Region's CEOs prioritise AI; G42 & VAST to build huge data cloud
Middle East AI News weekly digest...
Good morning!
Welcome to this week’s Middle East AI News!
Can someone please tell me how August got like this? Surely, it’s a quiet holiday month? Not so, this year! There’s even more news than last week!
First, more big infrastructure plans from G42. Following last month’s announcement that the Abu Dhabi-based tech group is building a massive 36 exaFLOP supercomputer network with Cerebras, it has now announced a deal with VAST Data to build a ‘multi-hundred petabyte’ data cloud.
This week has also been one of AI sentiment research reports, with IBM, Oliver Wyman and Boston Consulting Group all releasing survey reports on how the Middle East feels about and is using AI. See links below.
We’ve also aready seen a number of big deals announced this week, including the ADNOC-G42 joint venture AIQ deal with Malaysia’s national oil company PETRONAS to develop AI solutions. Meanwhile, Airobotics (that recently announced a string of civil defence deals in the UAE) has announced a new Saudi joint-venture.
And lastly, I’ve started a daily one-minute podcast - the Middle East AI News Minute. Note that you haven’t been automatically subscribed - if you’d like to receive a daily email, subscribe here. You can also find Middle East AI News on Anghami, Deezer, Google, Soundcloud, Spotify, or Youtube
Scroll down for more AI news from across the region.
Thanks for reading!
/Carrington
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AI Opinion
CEOs prioritize AI for productivity
#MiddleEast #sentiment - A study from IBM Institute for Business Value found 61% of CEOs in the Middle East see AI, including generative AI and deep learning, as pivotal for results in upcoming years. The study also highlights that 55% view cloud computing and 51% consider automation as key success drivers. (Zawya)
84% of Middle East firms prioritize AI
#MiddleEast #ethics - 84% of Middle East firms view AI as crucial, according to research from MIT Sloan Management Review (MIT SMR) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). However, a mere 16% have responsible AI policies in place. Swift GenAI adoption has presented challenges in being tech-responsible. (Zawya)
39% in UAE use AI unnoticed
#UAE #AI - Oliver Wyman Forum reports that 39% of UAE's workers and students use generative AI technologies covertly. Popular applications in the GCC include ChatGPT and GPT-4. (Zawya)
Urban Mobility
Dubai Taxi Corps's Digital Strategy 2022-2025 unveiled
#UAE - #digitaltransformation - Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) reveals its 2022-2025 digital transformation strategy. Highlighting digital mobility and sustainability, the plan encompasses 9 drivers, including AI, IoT, and smart services. Initiatives include AI chatbots, driver face recognition, and integrated cloud services, aiming for seamless operations and enhanced customer experience. (Emirates News Agency)
Cloud Computing
G42 Cloud & VAST Data's multi-hundred petabyte data cloud
#UAE #cloudcomputing - Abu Dhabi-based cloud provider G42 Cloud and New York-headquartered AI data platform VAST Data have joined forces to build a central data foundation for a global network of AI supercomputers and to store and learn from hundreds of petabytes of data. (Zawya)
Alibaba Cloud boosts KSA’s digital leap
#Saudi - #cloudcomputing - Alibaba Cloud announces its Saudi headquarters in King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in partnership with Saudi Cloud Computing Co,. This venture aligns with Alibaba Cloud’s ambition to grow its Middle Eastern presence and fast-track regional digital transformation. (Arab News)
Majmaah Univesity joins Deem Cloud
#Saudi #AI - Majmaah University in Ar Riyadh province joins the Deem government cloud following an MoU signed with Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) to enhance AI and data collaboration. (Arab News)
Funding
Egypt’s AI recruiter Talents Arena raises $750k
#Egypt #recruitment - Egyptian AI recruitment firm, Talents Arena, has secured $750,000 in pre-seed funding, with participation from UI Investments and Saudi angel investors. The capital will fuel in their expansion to Saudi Arabia and the GCC. (Innovation Village)
