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WHERE THE BUCK STOPS
The global IT outage triggered by a failed CrowdStrike update has become a cautionary tale, bringing airlines and financial services around the world to a halt, affecting around 8.3 million Windows devices, and resulting in the notorious 'blue screen of death.' While the fall-out from this incident is still unfolding with some affected entitites taking legal action against Microsoft and CrowdStrike to compensate for the damages incurred, there are some valuable lessons that we all could learn from this.
Relying solely on a single provider for cybersecurity is inherently risky, as this incident has clearly demonstrated. It also highlights the critical importance of having robust business continuity and disaster recovery plans, along with a strong incident management strategy. One positive takeaway from the situation was the prompt response from CrowdStrike's founder and CEO, who quickly accepted responsibility and issued an apology. In an industry where accountability is often lacking, this was a refreshing and commendable approach. This incident also serves as a valuable lesson in crisis communications, showing that security vendors who handle major incidents with transparency and responsiveness can strengthen their relationships with customers.
In this edition of BT, we delve into the fascinating world of large language models (LLMs), which are becoming the cornerstone of AI-driven innovation in enterprises. As AI continues to reshape industries, LLMs play a crucial role in powering everything from customer service automation to complex data analysis. However, with the proliferation of LLMs available today—each offering different capabilities, strengths, and applications—choosing the right one has become an increasingly complex and daunting task for enterprises. The challenge lies not only in understanding the technical nuances of these models but also in aligning them with specific business goals and infrastructure. Our feature explores the key considerations enterprises must keep in mind when selecting an LLM, offering insights into how to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape and make informed decisions that can drive significant business value.
Enjoy reading.
Jeevan Thankappan jeevan@gecmediagroup.com
Khalil Yazbeck, Business Development Manager – UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, Kingston Technology, discusses
Rajendran, Vice President - EMEA, Kissflow, on the
Prasanna
IFZA Receives Award for Advancing UAE’s Environmental Goals through the GROW Initiative
IFZA was recently honoured and awarded by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) for its significant efforts in sustainability and climate change initiatives.
Held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Dubai, the award was presented during a ceremony attended by H.E Dr. Mohammed Salman Al Hammadi, Assistant Under-Secretary of Biodiversity and Marine Life Sector, along with representatives from federal
and local government entities, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations. The event celebrated IFZA’s efforts to address climate change through nature-based solutions and highlighted its contribution to the National Carbon Sequestration Project, which aims to plant 100 million mangroves across the UAE by 2030.
IFZA’s recognition underscores its commitment to environmental preservation through its various initiatives, particularly the Grow initiative. It also aims to enhance cooperation with MOCCAE in the fields of climate change and mangrove plantation, in addition to highlighting IFZA Cares’ accomplishments in sustainable
projects and emphasizing the company’s commitment towards contributing to the UAE’s environmental goals.
“We’re truly honored to be acknowledged by MOCCAE for our role in the National Carbon Sequestration Project,” said, Jochen Knecht, CEO of IFZA. “At IFZA, we believe that businesses should make a positive impact on both the community and the environment. Our Mangrove plantation drive signifies our commitment to sustainable practices and our dedication to giving back to the environment. Our goal is to look beyond business profits and educate future generations on the importance of protecting the UAE’s ecosystems.”
Cisco Highlights the Utmost Importance of Cybersecurity in the Age of AI
Cisco unveiled key insights into the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape, emphasizing the need for a united front between technology companies and governments. As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, Cisco advocates for the development of advanced AI detection systems to ensure a safer online environment for all. Despite ongoing efforts from both public and private sectors to detect and mitigate the effects of AI-powered disinformation, the consequences are no longer theoretical. This was evident in Cisco’s recent Cybersecurity Readiness Index, where 85% of UAE respondents anticipated a cybersecurity incident disrupting their business within the next 12 to 24 months. Additionally, 52% of those affected by such
incidents reported costs of at least $300,000. The urgency of leveraging AI capabilities has never been greater.
“As the volume of data generated continues to increase, the threat of AI-driven disinformation escalates. With larger data sets enhancing AI accuracy, it is imperative for companies developing AI technologies to act with utmost responsibility,” says Fady Younes, Managing Director for Cybersecurity at Cisco Middle East & Africa.
Companies and governments should aim to tackle complex societal challenges and counter the growing menace of AIenabled disinformation. With AI advancements making it easier and cheaper to manipulate digital content on a massive scale, it is imperative for those developing, using, and regulating the technology to collaborate effectively. This collective effort is essential to achieve the potential benefits of AI while managing the new risks it introduces.
