” he said.
ShopDoc has already entered into tie-ups with over 100 eye clinics in the UAE as part of its efforts to promote its metaverse digital eye test project in a big way.
Makaniyil said ShopDoc has entered into a financial-cum-technical partnership with CLEAR for the metaverse project.
“The partnership project will operate on a revenue-sharing model,” said Makaniyil, who also has a background in the eye care sector, with 17 years of optical experience in the Middle East, Europe and Australia.
“This innovation can make high quality eye care accessible, affordable and enjoyable for customers, besides shifting the focus of eye care from reactive to proactive,” he said.
He said with human eyesight worsening at a rapid rate, there is a need for sustainable solutions that can help customers and eye care professionals to check and measure vision more frequently and easily.
“This is why combining technology with human optical expertise, to create all-in-one eye care from any device. This is the eye care model of the future,” Makaniyil said.
He said with enhanced customer awareness and appetite for digital eye tests, ShopDoc will lead in providing a fast and convenient way to get new glasses prescriptions.
The digital eye test project will be ShopDoc’s second metaverse project, after the successful launch of its preventive healthcare project for school children – My School Clinix.
“Within ShopDoc Metaverse, we have plans to launch different such projects going forward,” he said.
Reports show consumers find the traditional eye test expensive, inconvenient and time-consuming. As a result, 50 percent of the vision population skips their recommended annual eye test, while an estimated 2.5 billion do not have access to it at all.
Industry experts said the launch of medical applications on the new technology is a welcome move as it showed new and creative ways to use blockchain technology to change our daily lives.
DEWA becomes first government entity to launch in the metaverse
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has launched ‘DEWAVerse’, a platform on the metaverse as part of its efforts to extend its services to customers, employees and society.
The move, has made DEWA the first government entity to launch in the metaverse, and is part of DEWA’s efforts to contribute to the Dubai Metaverse Strategy, which aims to place the emirate as a global hub.
DEWA has launched its ‘DEWAVerse’ platform on the metaverse and became the 1st local government organisation to launch its platform on the metaverse to provide its services to customers, employees, and members of the society, WAM reported.
“At DEWA, we strive to enhance our use of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, including the metaverse, which is a key pillar and a new method of work in all vital sectors, to harness this technology to find new opportunities and provide innovative solutions that accelerate growth to enhance Dubai’s position regionally and globally,” DEWA managing director and chief executive officer Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said.
Additionally, seven projects that use metaverse technology were reviewed. These are:
- A customer service centre, which allows customers to communicate with DEWA agents to answer queries and complete transactions in virtual reality.
- DEWA workplace, which will allow users to hold meetings and move around DEWA buildings.
- DEWA Future Lab, which will also allow users to hold “brainstorming sessions, discuss challenges and develop the best solutions using innovation tools in the virtual world.” WAM reported.
- The First Aid and Fire Safety, which will introduce first aid and fire safety procedures virtually.
- MetaDrone, which will gather information on solar panels, fix them, and generate reports using virtual reality (VR).
- DEWA Onboarding, which allows new employees to learn about DEWA vision and mission virtually.
“DEWA invests in the technology to implement and develop its current and future projects, which contributes towards stakeholder happiness, the development of business, enhancing efficiency and production, and reducing costs,” WAM added.
Most advanced humanoid robot in the world joins Dubai’s Museum of the Future
Dubai’s Museum of the Future has added a new member to its staff – Ameca, an AI-powered humanoid robot, which will interact with visitors at the futuristic museum.
Ameca, is known to be the “most advanced” humanoid robot in the world. Despite its human-like face and body, the robot is also able to make facial expressions.
Ameca is powered to interact with visitors at the museum, Tomorrow Today exhibition, by answering their queries, providing directions and also greeting them. She even has a “sense of humour,” her manufacturer, Engineered Arts said.
Tomorrow Today is one of the museum’s experiences, which explores the contrasting ways in which technology can shape the future by contributing to solving societal and environmental challenges, the Museum of the Future said.
“It features more than 50 exhibits, including prototypes and current products focusing on five areas: waste management, environment, food security, agriculture, and city planning.”
RTA unveils first of its fleet of self-driving cars coming to Dubai
The RTA in Dubai will showcase its all-electric self-driving cars at Gitex this week.
With the aim of making a quarter of all journeys undertaken in self-driving cars by 2030 it is a key step in Dubai’s ambition to become a global leader in autonomous transport.