M&A
BioNTech buys InstaDeep for $550 million
#Tunisia #biotech - BioNTech, the German biotech giant, has acquired Tunisia’s AI startup, InstaDeep, for $550 million. The acquisition merges BioNTech's expertise in mRNA technology with InstaDeep’s advanced AI capabilities, promising breakthroughs in AI-driven drug discovery. (Empower Africa)
Energy
AIQ & PETRONAS ink MoU on AI solutions
#UAE #energy- Abu Dhabi's AIQ and PETRONAS will collaborate on AI solutions to expedite the energy transition and bolster sustainability across the energy sector. This partnership marks AIQ's first international endeavor. (Zawya)
Healthcare
Healthpoint's 100 robotic surgeries in UAE
#UAE #roboticsurgery - Healthpoint has announced 100 successful surgeries using the ‘Mako’ robotic arm by Stryker. The technology claims patients better outcomes and faster recovery. (Gulf Today)
Digital Economy
Dubai Chamber attracts 69 emerging tech firms
#UAE #digitaleconomy - The Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy reported key achievements for H1 2023, including bringing 69 emerging technology companies to Dubai. This move is part of the chamber’s dedication to help fulfill the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda. (Emirates News Agency)
Robotics
UAE team for 4th Kibo Robot Challenge
#UAE #robotics - A team from the American University of Sharjah will represent the UAE at the 4th Kibo Robot Programming Challenge co-organized by JAXA and NASA. (Emirates News Agency)
Egypt's agri-robot for efficient farming
#Egypt #agritech - Students from the AI College in Kafr El-Sheikh developed a robot to help farmers. The six-legged device, accompanied by an app, tracks crop cycles, aids in sorting, and identifies fruit diseases. (Egypt Today)
Smart Cities
Oman to get 185,000 smart bins
#Oman #wastemanagement - Tech startups Rihal and Onsor Technologies are collaborating with Oman Environment Services Holding Company to fit 185,000 waste bins with IoT sensors. The initiative aims to enhance waste collection efficiency, covering vast areas swiftly and cutting operational costs. (Oman Observer)
Smart Farming
NEOM signs Dutch partnership for desert farming
#Saudi - #smartfarming - NEOM has signed a $120 million contract with Dutch greenhouse company Van Der Hoeven to leverage AI to create a ‘synthetic climate’ for desert agriculture. The initiative aims to establish a horticulture oasis in NEOM, emphasizing food security. (Yahoo Finance)
Education
MoIAT and MBRSG collaborate to grow local skills
#UAE #education - The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) and the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) have signed an MoU to facilitate academic support, innovative training, and research programs for ministry staff. (Emirates News Agency)
DEWA & Google Cloud enlighten on Gen AI
#UAE - #AI - DEWA, partnering with Google Cloud, hosted a generative AI workshop for employees. The effort aims to advance Dubai's ambition to become the world's smartest city, leveraging Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. (Zawya)
Drones
Airobotics & Saudi Excellence partner for drone infrastructure
#Saudi #drones - Ondas Holdings' Airobotics and Saudi Excellence Holding Company have entered a strategic alliance to establish an office in Saudi Arabia and provide advanced autonomous drone platforms and technologies for government and commercial use. (Yahoo Finance)
Wearables
EGA employs Kenzen wearables to combat heat
#UAE #wearables - Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has increased the use of Kenzen wearable tech among 350 employee volunteers for heat illness prevention this summer. Kenzen's devices monitor vital body metrics, including core body temperature and heart rate, allowing real-time detection of heat strain, safeguarding outdoor workers in the UAE. (Emirates News Agency)
Defence
Baykar Saudi manufacturing plans confirmed
#Saudi - #UAVs - Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) and Baykar signed an agreement confirming plans to establish manufacturing operations for the Turkish defence firm’s Bayraktar Akıncı high-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UAV). (Arab News)