Fady Younes, Managing Director for Cybersecurity at Cisco Middle East & Africa
Infoblox Exposes Chinese cybercrime Syndicate
Infoblox announced a significant breakthrough in cybercrime investigation with the unmasking of a threat actor that the company has named “Vigorish Viper.” Vigorish Viper is a Chinese organized crime syndicate that utilizes a sophisticated technology suite to take advantage of the
global $1.7 trillion illegal sports gambling economy, with links to money laundering and human trafficking operations across Asia. This Infoblox discovery marks a significant milestone in the ongoing battle against global cybercrime using DNS intelligence.
“Vigorish Viper represents one of the most sophisticated and important threats to digital security that we have discovered to date,” said Dr. Renée Burton, Vice President, Infoblox Threat Intel. “Infoblox Threat Intel used cutting-edge DNS research to discover the technologies underpinning the syndicate. Vigorish Viper created a complex infrastructure with multiple layers of traffic distribution systems (TDSs) using DNS
CNAME records and JavaScript, which makes it incredibly difficult to detect. These systems are complemented by their own encrypted communications and custom-developed applications, making their activities not only elusive but also remarkably resilient.”
Vigorish Viper is a name derived from the gambling world’s exorbitant fees levied on unlucky bettors. The term vigorish, or vig for short, is used by organized crime syndicates to refer to these fees. Viper refers to the complex combination of TDSs and convoluted brand relationships that the actor employs to route users to content. Vigorish Viper leverages sponsorship of popular European sports teams to advertise for their illegal gambling sites, which primarily target Greater China.
Webidoo Launches Jooice: Affordable All-In-One AI Marketing Tool for SMEs
Webidoo has globally launched Jooice, its patent-pending allin-one AI marketing solution tailored for SMEs. The event, hosted at the Dubai AI Campus in partnership with DIFC Innovation Hub, signifies a key achievement in Webidoo’s commitment to democratizing innovation for businesses worldwide. Jooice enables SMEs to harness AI, navigate technological shifts, and optimize marketing strategies through an accessible platform aimed at fostering sustainable growth and success.
Giovanni Farese, Co-founder and Global General Manager of Webidoo, said, “We are thrilled to announce the global launch of Jooice from the UAE, a growing international hub for AIbased innovations. Jooice will transform marketing for SMEs
by offering a comprehensive, user-friendly, and affordable solution powered by AI capabilities.”
Ketaki Banga, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Webidoo MEA, said “Many SMEs are unable to benefit from AI due to a lack of time, awareness, and resources. They often need anywhere from five to 15 different tools across marketing functions, making it complex and expensive to keep up with innovation. With Jooice, we consolidate multiple
marketing functions into one cost-effective solution.”
Jooice is the latest edition of Webidoo’s flagship SaaS product with a focus on providing a seamless, userfriendly experience. The patentapplied-for Jooice AI, which has been developed specifically for marketing, guides users through onboarding and using the tool, minimizing the time and effort required to understand and start using it, and ensuring quick access to its benefits.
Dr. Renée Burton, Vice President, Infoblox Threat Intel
Aviv Clinics Highlights Study Supporting Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Aging
DP World’s Aviv Clinics shares the results of a new study showing a unique hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) protocol is effective for enhancing physical performance in aging adults. The study, Physical enhancement of older adults using hyperbaric oxygen: a randomized controlled trial, was
conducted by the clinic.
The study evaluated the effect of HBOT on non-pathological and aging adults’ physical performance and cardiac perfusion, the measure of how blood flows to the heart muscle.
In this randomized controlled trial, 63 patients 65 years old and older were randomized to one of the two study arms—the control group and the HBOT treatment group. The HBOT group received 60 daily HBOT sessions using a specific protocol. Participants’ cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) including VO2Max, the maximal oxygen consumption capacity, anaerobic threshold (the exertion level between aerobic and anaerobic performance) and maximal power generation were evaluated. In addition, cardiac
NTT DATA Unveils Ultralight Edge AI Platform
NTT DATA launched a new Edge AI platform to speed up IT/OT convergence by processing AI at the edge. This fully managed solution allows real-time decisions, boosts operational efficiencies, and securely deploys AI applications across industries for advanced Industry 4.0 technologies. While the spotlight has been on GenAI and Large Language Models (LLMs), these technologies are impractical for industries requiring real-time and local decisionmaking. NTT DATA’s Edge AI solution addresses this challenge by processing massive data sets on compact computing platforms, using smaller, more efficient machine learning models to deliver real-time AI insights.
NTT DATA’s Edge AI is an allinclusive managed service platform that includes all the systems, tools and capabilities required for
perfusion was evaluated through novel cardiac MRI.
