Category: Technology

Experts in cloud computing, clients, and tech enthusiasts have flocked to Las Vegas for the event, which runs through December 1.
In an effort to expand its portfolio and compete with rivals like Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP for market share, Amazon Web Services has announced the development of faster chips, the most recent generative artificial intelligence capabilities to boost productivity, and the general availability of Amazon S3 express one zone, its newest high-performance cloud storage service.

The cloud belongs to all of us. At AWS’s annual re: Invent event in Las Vegas, Nevada, CEO Adam Selipsky stated, “Customers of all sizes, all industries, and from all regions are using AWS cloud.”

Top businesses use the AWS cloud. Our clientele is drawn from a variety of sectors, such as the financial, medical, and automotive industries.
The event runs through December 1st, and cloud computing experts, customers, and tech enthusiasts have converged on Las Vegas.

The lowest latency cloud object storage is now offered by the new Amazon S3 express one zone, and users can scale their storage up or down as needed.

According to Mr. Selipsky, it provides data access speeds up to ten times faster and is up to fifty percent less expensive than the Amazon S3 standard.

With millions of users worldwide, Amazon S3, one of the most well-known cloud storage services, was introduced 17 years ago.

On average, over 100 million requests are made per second, and it can store over 350 trillion objects.
Emerging use cases that call for writing and gaining access to data millions of times per minute, like financial model simulations, interactive analytics, machine learning and AI training, real-time advertising, and media content creation, are well suited for it.

According to James Kirschner, general manager of Amazon S3 at AWS, the goal of Amazon S3 express one zone is to lower request and compute costs while providing the “fastest data access speed for the most latency-sensitive applications and enable customers to make millions of requests per minute for their highly accessed data sets”.

The largest cloud service provider in the world, Amazon, saw strong sales growth in the September quarter.

In the third quarter of the year, its revenue amounted to $23.1 billion, indicating an annual increase of over 12.2 percent.
The company also unveiled AWS Trainium2 and AWS Graviton4, the next generation of AWS-designed chip families. “Advancements in price performance and energy efficiency” are what the new chips are meant to provide for a variety of customer workloads, such as generative AI and machine learning training.

Graviton4 offers 75 percent more memory bandwidth and up to 30 percent better computing performance than Graviton3 processors, which are still in production today.

This is AWS’s fourth chip generation in five years, and according to the company, it’s the “most powerful and energy efficient chip the company has ever built” for a variety of workloads.

In contrast to the first-generation Trainium chips, Trainium2 is intended to provide training at a rate up to four times faster. According to AWS, it can double energy efficiency and train large language models and foundation models in a fraction of the time.

David Brown, vice president of compute and networking at AWS, stated that since silicon is the foundation of every customer workload, it is an essential area for innovation.

“We are able to provide our customers with the most cutting-edge cloud infrastructure by concentrating our chip designs on real workloads that matter to them.”

Speeches, innovation talks, builder labs, workshops, demos, and service announcements are all part of the 12th annual re: Invent event. There are about 50,000 people in attendance in person, and 300,000 people are watching the event online.

New generative AI features have also been announced by AWS for Amazon Connect, the cloud contact center that helps businesses provide better customer experiences at lower costs.

According to AWS, the new features—which are powered by large language models—aim to revolutionize the way businesses offer customer service.

For quicker, more precise customer service, Amazon Q in Connect, for instance, will offer agents suggested answers and actions based on inquiries from customers in real time.

With AI-generated summaries that identify sentiment, trends, and policy compliance, the Amazon Connect contact lens assists in identifying the crucial elements of call center conversations.

An additional feature Contact center managers can quickly develop new chatbots and interactive voice response systems with Amazon Lex by utilizing natural language prompts. By providing answers to frequently asked questions, it could enhance current systems.

Pasquale DeMaio, vice president of Amazon Connect at AWS applications, stated that the contact center sector is set to be “fundamentally transformed by generative AI,” providing customer care representatives with new avenues to provide personalized customer experiences.

