Dubai, UAE – The second edition of the Middle East Technology Summit wrapped up at the Hotel Sofitel Dubai the Palm on February 28, 2023, under the patronage of Digital Dubai and Abu Dhabi Digital Authority. The one-day event gathered 300 individuals from 26 countries, including policy makers, technology experts, and startup founders, all flocking together under the theme of “Digital Drives Progress.”
The event was a unique partnership between the public and private sectors to invest in the latest technologies, which was exceptional in terms of the qualitative attendance of dignitaries and experts from different countries in the region, and the large interaction of participants. The summit featured more than 20 sessions with 12 local and international speakers presenting different visions on technology adoption in the Middle East, focusing on Cloud, AI/machine learning, new age automation, and their various uses.
The summit’s opening session discussed the prominent uses of technology to preserve the environment, enhance cybersecurity, and regulatory landscape, including a session on “Technology in the Middle East: Challenges, Opportunities, Impact,” during which Mr. Kamal Kishor Singh, Technology Architect and PM at GBM, stressed that due to the region’s unique environment challenges and working conditions, the Middle East has been and will continue to be one of the first adopters of AI-based robotics technology.
In another session titled “Emergence of Big Data and its impact in the region,” participants discussed the potential of unifying disparate visions and frameworks and how technology and academic leaders around the world can benefit and use them for the benefit of mankind. The session’s speaker, Mr. Hassan Awwad, country CEO of Careem in Jordan, considered Big Data as the “beating heart” for startups, leading the future in modern designs and technologies.
The summit also focused on digital transformation and national initiatives, with Ms. Salmah Badawi from IBM Egypt stressing that artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud, and automation technology have actively contributed to the development of e-governance, industrial, innovation, health, and infrastructure sectors, and played a vital role in confronting and solving many challenges.
During the event, several agreements and partnerships were signed between major international companies and government agencies, including the signing of an agreement between Etisalat and SenseTime, the world’s leading artificial intelligence company, to establish a new venture in the UAE with an estimated investment value of 100 million dirhams.
At the conclusion of the summit, the dignitaries and speakers were given mementoes of appreciation, and the organizers expressed their gratitude to the sponsors and speakers whose input ensured an engaging and timely dialogue on key topics and trends. They looked forward to continuing the conversations and connections made during this event.