Results showed that following the HBOT protocol, participants’ VO2Max, VO2Max per body weight, maximal power and the anaerobic threshold significantly improved. When compared to the control group, the HBOT group also saw notable increases in cardiac blood flow and cardiac blood volume.
“Following our first two studies related to how HBOT can fight cognitive age-related decline and reverse aging at the cellular level, this study related to physical enhancement is further evidence that HBOT is effective in alternating the aging trajectory,” said Dr. Zemer Wang, Medical Director at DP World’s Aviv Clinics.
AI at the edge. It addresses data discovery, collection, integration, computation power, seamless connectivity and AI model management.
The Edge AI platform, supported by NTT DATA’s consulting data scientists, managed services and global technical resources, addresses the shadow IoT challenge and AI infrastructure requirements. It does this by auto-discovering, unifying and processing data from IoT devices and IT assets across the organization, simplifying AI
deployment and management. Solving industry-specific challenges with AI-driven insights Designed to support industryspecific requirements, the Edge AI platform leverages lighter, costeffective AI models, enabling it to run within a small compute box. Edge AI will perform specific tasks, such as supporting safety or operational efficiency, by collecting data from disparate devices across a network environment, enabling instantaneous and secure data processing and analytics.
Dr. Zemer Wang, Medical Director at DP World’s Aviv Clinics
Core42 and AIREV Roll Out OnDemand AI Operating System
Core42, a G42 Company and AIREV today announced the launch of the OnDemand AI Operating System (AIOS). The collaboration marks a major milestone in the regional AI landscape and is the first significant joint effort since their partnership announcement in February this year.
OnDemand, developed by AIREV and built on Core42’s foundational infrastructure, is a decentralized AI operating system designed to facilitate seamless AI deployment. It offers developers, engineers, enterprises, and startups
a robust platform to build, deploy, and manage their AI applications with ease.
Key features of OnDemand include its ability to facilitate AI model deployment directly from sources like Hugging Face, supporting both opensource and closed-source models. OnDemand also allows users to deploy their own models, offering flexibility and customization. With its Plugins and Marketplace ecosystem, OnDemand offers a marketplace where developers can create, deploy, and sell plugins and agents, fostering a
vibrant ecosystem of AI tools. Enterprises can also export these plugins and integrate them into their own platforms. For complex API integrations, OnDemand supports multistep Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Furthermore, the platform offers a lowcode solution, making AI development accessible even after small API integrations, while verified system integrators available on the platform assist in building out use cases and providing additional support when required.
“By leveraging Core42’s state-of-the-art infrastructure, we are enabling developers and enterprises to unlock unprecedented capabilities and accelerate their journey towards a smarter, AI-driven future,” said Talal Alkaissi, Chief Partnerships & Government Affairs Officer, Core42.
Zebra Technologies Takes British University’s AI Spin-out Global
Zebra Technologies is taking AI computer vision global with a portfolio as well as research and development that is infusing ‘AI eyes’ into technology that businesses and their workers are using today.
“We’re bringing computer vision to businesses and their customers and workers with our global team of AI researchers developing new ways to make computer vision, as well as generative AI, voice AI and machine learning useful for the retail, CPG, healthcare, logistics and other industries,” said Stuart Hubbard, Senior Director of AI and Advanced Development, Zebra Technologies.
Hubbard joined Zebra five years
Stuart Hubbard,, Senior Director of AI and Advanced Development, Zebra Technologies
ago as part of the acquisition of Cortexica, an Imperial College London spin-out founded by Anil Bharath, Professor of Biologically Inspired Computation and Inference, Imperial College London.
Computer vision is often built on a special type of deep learning known as a convolutional neural network (CNN) which is made up
of many layers of interconnected nodes (neurons), bearing similarities to the neural network connections in the visual cortex of the human brain. These layers perform feature learning and classification before delivering an output.
Cortexica’s brain-inspired technology was swiftly taken up by high street supermarkets, national retailers in the UK and U.S., e-commerce platforms, and world-famous marathon races and tennis competitions. Its successes drew the attention of Zebra, who saw the potential that Cortexica’s computer vision technology could have for its own customer base, which led to an acquisition in 2019.
Global AI Optimism Rankings Released:
Embrace AI or Fall Behind, Warns New Report
IFS research on the Global AI Optimism League Table, based on a study of 1,700 senior decision-makers across various industries, found that optimism
about AI reflects the maturity of a company's AI strategy. Firms with revenues between $200$500 million were the most optimistic, while the UK and USA were the least. The UAE, ranking 6th, shows more AI optimism than expected.
Global businesses face a narrow window of opportunity: the widespread adoption of AI is expected to profoundly impact growth, productivity and competition with repercussions for the balance of power among nations. The findings of this study serve as a wake-up call for businesses lagging in AI adoption, emphasizing the need for a clear AI
strategy to stay competitive in the global market.