“Yet, very few organizations possess the sophisticated machine learning know-how to quickly and effectively integrate this technology into their daily operations.”

Additionally, the business unveiled Amazon Q, a brand-new generative AI-powered assistant designed to “streamline tasks, speed decision making, and spark creativity, built with rock-solid security and privacy,” according to Mr. Selipsky. Amazon Q is intended to deliver actionable information in real time.

The largest healthcare group in the United Arab Emirates, Pure Health, has expanded its portfolio in anticipation of an IPO in Abu Dhabi next month by acquiring PureCS, a Dubai-based provider of IT services.

In a statement released on Thursday, Pure Health stated that the acquisition of PureCS in its entirety will enable it to leverage cutting-edge technology to improve its services and solutions, which are “underpinned by the importance of the role of AI and technology in the healthcare and consumer sector.”

The National was not given the deal’s value by Pure Health, which is supported by International Holding Company and Alpha Dhabi Holding.

The acquisition, according to Pure Health’s group chief executive and managing director Farhan Malik, “further strengthens our position as we continue to revolutionize the healthcare industry.”

“We are committed to raising the bar for healthcare excellence to further improve patient care not only in the UAE but throughout the world within our international assets, thanks to the additional capabilities of our dedicated tech company within the group.

“Against the backdrop of continual digital advancements, it is imperative that we remain at the forefront, harnessing cutting-edge, digital-first technologies and cloud-based healthcare solutions that provide positive impacts on the lives of individuals and communities.”

The global healthcare sector is utilizing cutting-edge technology in response to consumer demand for more convenient and on-demand services and the global adoption of digital transformation.

According to Grand View Research data, the global digital health market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 18.6%, from an estimated $211 billion last year to roughly $826 billion by 2030.

Junaid Khan, Pure Health’s chief technology officer, stated, “This acquisition will enable us to create a comprehensive health tech platform, with a holistic view of IT system requirements, rather than an ecosystem operating in silos.”

Amidst the ongoing IPO momentum in the Emirates, PureHealth this week announced plans to launch an initial public offering next month and list its shares on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.

At the time, Mr. Malik stated that the IPO would “position Abu Dhabi as a front-runner in the global healthcare landscape”. However, the company did not disclose the amount it hopes to raise through the IPO.

Today, Pure Health employs more than 24,000 people and operates a network of more than 25 hospitals, 160 labs, and 100 clinics.

The company made a commitment in June of last year to invest Dh10 billion ($2.7 billion) in UAE product procurement and economic support over the next ten years.

On the other hand, PureCS’s website states that it is involved in cloud services, AI information systems, full end-to-end IT services and supplies, IT management and consulting solutions, and IT systemization.

From the Dubai International Airport (DXB), the first Emirates aircraft using sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, supplied by Shell Aviation have taken off.
On October 24, Emirates’ flight EK 412, which was headed for Sydney, was one of the first to use SAF.
315,000 gallons of mixed SAF have been provided by Shell for usage at the airline’s hub in Dubai.
Over the past few weeks, Emirates has been able to power several missions thanks to this first-ever shipment of SAF to the airline in Dubai.

“We’re moving ahead with proactive initiatives to enable environmentally friendly flying now and in the years to come, and powering flights via our Dubai hub is merely one of the steps we’ve taken to reduce emissions,” stated Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline.

“We have quite a long way to go, but we hope that our collaboration with Shell Aviation will encourage more manufacturers to close supply gaps and provide SAF at major centers like Dubai and other locations on our network.”

“Emirates and Shell enjoy a long history of cooperation, and we are delighted to continue our journey jointly to enable SAF deployment in the UAE,” stated Jan Toschka, the president of Shell Aviation. This historic first-ever SAF supply to Emirates in Dubai serves as an illustration of what is possible when various aviation value chain components work together.We anticipate that this significant achievement will spur additional progress in the SAF implementation across the aviation sector in the United Arab Emirates and the surrounding area.