Other smart initiatives to be unveiled by the RTA at Gitex are an entry into the metaverse, a new generation of taxis and smart stations.
Are self-driving cars the future?
The self-driving cars used by the RTA are Cruise vehicles are built on the Chevrolet Bolt platform. These autonomous self-driving cars are currently used in Cruise’s commercial fleet of self-driving cars in San Francisco.
Cruise opened its self-driving ridehail service to the public in February 2022, marking the first time a company has operated a commercial self-driving ridehail service in a major U.S. city. In September, Cruise announced plans to expand this service to Austin.
Through autonomous vehicles, RTA,GM and Cruise envision a safer and less congested future for all, enhancing the safety and accessibility to transportation on a large scale.
Such efforts will also advance General Motors’ vision of zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said: “RTA has outlined an integrated roadmap for the future of self-driving transport.
“It is moving ahead toward realising the Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy aimed to transform 25% of total mobility journeys in Dubai into journeys on various self-driving transport means by 2030.
2030 vision for self-driving cars
Last month Arabian Business reported how Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is embracing artificial intelligence and robotic process automation to improve its operational efficiency.
Speaking on the RTA’s digital ambitions Mattar Al Tayer said: “RTA has undergone a comprehensive digital transformation and embraced emerging technologies and artificial intelligence as means of boosting productivity and raising operational efficiency.
“It has also launched new services to improve the wellbeing of Dubai’s residents and visitors alike.
“Undertaking such plans responds to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, to improve the quality of life in Dubai and provide multiple mobility options for residents to make Dubai the best city for living in the world.
“It is also a manifestation of the instructions of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, to enhance Dubai’s competitiveness as a world-leading digital capital and reinforce its profile as a role model in designing government operations and services that enhance customer happiness,” he commented.
RTA in the metaverse
The RTA will use Gitex as the platform to showcase its move into the metaverse.
With the use of augmented reality technology, RTA will also showcase the latest technology in the metaverse field, using digital twins to demonstrate Dubai Metro’s rail network.
The digital twin platform combines historical maintenance data from the past 12 years of Dubai Metro service with real-time data collected by external data-collection devices to reveal minute details and other critical situations that affect asset lifecycles.
Using historical and real-time data, the platform offers recommendations for improving the asset life cycle, such as changing periodic maintenance schedules and other approved procedures, as well as machine learning and system development to predict possible failures in the future.
Dubai Taxi Corporation is due to show off its new generation of taxi operation systems.
The system uses artificial intelligence technologies to streamline taxi shifts by scheduling taxi allocation to drivers on a demand basis.
The driver can move directly to the site for receiving the vehicle using smart keys to operate the vehicle. Through cameras fitted on taxis, the system can verify the identity of the driver.
The Dubai Taxi Corporation will also showcase the new generation of taxis fitted with interactive hi-tech screens enabling riders to watch news, games, and more.
They also have a new metre that can be operated through the app, which enables the opening and locking of the vehicle, as well as the Alipay service, and a rear advertising screen.
AWS to accelerate UAE economy, powered by cloud, driven by innovation
Technology is now a permanent, yet dynamic fixture in our daily lives. Digital solutions are driving transformative change, creating new avenues and opportunities for nations to realise a more prosperous future.
Today, rapidly evolving digital trends are leading to a radical change in citizen expectations. This is driving governments to adopt technology to improve the quality and accessibility of public services and cultivate an environment where citizens can thrive.
The UAE’s vision for digital transformation
Over the years, the UAE has taken concrete steps to build a robust digital economy. It is considered one of the most advanced nations in the adoption of modern technologies.
In 2017, the UAE government launched the UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which aims to strengthen the country’s position as a global hub for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and to increase its contribution to the national economy by means of advancing innovation and future technologies.
The UAE government’s dedication to the digital economy is further strengthened with the recent introduction of the National Digital Economy Strategy.
Spearheaded by the new Council for Digital Economy, the strategy aims to double the contribution of the digital economy to the country’s GDP from 9.7 percent to 19.4 percent within the next ten years. It also aims to enhance the position of the UAE as a hub for digital transformation in the region and globally.
With the goal to diversify and bolster its economic growth, the UAE is determined to embrace technological innovation with cloud computing as its foundation. The cloud plays a critical role in enabling organisations across both public and private sectors to fuse existing operational processes with novel solutions to allow for greater flexibility and scalability.