Cash isn’t always king
An easy assumption to make with AI is that the more financial resources available, the more optimism there would be about what could be done with AI. However, the research reveals that businesses with revenues of over $500 Million ranked only third in terms of optimism due to a clear polarization in strategy, data readiness, and skills. Indeed, the polarization in AI readiness has led to 25% of this group believing AI benefits will materialize within 12 months, while the laggards don’t expect to see benefits for at least three years. Large enterprises showed the widest gaps in time to benefits of any of the company size groups surveyed.
Oracle Strengthens Saudi Arabia’s AI Economy with Opening of Second Public Cloud Region
Oracle has opened its second public cloud region in Saudi Arabia. The new Riyadh cloud region will help public and private sector organizations migrate all types of workloads to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), giving them access to a wide range of cloud services to modernize their applications and innovate with data, analytics, and AI. Center3 is the host partner for the new Oracle Cloud Riyadh Region.
Part of Oracle’s distributed cloud strategy and Oracle’s US $1.5 billion investment to expand cloud infrastructure capabilities in the Kingdom, the new region will help boost the Kingdom’s AI economy, which is expected to reach $135.2 billion by 2030. The Oracle Cloud Riyadh Region joins the existing Oracle Cloud Jeddah Region and the planned Oracle Cloud Region in NEOM to extend Oracle’s
footprint in Saudi Arabia. Oracle is the only hyperscaler capable of delivering AI and a full suite of 100+ cloud services across dedicated, public, and hybrid cloud environments, anywhere in the world. This includes Oracle Autonomous Database, HeatWave MySQL Database Service, Oracle Container Engine for Kubernetes, Oracle Cloud VMware Solution, OCI Generative
AI service, OCI AI Infrastructure, and OCI Supercluster.
“The opening of Oracle’s new cloud region in Riyadh reflects the Kingdom’s continuous efforts in boosting the digital economy based on modern technologies and innovation,” said His Excellency Eng. Haytham Alohali, vice minister, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
Christian Pedersen, Chief Product Officer, IFS
Gartner Predicts 30% of Generative AI Projects Will Be Abandoned After Proof of Concept By End of 2025
At least 30% of generative AI (GenAI) projects will be abandoned after proof of concept by the end of 2025, due to poor data quality, inadequate risk controls, escalating costs or unclear business value, according to Gartner, Inc.
Rita Sallam, Distinguished VP
Analyst at Gartner said, “After last year’s hype, executives are impatient to see returns on GenAI investments, yet organizations are struggling to prove and realize value. As the scope of initiatives widen, the financial burden of developing and deploying GenAI models is increasingly felt.”
A major challenge for organizations arises in justifying the substantial investment in GenAI for productivity enhancement, which can be difficult to directly translate into financial benefit, according to Gartner. Many organizations are leveraging GenAI to transform their business models and create new business
opportunities. However, these deployment approaches come with significant costs, ranging from $5 million to $20 million
“Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all with GenAI, and costs aren’t as predictable as other technologies,” said Sallam. “What you spend, the use cases you invest in and the deployment approaches you take, all determine the costs. Whether you’re a market disruptor and want to infuse AI everywhere, or you have a more conservative focus on productivity gains or extending existing processes, each has different levels of cost, risk, variability and strategic impact.”
Pure Storage Embraces Next-Generation Networking for AI with Ultra Ethernet Consortium Membership
Pure Storage has announced that it joined Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC), a Linux Foundation initiative dedicated to building a complete, open, and accessible Ethernet-based architecture to accelerate critical, data-intensive AI and HPC applications.
As the leading data storage platform serving the most advanced enterprise AI initiatives, Pure Storage commits to further defining and integrating UEC technology standards, while building and delivering a forwardcompatible platform to optimize performance for enterprise AI and HPC workloads using Ethernet, supporting rapid innovation and faster time to market.
Industry Significance: As enterprises strive to achieve
their AI goals, they face significant challenges with existing network solutions that are difficult to manage and scale, hindering the flexibility and efficiency needed for growing AI workloads.
Ethernet's increased adoption in data centers, due to its lower TCO, extensive interoperability, and proven reliability, has made it the foundation for many of
the world’s largest AI clusters. The advancement of new Ultra Ethernet standards will allow enterprises to maximize their existing AI and HPC investments while deploying performanceintensive applications, driving innovation, boosting productivity, and enhancing operational efficiency.