In January, Emirates conducted the first demonstration flight powered exclusively by SAF in the region.
The travel company has been actively pushing for standardization and the eventual accreditation of 100% SAF, which is not yet authorized for widespread commercial use, in order to increase industry knowledge of SAF use in greater blends as well as its performance, safety, and dependability.
The airline started utilizing SAF in 2017 on the flight from the city of Chicago, and since then, blended SAF has been used on flights from Stockholm, Sweden, Paris, France, Lyon, and Oslo.

The crowned ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed bin Mohammed, unveiled a new project on Thursday with the goal of ranking Uae amongst the most desirable cities in the world for the gaming business and creating 30,000 new employment in the field during the next ten years.

The goal of the Dubai Government Media Office’s program, the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033, is to increase the gaming industry’s share of the emirate’s gross domestic product to about $1 billion by the year 2033.

It will provide assistance to start-ups and entrepreneurs in the creative industries, in addition to developers, designers, and programmers.
By “creating an incubation atmosphere for developers and drawing top technology businesses from all over the globe, especially those specializing with online content and experiences,” the new effort hopes to accomplish its goals. Hashim Hamdan

“Dubai is in a good position to take advantage of the enormous potential in the gaming industry, which is worth about $200 billion worldwide,” he continued.

“We are in a strategic position to help drive the development of cutting-edge technologies like augmented and virtual reality and artificial intelligence, enhancing them to deliver even more lifelike and immersive experiences.”

The largest economies in the Arab world, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are leading the gaming sector in the Middle East because their governments have realized the enormous potential this expanding market holds, according to a recent Game Changer research from Boston Consulting Group.

Given that gaming “is now completely ingrained in the mainstream,” the projected $187.7 billion in 2023—a 2.6% increase from 2022—would be a more than 13% increase in that amount.

The Uae Future Foundation is in charge of the emirate’s new gaming initiative, which will prioritize talent, content, and technology.

In collaboration with foreign businesses, academic organizations, and universities, it is going to bring together producers of digital content and offer training and employment opportunities. It will also start specialized training and educational programs and assist inventors and businesses.

As component of the Uae Metaverse Strategy, Sheikh Hamdan also gave his approval to the introduction of three other new projects: the Metaverse Initiative Alliance, Metaverse Guidelines, and Metaverse Pioneers.

The growing area where people can engage in virtual worlds through three-dimensional representations or avatars is called the metaverse.

It is a part of Web 3, the next stage of the internet’s evolution, which is characterized by decentralization, openness, blockchain, and increased user utility.

In order to incorporate the multiverse into the economy and society, Dubai and other Emirates have taken a variety of actions.

The goal of Dubai’s July 2018 unveiling of the Dubai The Metaverse Strategy is to boost the emirate’s economy by $4 billion and generate 40,000 virtual jobs in the following five years.

A cybersecurity AI business called SpiderSilk from Dubai is making substantial advancements in the quickly developing field of cyber protection.

According to a Wamda report, the company reported a successful $9 million investment round led by Wa’ed Ventures, Aramco’s $500 million venture capital fund based in the Kingdom. Global Ventures and STV both actively participated in the financing.

SpiderSilk is primarily focused on solving the most important cybersecurity problems. The company, which was founded in 2019 by Mossab Hussein and Rami El Malak, provides cutting-edge continuous detection technologies together with an inventive AI-powered cyber defense platform.

The funds from this investment will be used to increase SpiderSilk’s cyber security product capabilities in Saudi Arabia in order to meet the region’s burgeoning demand for superior cybersecurity solutions.

“While the GCC is an essential technology market, there’s barely any IP being developed in the area for the geographical area and beyond, and we feel that it is becoming increasingly important to accomplish independence in this field for the advantage of both private and public organizations,” stated SpiderSilk CEO that Rami El Malak in regards to the importance of this achievement.

