As part of ongoing efforts to diversify their economies and build a platform for sustainable future growth, MENA nations are increasingly turning towards artificial intelligence (AI).
A slew of recent investments and initiatives – primarily in academia and the government, but also in the private sector – has reinvigorated interest from industry leaders around the globe in the potential for AI to strengthen the efficiency and sustainability of MENA economies.
Read more: The Future Is Bright For Artificial Intelligence In The Middle East
Lean operations can bring tremendous value to government – helping them better understand citizens and deliver more effective service. Four Principles explains how the tech-driven agility transforming the private sector could reform government as well.
Buzzwords: ‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ have been floating around the business world for a few years now, pushing for change in the approach to work. Gone are the days of yearly plans, budgets and reviews, or drawn out product and service development cycles – Agile working features short sprints, where solutions are built and tested in Lean fashion in response to customer needs.
Read more: MENA: How digital lean can help governments improve their services
The MENA region’s population growth is one of the highest globally, and today’s urban environments are under pressure to accommodate more people in smarter ways. This means more than just providing adequate housing. A growing city must take into account the extra pressure on utilities, roads and transport, and other facilities. One recent report notes that the total value of active infrastructure projects in the GCC alone has reached a staggering $1.14 trillion in 2019.
During this historic period of infrastructure planning, it is crucial that such investments are intelligent investments primed for a digital world. Ambitious plans like the Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy—aimed at converting 25 percent of mobility means into driverless mobility means by 2030—are setting a clear vision for both the public and private sectors.
Read more: MENA region: Data and AI keys to smart city progress: Huawei
How does a mobile-first, digital banking industry interact with future smart cities? We look to the Middle East to find out
Technology is developing at an incredible rate, and at every turn.
Smart or digital technologies are no longer used in isolation. Rather networks, connectivity and digital ecosystems are driving change for consumers and industries alike.
High-speed 5G networks and Cloud data centers are giving digital efforts across the region a big boost.
A5G-enabled digital boom across the Gulf is expected to generate $28 billion in revenues by 2023, as mobile data traffic soars, according to the Ericsson Mobility Report. The fifth-generation high-speed Internet will enable automated machinery for factories and remote monitoring of oil wells.