“Since its inception, Pure Storage has committed to delivering flexible, reliable, and high performance data storage technologies and services to simplify the enterprise data experience. Joining the UEC provides Pure with the opportunity to work alongside leaders in compute, networking, and storage to drive the development of a new ultra-Ethernet architecture for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.” - Maciej Kranz, GM, Enterprise, Pure Storage
Rita Sallam, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner
Maciej Kranz, GM, Enterprise, Pure Storage
HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR CYBERSECURITY BUDGET
Dr. Aleksandar Valjarevic, Chief Business Officer, Help AG, on
investments.
WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN PRIORITIZING CYBERSECURITY INVESTMENTS?
The first step is to recognize that decisions related to cybersecurity investments are not solely technical concerns but are also strategic business imperatives. Whether it is a government entity or an enterprise, every organization needs to have a clear understanding of its risk profile to effectively mitigate risks through proactive cyber strategy and information security management system which include policies, procedures, and technical controls to address potential cyber risks.
HOW CAN BUSINESSES DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT IN CYBERSECURITY BASED ON THEIR SPECIFIC RISK PROFILES?
An organization must first conduct a comprehensive assessment of its cybersecurity posture to identify and prioritize areas for necessary cybersecurity investments. There are several key assessment categories to consider:
• Security Architectural Review: This evaluates the organization's security infrastructure and design, ensuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and alignment of security controls with the overall business strategy and industry best practices.
• Vulnerability Assessment: This assessment identifies and evaluates security weaknesses in the organization's systems, networks, and applications, prioritizing them based on risks and potential impact.
• Digital Risk Assessment: This evaluates the potential risks associated with the organization's digital assets, online presence, and digital transformation initiatives. It also includes understanding whether there are compromised credentials, identities and assets in the ‘wild’, including the dark web.
• Compliance Assessment: This identifies gaps in complying with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards.
how to optimize cybersecurity
• Offensive Cybersecurity and Compromise Assessments: These assessments simulate real-world cyber attacks on the organization's systems, networks, and applications to identify vulnerabilities and assess the effectiveness of existing defenses, while also determining whether there are existing active compromises in the network. By leveraging these assessments, businesses can gain a comprehensive understanding of their risk profiles and prioritize cybersecurity investments accordingly. The insights from these assessments help allocate resources effectively, ensuring that the most critical areas are addressed, and the organization's cyber resilience is strengthened.
Ultimately, as cybersecurity investment is fundamentally a strategic business decision, leadership must assess risk management carefully. This involves determining which risks can be tolerated, which require mitigation, and which should be transferred.
WHAT EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND TRENDS SHOULD ORGANIZATIONS INVEST IN TO ENHANCE THEIR CYBERSECURITY POSTURE?
Emerging technologies serve as business enablers and help optimize cybersecurity operations. When considering which technologies to invest in, organizations should focus on areas that offer strategic growth, efficiency improvements, and competitive advantages.
Key technologies and trends include automation and integration, which streamline operations, enabling faster detection and response to threats. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) augment threat detection capabilities and accelerate risk mitigation. Additionally, Secure Service Edge (SSE) architectures enhance network security and safeguard data protection, while enabling secure remote work.
Another important approach is technology consolidation. By selecting vendors that offer
DR. ALEKSANDAR VALJAREVIC, Chief Business Officer, Help AG
platforms optimized for the organization’s cybersecurity spend, businesses can maximize the value of their investments. Organizations must thoroughly assess existing investments, align them with business requirements, and ensure they are complemented by appropriate point solutions. Furthermore, a strategic focus on commercial consolidation is increasingly vital. As cybersecurity costs have surged significantly over the past several years, organizations are narrowing their spending to a selected group of key partners. Leveraging enterprise license agreements, framework agreements, or OPEX-based multi-year agreements, such as those offered by Help AG, can help manage costs effectively.
HOW CAN BUSINESSES JUSTIFY THE COSTS OF CYBERSECURITY INVESTMENTS TO BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS?
Emphasizing that investment
in cybersecurity is a business decision, not just a technical one, is crucial. Cybersecurity teams can significantly contribute by quantifying risks and demonstrating how cybersecurity can serve as a strategic enabler for the organization. Extensive data underscores the impact of cyberattacks; one report found that the global average cost of a data breach in 2024 rose by 10% year-over-year, reaching an all-time high of $4.88 million USD. Business stakeholders, including those at the board level, should consider these insights and make informed decisions on risk management strategies.
HOW DO REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS INFLUENCE CYBERSECURITY INVESTMENT DECISIONS?