 

Ma’amel Code, a new competition launched by the Center of Digital Entrepreneurship this week, aims to empower Saudi university students and encourage a fresh wave of digital entrepreneurship.

The competition, an initiative of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, aims to develop creative digital concepts into viable enterprises, supporting the development of the digital generation.

The ministry’s head of digital innovation, Yousef Abu Bakar, stated that CODE was committed to empowering and assisting start-ups and entrepreneurs in the technology sector.

CODE has established six laboratories throughout the Kingdom, including ones at Princess Nourah University, King Saud University, Qassim University, Dar Al-Hekma University, King Khalid University, and King Faisal University. The organization operates through its branches in several Saudi universities, according to Abu Bakar.

These labs give considerable support to external and university-based initiatives and companies, with highly qualified teams with strong technological expertise.

One of the most prominent initiatives in the range of activities that CODE has presented is the Ma’amel Code competition.

It is designed to support projects headed by students. The procedure is simple: groups of students from every university can offer their creative ideas by visiting the competition page with the help of a technological expert.

The most promising concepts are shortlisted through a thorough evaluation procedure. After being admitted, students go through a quick training course that aims to improve their spirit of competition and ease communication between the labs and the institutions.

In addition to receiving monetary awards, winners will have access to a range of services provided by the laboratories, allowing them to pursue their entrepreneurial goals.

Every CODE office has a bustling atmosphere full of tech startups, initiatives, and ambitious people ready to take use of the many services available.

Because of its participation in the “Tech Growth” initiative, CODE is positioned as an executive partner that supports tech companies—especially small and medium-sized ones—in their efforts to expand into new markets.

The MVP Lab initiative is one of the support programs offered by the collaboration. This initiative provides non-refundable support to incubated startups in the amount of SR150,000 ($40,000), with the goal of promoting the creation of various digital solutions and tech business models.

According to Abu Bakar, there are three further events planned after the Ma’amel Code competition.

These upcoming events, which will all be revealed later and involve various partners and technologies, are sure to further stoke rivalry among college students and CODE’s esteemed partners.

The autonomous car solutions startup Pony.ai has received a $100 million investment from the Neom Investment Fund, a recently established division of Neom, the megacity in Saudi Arabia.

Neom said in a statement on Wednesday that as part of the investment, a joint venture will be established between the California-based Pony.ai and Neom to develop, produce, and supply autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles and infrastructure.

It added that all of these will be utilized in Neom and other significant Mena markets.

According to data from start-up tracker Crunchbase, Pony.ai has now received $1.3 billion in funding overall thanks to the NIF’s investment, making it a unicorn (a start-up valued at more than $1 billion).
The investment supports Neom’s objectives to provide hyperconnected and sustainable transportation inside the $500 billion development, according to Majid Mufti, CEO of the NIF.

The autonomous driving technology from Pony.ai is now available, and we’re thrilled to be able to use it in Neom soon, the spokesperson stated.

The most recent development in Pony.ai’s regional expansion is its arrival in Neom. It just become a member of the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry cluster in Abu Dhabi, where it will be able to test-drive its newest technology at the Yas Island testing zone.
Separately on Wednesday, the NIF said that, following the completion of an investment in a series A funding round for the US company, it has grown to become the single-largest shareholder in electric seaglider ground effect craft producer Regent.

The investment’s value was not disclosed by Regent or the NIF. According to Crunchbase data, Regent has raised $87 million in five fundraising rounds.

According to Terry Wong, Neom’s executive director of land mobility, Regent is anticipated to “provide a fresh approach to coastal transportation in Neom, both passenger and freight, connecting key destinations along 468km of coastline, and reflect our belief in zero-carbon technologies.”
Among the businesses in the initial round of investments made by the NIF to launch the fund’s activities were Pony.ai and Regent.

The other businesses include game software developer Animoca Brands, aquaculture start-up BlueNalu, and aerospace manufacturer Boom Technology.

