PREPARING FOR THE NEXT WAVE OF INNOVATION

SUNIL PAUL, MD OF FINESSE, SHARES THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM GITEX GLOBAL 2022

So how did the most significant ICT event in the Gulf region conclude? GITEX Global 2022 didn’t disappoint in terms of the crowd, in the array of new tech innovations on display, and in business development potential. The official numbers are yet to be out, but the fiveday event’s record size and expanded coverage - two million sq. ft., over 5,000 exhibitors from more than 90 countries - could be regarded as markers on how well in-person event world fared this year.

Some key macro-to-micro takeaways from the world’s largest tech show would be: · In 2022, GITEX returned to prepandemic form. · Country pavilions were out in full strength. Saudi Arabia showcased their digital transformation and smart solutions through their special Saudi

Vision 2030 stand. Over 200 ICT companies from India and 50 from

Pakistan participated in the event. · The technology industry has solidified its position as a driver of non-oil economic activity in the region. The

UAE government is leaving no stone unturned to make the necessary investment to turn the country into a hub of innovation for the region and the world. · In step with UAE Digital Government

Strategy, Federal and local government bodies showcased their digital transformation journey and adoption of the latest technologies and smart systems, ranging from AI-powered data analysis initiatives from the Ministry of

Finance to DEWA’s green data centre to the drone prowess of Dubai Customs. · The jury is still out on whether

Metaverse is the biggest creation since the start of the Internet. As it undergoes iterations, Metaverse will profoundly impact how we live, work and play by redefining how we deal with the Internet. A glimpse was provided by the three-dimensional, hyper-realistic

X-VERSE, which hosted 25 industry applications of Metaverse covering manufacturing, gaming, education, healthcare, retail, and work. · Is Dubai the start-up capital of the region? Possibly so, if one went by the response to North Star Dubai, the world’s leading tech and start-up event and one of the main highlights of GITEX Global 2022. Thanks to the diversity in the cultures of its residents, Dubai was long seen as among the most suitable cities for establishing businesses and expanding to regional and global markets, and this quality is attracting start-ups and unicorns to Dubai. · It was Cloud all the way as major cloud service providers like Microsoft Azure,

Amazon Web Services and Oracle

Cloud announced their expansion in the region. With cloud services are accelerating the digital transformation of the region’s public and private sectors, everyone at GITEX had their two pence on the topic. · A subtle theme was the convergence of Cloud, AI, Machine Learning, 5G, and anything else you can throw in the mix. What matters is the opportunities this convergence trend will throw up.

For example, as companies take to the cloud, their security landscape becomes more complex. The way forward is the converged approach that provides unified visibility across the web, cloud services, and applications.

Seeing the future is an area that GITEX has never failed to disappoint, year after year. This year’s showstoppers didn’t disappoint.

Chinese XPeng X2 successfully completed the first public test flight of its two-seater flying car, while Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) unveiled their new Cruise Origin driverless taxis that will take to the roads in 2023.

Robots are now mainstream if one went by number at GITEX. Notable ones included world’s most advanced humanshaped robot Ameca, food delivery robot Ottobot by Ottonomy, and an industrial surveillance robot by Swiss-Mile capable of carrying up to 100kg, and even work underwater.

There was also a robotic pill - manufactured by the Silicon Valley-based company EndiaTX, the PillBot will allow a doctor to remotely examine the insides of a patient over a virtual call.

GITEX Global 2022 will go down in the annals of history as one of its most successful editions. True to its billing as the world’s largest tech show, the event brought together global and local tech leaders under one roof to ‘empower and enlighten everyone on the metamorphosis of the digital economy.’ On another note, Finesse had its largest-ever presence at the show, sharing knowledge and insights with a record number of visitors to help them get started on their journey to the next digital universe.