Regulatory requirements exert a substantial influence on cybersecurity investment, especially in sectors such as finance and healthcare, where sensitive data is managed. The challenge lies in balancing the need to protect data and adhere to minimum standards with the need to avoid overregulation, which could hinder economic growth. The UAE, in particular, and the GCC more broadly, exemplify effective regulation by providing necessary guidelines that enable enterprises and government organizations to protect their assets while fostering innovation. Understanding applicable standards is essential for organizations. Service providers like Help AG can offer critical guidance on selecting appropriate security controls and identifying those that may be less relevant to specific business contexts.
BEYOND FIREWALLS
Khalil Yazbeck, Business Development Manager – UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, Kingston Technology, discusses how secure storage solutions can prevent data breaches.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT SECURE STORAGE SOLUTIONS ARE AND HOW THEY DIFFER FROM TRADITIONAL DATA PROTECTION METHODS?
Encrypted drives protect data and connected devices, making them essential for any organization's IT security. As cyber threats evolve, so do the features of encrypted drives. For example, the Kingston IronKey line includes AES 256-bit encryption, rugged casing, digitally-signed firmware, virtual keyboards, and complex passphrase modes to ensure robust protection.
Many businesses opt for commodity drives due to their availability and low cost, but these lack proper security and compliance with standards like ISO27001, GDPR, SOC2 and NIS2.
Set to take effect this October, the NIS2 Directive aims to enhance the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure within the EU. This framework helps companies balance security with operational efficiency. It's particularly important for the UAE, the EU's largest export destination and investment partner in the Middle East and North Africa, with bilateral trade in goods and services reaching €75 billion last year. Ensuring compliance with NIS2 is urgent for the UAE.
Kingston IronKey products help organizations achieve NIS2 compliance through robust
hardware encryption, essential for effective risk management. Integrating Kingston IronKey solutions into cybersecurity strategies ensures alignment with NIS2 requirements and strengthens overall cybersecurity.
While some may use commodity drives with software encryption tools, this can be a false economy since many software-encrypted drives can be hacked with easily accessible tools or have their encryption removed by reformatting. In contrast, hardware-encrypted USBs, like the IronKey VP50, offer always-on encryption, tamper resistance, and brute force attack protection, ensuring data security and compliance with industry best practices.
WHAT ARE THE KEY FEATURES OF SECURE STORAGE SOLUTIONS THAT MAKE THEM EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING DATA BREACHES?
Secure storage solutions are highly effective in preventing data breaches due to several key features. These include hardware encryption, which- unlike software-based encrypted devices - ensures data is encrypted on the storage device itself. Plus, they offer strong encryption algorithms like AES 256-bit, making decryption virtually impossible.
Password and passphrase protection add additional layers of security, ensuring only
KHALIL YAZBECK
Business Development Manager – UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, Kingston Technology
authorised users can access the data, with passphrases offering a more secure – yet easy to use- way of securing the drive. Tamper-resistant designs and secure firmware protect against physical tampering and vulnerabilities. Compliance with NIST security standards, such as FIPS 1403 Level 3, guarantees rigorous security requirements are met. These features ensure that organisations can safeguard sensitive information from unauthorised access and potential threats.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMONLY USED TECHNOLOGIES IN SECURE STORAGE SOLUTIONS TODAY?
Secure storage solutions commonly use several advanced technologies to ensure data protection. Firstly, AES-256 encryption is widely used for its robust security, making data unreadable to unauthorised users. Secondly, hardware-based encryption is often employed, providing an additional layer of security by encrypting data directly on the device. Admin and user partitions are also commonly
used – offering flexibility and security on who can access certain files, based on the needs of organisations. Lastly, Antitampering mechanisms protect devices from physical attacks, ensuring the integrity of the stored data, and erase – or “brick” the device in the event of a physical attack. All of which means that organisations can rely on Kingston IronKey – to keep their sensitive data secure.
WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY BENEFITS OF USING SECURE STORAGE SOLUTIONS FOR DATA PROTECTION?
The primary benefits of using secure storage solutions for data protection include enhanced security, regulatory compliance, business continuity, data accessibility, reputation management, and cost-effectiveness.
Enhanced security ensures that sensitive data is protected from unauthorised access and cyber threats. Regulatory compliance helps organisations meet legal requirements for data protection, such as ISO27001, GDPR, SOC2 and NIS2.
Business continuity is supported through secure backups and disaster recovery plans, ensuring data is available, even in the event of a breach. Data accessibility allows authorised users to access data easily, which is key for remote or mobile workforces. Reputation management is bolstered by demonstrating a commitment to data security, which can enhance customer trust. Given the cost of failing to achieve any of the above means that Kingston IronKey hardware-encrypted devices offer a cost-effective way of protecting an organisation and its data.
QUANTUM LEAP
Prof. Dr. José Ignacio Latorre, Chief Researcher of TII’s Quantum Research Center, Technology Innovation Institute (TII), decodes quantum technology.