The NIF stated that more information regarding the investments in these businesses is anticipated soon.

As civilization moves toward the next generation of transportation systems, self-driving cars are becoming more and more popular because of the cutting-edge technologies that enable them to function even with little assistance from humans.
They are regarded as a significant player in the market for “smart mobility,” which combines data-driven solutions with cutting-edge technology to build effective, sustainable, and user-centered transportation systems.

The NIF was introduced on Tuesday, with the creation of jobs in the Red Sea development and Neom’s advancement being two of its objectives.

With a “clear focus on pioneering growth companies and next-generation industries,” it will invest globally through mergers and acquisitions and venture capital in technological start-ups, with the goal of developing 14 priority areas.

Neom plays a significant role in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, a major economic diversification initiative that places a strong emphasis on technology.
The NIF will concentrate on creating investments for the private sector and will make direct investments to create solutions that will be tested and developed at Neom before being exported to other countries.

It stated that it will create collaborations and joint ventures with global corporations, institutional investors, and Neom entrepreneurs.

Additionally, in order to “safeguard returns for the shareholder and investors through portfolio synergies and will underpin Neom’s long-term financial sustainability,” the fund will take on the role of portfolio manager for Neom’s sector assets and firms.

Neom and innovators, as well as institutional investors, will benefit from “de-risking opportunities for them to participate in creating core global growth businesses and a thriving economy” in the mega-city according to the NIF’s approach.

The largest social networking and gaming company in the Middle East and North African region (MENA), Yalla Groups Limited (“Yalla” or the “Company,” for short) (NYSE: YALA), today declared that its Directors and the president, Mr. Saifi Ismail, had been invited to present Yalla’s unicorn tale at Expand the North Star 2023, the world’s biggest technology and startup event, which was held in Dubai in conjunction with GITEX GLOBAL. Mr. Ismail outlined Yalla’s successful long-term business plans and recapped the company’s exciting beginnings.

“We were humbled to share Yalla’s success story, company background as well as sector insights at this prestigious event, as well as pleased to showcase the distinctive benefits that the region offers for technological businesses and startups,” said Ismail.

“Yalla is firmly committed to promoting success across the information technology startup community and advancing digital growth throughout MENA. Yalla is the first UAE-based technology unicorns to list on the NYSE. To capitalize on growth prospects in the area and support the expansion of local digital economies, we will continue to seek innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) and develop digital solutions that speak to local users’ needs.

Expand North Star brings together creators, entrepreneurs, angel investors, and tech experts to foster interactions among the startup community. Expand North Star was motivated by GITEX GLOBAL, the most recognizable large-scale tech show in the world. The two gatherings make up the world’s biggest technology show. Over 70 unicorns founders participated in vibrant debates on the key tech stories of 2023 as part of Expand the North Star 2023’s unmatched content program.

Following the sell-out success of last year’s event, the Dubai Council of Digital Economy staged the upcoming 4-day event, which concluded on October 18, 2023, in a brand-new gigantic location at Dubai Harbour, providing endless opportunities for the top corporate innovators and investors in the globe.

In terms of revenues in 2022, Yalla Group Limited will be the biggest MENA-based social media and gaming company. Yalla, an audio-centric group chat platform in order and Yalla Ludo, an informal gaming app with an online version of board games that are well-liked in MENA, both of which have in-game voice conversations and localized Majlis features, are the company’s two main mobile applications.

The largest technology expo in the world, GITEX GLOBAL, was formally launched on Monday at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid stressed the event’s importance in his speech, highlighting its prominence as one of the biggest international gatherings of specialists in the technology sector. “For more than 40 years, the UAE has put together the world’s top thinkers and creators, bringing them together in the quest of influencing the course of technology. This discussion has cultivated tactics, perceptions, and alliances that have greatly advanced technology and improved the quality of life for people.

