Dubai RTA to implement City Brain; An AI-powered library?

Good morning!

Here's your roundup of this week's AI and emerging tech stories, including the opening of one of the most technologically advanced libraries in the world in Dubai; Oman's plan to turn the cities of Nizwa, Salalah and Suhar into smart cities; and Dubai's RTA confirming plans to implement Alibaba Cloud's CIty Brain platform.

Scroll down for more AI and emerging tech news from around the region.

Stay safe and have a great day!

/Carrington

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Startups

DXwand raises $1 million pre-Series A round — www.wamda.com

#UAE #funding - Egypt-based omnichannel conversational AI and digital assistant software startup DXwand has closed a pre-Series A investment round of $1 million, led by Huashan Capital, with commitments from US-based VC firm SOSV and angel investors. (Wamda)

M&A

Saudi HR firm KABI acquires AI-powered recruitment solution provider Bloovo — www.arabnews.com

#Saudi #M&A - Saudi human resource service provider OHR Co., also known as KABI Technologies Co. for IT, has completed the acquisition of 100 percent of Bloovo Co. Ltd in a swap of shares transaction, a bourse filing revealed. (Arab News)

Smart Cities

Dubai RTA to implement Alibaba Cloud's City Brain AI transport management platform — www.rta.ae

#UAE #CityBrain - Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has confirmed that it intends to implement Alibaba Cloud's City Brain this year, according to an RTA press release published yesterday. The AI system will help the authority better manage traffic in the emirates urban areas. (RTA)

Oman plans Smart Cities in Suhar, Nizwa and Salalah — www.omanobserver.om

#Oman #smartcities - Oman's Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has kicked off an ambitious initiative to support the development of ‘Smart Cities’ in three major locations of the Sultanate. (Oman Observer)

Environment

Marine drone to help study what causes red tides — www.muscatdaily.com

#Oman #marinebiology - Oman' s Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, in cooperation with iLab Marine, is conducting a study on red tides. iLab is conducting the research in association with Sultan Qaboos University and the Swedish University of Gothenburg using a marine drone. (Muscat Daily)

Culture

Mohammed bin Rashid Library first in Middle East to employ AI and robots — wam.ae

#UAE #libraries - Dubai's new Mohammed bin Rashid Library - which opens to the public today- is one of the largest libraries in the Middle East, and is arguably one of the most technologically advanced libraries in the world. The library leverages AI, robotics AR, VR, holograms and RFID. (Emirates News Agency)

Drones

Startup Spotlight: UAE-based AS2 Systems — www.entrepreneur.com

#UAE #USVs - AS2 Systems uses proprietary technologies to develop a secure "command and control" system that offers autonomous control of any vessel, irrespective of its size or complexity. (Entrepreneur)

Defence

US SFRC approves Stop Iranian Drones Act — www.foreign.senate.gov

#Iran #USA #drones - The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (SFRC) yesterday approved the 'Stop Iranian Drones Act' (H.R. 6089), which seeks to prevent Iran, and armed groups aligned with it, from being able to acquire lethal drones or the technology to make them. (SFRC)

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About Carrington Malin — www.carringtonmalin.com Carrington Malin helps large organisations, digital brands and fast growing tech ventures with brand, communications and go-to-market strategies.