WHAT ARE THE MOST PROMISING APPLICATIONS OF QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES?
Quantum technology holds transformative potential across numerous sectors. In cybersecurity, quantum cryptography promises unprecedented levels of data protection by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics to create theoretically unbreakable encryption methods. In the pharmaceutical industry, quantum computing can significantly expedite drug discovery by simulating molecular interactions with extraordinary precision. Financial services stand to benefit from quantum algorithms that can optimize trading strategies and manage risk more effectively. Additionally, quantum sensors are poised to revolutionize fields such as healthcare, navigation, and environmental monitoring by providing ultrasensitive measurements that surpass classical technologies.
WHAT ARE THE KEY CHALLENGES CURRENTLY FACING THE DEVELOPMENT OF QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY?
Despite its promise, quantum technology faces
challenges in terms of scalability, infrastructure and talent. For example, the inherent fragility of qubits, the fundamental units of quantum information, are prone to decoherence and errors. Achieving and maintaining the necessary lowtemperature environments for quantum systems is another significant hurdle. Scalability is also a critical concern, as building quantum computers with a large number of qubits that can reliably perform complex computations remains a daunting task. Additionally, there is a shortage of specialized talent capable of advancing quantum research and development, coupled with the high costs associated with building and maintaining quantum infrastructure.
HOW SHOULD BUSINESSES PREPARE FOR THE QUANTUM
REVOLUTION?
Recent advancements in quantum computing have been nothing short of extraordinary. It truly Is a revolution with that in mind, businesses should start by investing in quantum literacy to understand the potential impact of quantum technologies on their operations. This involves
PROF. DR. JOSÉ
IGNACIO LATORRE, Chief Researcher of TII’s Quantum Research Center, Technology Innovation Institute (TII)
educating key stakeholders and building a workforce with quantum expertise. Collaborating with quantum research institutions and participating in quantum computing ecosystems can provide businesses with early access to emerging technologies and expertise. Additionally, companies should consider developing quantumsafe cryptography strategies to future-proof their cybersecurity measures against the potential threat posed by quantum computers. By staying informed and proactive, businesses can strategically position themselves to leverage the advantages of quantum advancements.
WHAT ROLE DO GOVERNMENTS PLAY IN ADVANCING QUANTUM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT?
Governments are crucial in fostering the growth of quantum technology. Public investments in quantum research, such as funding for academic institutions and national laboratories, are vital for driving innovation and breakthroughs. Government policies and initiatives can facilitate collaboration between the public and private sectors, creating a robust ecosystem for quantum development. Additionally, governments can help establish standards and regulatory frameworks to ensure the safe and ethical deployment of quantum technologies. International cooperation is also essential, as quantum research benefits from a global exchange of knowledge and resources.
HOW IS QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY EXPECTED TO IMPACT CYBERSECURITY AND DATA PROTECTION?
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) allows for the creation of secure communication channels, as any attempt
to intercept the quantum keys would be immediately detectable. This makes QKD an ideal solution for securing sensitive data transmissions and ensuring privacy. Furthermore, quantum-resistant algorithms are being developed to protect against the potential threat of quantum computers breaking classical encryption methods. By integrating quantum technologies into cybersecurity infrastructure, organizations can achieve a higher level of data protection and privacy, safeguarding against both current and future threats.
WHAT ADVANCEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN QUANTUM HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE RECENTLY?
Recent advancements in quantum computing hardware and software have been remarkable. Companies like IBM and Google have significantly increased qubit counts in their quantum computers, while Silicon Quantum Computing in Australia achieved a milestone with their 10-qubit quantum integrated circuit in silicon. Progress in cooling systems and error correction is making quantum computers more practical. Companies like SEEQC are advancing chip fabrication for superconducting quantum hardware and integrating quantum processors with classical computing hardware. On the software side, techniques like "circuit knitting" are being developed to overcome current hardware limitations, while researchers are moving towards fault-tolerant quantum computers. Hybrid quantumclassical approaches are also gaining traction, leveraging both quantum and classical resources to tackle complex problems.
MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE
Peter Oganesean, Managing Director of Middle East and East Africa at HP, highlights the role of AI and technology in driving global sustainability and equity.
CAN YOU SHARE THE KEY FINDINGS FROM HP'S LATEST SUSTAINABLE IMPACT REPORT? WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE COMPANY'S FUTURE INITIATIVES?
According to HP’s latest Sustainable Impact Report, there is great enthusiasm among global leaders to use technology and AI to advance key impact goals. 76% of business and government leaders believe technology is key to enabling traditionally excluded populations to participate in the economy. Not only that, but business leaders are also either already using AI or plan to in the next 1-2 years for goals such as increasing access to digital education (90%), workforce development (89%), and workforce diversity (86%).