“The UAE continues to take the initiative in creating a bright future for a variety of economic sectors. Over 6,000 exhibitor from 180 countries will convene in Dubai for this year’s GITEX GLOBAL to engage in a new debate about paving the way for the industry’s transformation. The impressive increase in attendance at GITEX is evidence of the rising trust that the world has in Dubai as a key hub for the technological sector today and in the future. This occasion serves as evidence of Dubai and the UAE’s unwavearing dedication to promoting development and innovation and international cooperation in the continuously changing field of technology. We’ll keep playing a crucial position in creating new alliances and expanding the horizons of the technology sector.

The DWTC is at capacity for the 43rd GITEX GLOBAL, which takes place from October 16–20, 2023. The mega-tech event will feature 6,000 companies and 180,000 tech professionals from 180 nations. The Dubai Chamber of the Digital Economy will organize Expand North Star, the largest start-up event in the world, from October 15–18, 2023, at its new location in Dubai Harbour. Over 1,800 start-ups will explore the expanding prospects inside one of the most flexible, varied, and technologically advanced digital economies in the world during both events.
Sheikh Mohammed visited a number of booths during his visit, included those belonging to Etisalat, Huawei Technologies, Beyon, Salesforce, among others, G42, Microsoft, as well as and IBM, where he spoke with prominent figures in technology and learnt about the cutting-edge innovations on show.

Omar Sultan Al Olama, the United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, Helal Saeed Al Marri, the director-general of the Dubai World Trade Center and Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, as well as other ministers and senior officials, accompanied Sheikh Mohammed on the tour.

Following the successful rollout of the 5G SA service for Fixed Wireless customers (FWA) earlier this year, Sheikh Mohammed received information on Etisalat’s 5G technology Stands Alone network for mobile customers. This represents a significant technological milestone. Consumers now have access to a dependable, autonomous national network that allows for seamless phone and data communications across the whole nation.

In an effort to strengthen the regional payments infrastructure, the UAE and Indian have reached an agreement on strategy to introduce a domestic card program in the Emirates.

It would be modeled on India’s RuPay cards, which are issued by public, private, and small lenders across the banking spectrum and include prepaid, debit, and credit alternatives.

The United Arab Emirates Central Bank’s Al Etihad Payment firm has teamed up with NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary to the National Payments Corporation of India.The businesses will collaborate to create the national domestic card scheme for the UAE.

The program intends to promote financial inclusion, support the nation’s ambitions for digitalisation, and enable the development of online shopping and electronic transactions in the Emirates.

Additionally, it aims to expand different payment methods, lower payment costs, and improve the UAE’s economy and status as a pioneer in the world of payments.

According to Piyush Goyal, the Indian Minister of Commerce and Industries, “the partnership arrangement between NPCI and CBUAE for the establishment of a national card system for the UAE modeled on India’s RuPay card is an additional turning point in our economic engagement.”
The collaboration between India and the UAE will go far and set an example for the rest of the world.

According to India’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the agreement “perfectly aligns with NIPL’s objective to offer its expertise and knowledge in order to assist nations around the globe establish their own cost-effective, and secure payment systems.”

RuPay is a widely used global debit and credit card network that can be used to make purchases in stores, at ATMs, and online.

RuPay cards currently account for in excess of 750 million cards in use worldwide, or more than 60% of all cards authorized in India.

According to the ministry, the domestic card option is built on the concepts of innovation, digitalisation, speed to market, and strategic independence.

The RuPay stack and additional services like fraud detection and analytics are part of the solution offered by NIPL.

Al Etihad Payments will receive assistance from NIPL with regard to the rules of operation for the local card project.
The latest agreement follows agreements made by the UAE and India in July to enable the interconnection of their payments and messaging systems and to encourage the use of local currency for cross-border transactions.

The nations declared at the time that they would look into connecting their respective card switches, RuPay switch and UAESwitch, for the purpose of processing card transactions and facilitating the use of domestic cards.

In order to connect the automated teller machine network of all lenders in the Emirates, the UAE Central Bank launched UAESwitch in 1996.