A hotbed for investments and innovation
Global intelligence company IDC revealed that spending on public cloud services in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) region will surpass $6.8 billion in 2022. “The Middle East holds many opportunities where cloud technology can be a key enabler,” explains Paul Misener, Vice President for Global Innovation Policy and Communications, Amazon.
“Over the last few years, we have seen dramatic change as businesses and governments across the region have started to take advantage of the cloud in meaningful ways. And this is happening across all sectors: including financial services, hospitality, media and entertainment, retail, and aerospace.”
For the UAE alone, IDC forecasted that spending on cloud computing will reach $778 million in the next two years.
In line with this growth, the country has become a hotbed for hyperscalers to establish their cloud infrastructure regions in the Middle East. Setting up such cloud regions in the country is not only expected to bring developers, startups, entrepreneurs, enterprises and government entities even greater choice for running their applications and serving end users, but also propel the UAE economy upwards by creating jobs and driving investments across a wide array of industries.
Most recently, cloud giant Amazon Web Services (AWS) officially launched the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region. With the new AWS Region, more than $5 billion (AED 20 billion) is expected to flow into the country over the next 15 years in areas like capital expenditure on data centre construction, operational expenses, facility costs and purchase of goods and services from major businesses.
“We have seen significant acceleration in public and private sector cloud adoption across the region. I think this is just the early stages of a dramatic acceleration in innovation with cloud computing – companies and organisations will only increase their use of cloud as the far-reaching benefits of the technology become more and more apparent,” says Misener.
He adds, “The launch of the AWS Region in the UAE is a key moment for the acceleration of digital transformation for our customers, particularly those in highly regulated industries such as government, financial services, energy, and healthcare.”
AWS’s commitment to UAE’s digital future
With a strong presence in the region, the UAE is one of the key markets for AWS in the Middle East. Over the years, organisations in the country are among the millions leveraging AWS technologies as they seek to accelerate innovation, increase agility and achieve cost savings.
“We have a long history of working with customers in the UAE, with many having used our services from the early days of AWS, including some of the region’s leading and most innovative enterprises and start-ups,” explains Misener.
“The UAE is one of the most innovative countries in the world and has embraced technology on every front – from building smart cities of the future, to using tech to better deliver citizen services, and even innovating beyond Earth’s atmosphere, and we look forward to helping accelerate its innovation drive with the AWS Cloud.”
To support the digitalisation initiatives of UAE firms, AWS launched its first Amazon CloudFront edge locations in 2018, offering customers access to Amazon CloudFront and Amazon Route 53 services.
That same year, AWS also launched AWS Direct Connect locations, allowing customers to establish private connectivity between AWS and their data centre, office or colocation environment. Two years later, the company brought AWS Outposts to the UAE, providing customers based in the country with the ability to run AWS compute, storage, database, and other services on-premises.
The new AWS Middle East (UAE) Region, will consist of three Availability Zones connected together via high-bandwidth, low-latency network connections. This connectivity will enable customers to effectively leverage applications that need synchronous replication between AZs for availability or redundancy.
Looking ahead, the ongoing and planned investments in the UAE will generate positive effects on the economy. It will enable local businesses to thrive by providing them access to cloud technologies that can reduce the costs of running a business, spur innovation and offer seamless access to resources.
It will also have short- and long-term impacts on employment, as these investments are estimated to support an average of nearly 6,000 jobs annually between 2022 and 2036.
Overall, the planned investment associated with the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region will contribute over $11 billion (AED 41 billion) to the GDP of the UAE by 2036. This GDP includes the value added by the sale of AWS technologies to the ICT sector in the country, as well as the direct, indirect, and induced effects of AWS purchases from the UAE data centre supply chain.
“In addition, AWS is investing in education initiatives, training, and start-up enablement programmes to support the UAE’s digital transformation and economic development plans,” says Misener.
“To foster entrepreneurship and the growth of new businesses in the UAE, AWS will further expand the AWS Activate programme to support start-ups and SMBs. We will also continue to work with government entities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to support the up-skilling and re-training of people to build a community of entrepreneurs, developers, and tech influencers.
For students and educators, we will provide higher education institutions and their educators with cloud computing courses through the AWS Educate and AWS Academy programs, which help prepare students to pursue industry-recognised certifications and careers in cloud computing.”
Ultimately, the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region will bring vast opportunities for organisations in the region as it can help eliminate some of the barriers to cloud adoption while enabling the UAE to achieve great leaps towards a digital future.
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