HP is proactively preparing for future developments by investing in innovation, not only in terms of AI integration into our products and services, but also investing in more impactful sustainability initiatives, and robust cybersecurity measures. This commitment ensures staying at the forefront of industry
advancements to meet evolving consumer expectations in the Middle East region and beyond.
HOW HAS HP'S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS?
Sustainable Impact is at the heart of HP’s business strategy. Our vision is to be the world’s most sustainable and just technology company by 2023. HP’s strategy around sustainability revolves around combating climate change, protecting human rights and accelerating digital equity. Over the years, the company has increasingly moved towards circular design, to enhance customer value while minimizing environmental impact. We invest in reusable, recyclable, and sustainably sourced materials, continuously finding innovative ways to repurpose waste.
Additionally, with education being one of our prime areas of focus for HP, we have been ramping up our efforts to accelerate digital
PETER OGANESEAN, Managing Director of Middle East and East Africa at HP
equity. Our aim is to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people by 2030 and enable better learning outcomes for 100 million people by 2025.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON HP'S COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL IMPACT AND EFFORTS TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE THROUGH INITIATIVES INVOLVING AI? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS HP HAS IMPLEMENTED TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE?
A crucial element of HP’s Sustainable Impact agenda is bridging the digital divide in the Middle East. Over the years, HP has conducted various programmes with the aim of bridging the digital divide globally, and in the region. Through the HP Cambridge EdTech Fellowship which aims to enhance educators’ policy formulation skills and edtech understanding to improve local education systems, HP supported the Gulf countries that contributed the second cohort of fellows. We also have the HP IDEA initiative, which focuses on fostering digital pedagogy for Arabic-speaking educators. Additionally, HP has
implemented the HP LIFE program – it is a free online training platform designed to help people globally gain the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy. At present, there are 1.2 million users enrolled since 2016. To date, more than 180,000 of the users are from the Middle East.
WHY ARE HP’S NEXT-GEN AI PCS CONSIDERED IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF ENSURING THAT ACCESS TO STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY IS DEMOCRATIZED? WHAT FEATURES OF THESE AI PCS STAND OUT AS PARTICULARLY BENEFICIAL FOR USERS?
Our next-gen AI PCs are powered by Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Copilot in Windows 11, integrating advanced AI capabilities directly into daily uses – this makes cuttingedge technology accessible to users. Access to state-of-theart technology is democratized by ensuring that users are empowered with increased efficiency and productivity, regardless of the level of technical expertise or knowledge they may possess.
WHAT DOES HP AIM FOR IN TERMS OF THE FUTURE OF AI, AND HOW DOES THE COMPANY PLAN TO INTEGRATE AI INTO ITS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES?
We believe that the core of fostering digital equity in the Middle East is making sure that everyone has access to advanced technology, no matter where they are in the world. HP’s vision for the future of AI focuses on equipping individuals and businesses across the Middle East with access to, and the knowledge of utilizing, AI-driven solutions. These solutions can lead to improved productivity, innovation and inclusivity in digital transformation efforts.
NAVIGATING THE FUTURE
Ugresh Kumar, CEO and founder of WESERVE Information Technology, discusses digital transformation trends shaping the tech landscape.
WHAT ARE THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION TRENDS YOU ARE OBSERVING IN THE MARKET?
In today's dynamic digital landscape, several key trends are shaping digital transformation, including the Internet of Things (IoT) revolutionizing industries through realtime data collection and analysis to improve productivity and asset management, and Customer Experience (CX) being enhanced by omnichannel strategies and AI-driven tools for personalized interactions, with AI and Machine Learning driving automation, improving decision-making, and providing tailored experiences. Cloud Computing is accelerating the shift to scalable, flexible, and costeffective cloud-based solutions, while Remote Work and Collaboration Tools are facilitating seamless communication and collaboration in distributed work environments. Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly critical, with significant investments in advanced security measures to protect digital assets and ensure
data privacy. Meanwhile, Automation and Robotics are streamlining tasks with Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and intelligent automation to enhance efficiency, Digital Twins are being used to create virtual replicas of physical assets for optimized performance and predictive maintenance, and Blockchain technology is enhancing transparency, security, and efficiency across various sectors beyond cryptocurrencies. These trends underscore the need for businesses to stay agile and innovative to drive growth and remain competitive.
WHAT IS DRIVING THE MIGRATION TO CLOUD ENVIRONMENTS?
The migration to cloud environments is driven by several key factors, including scalability and flexibility, as cloud solutions allow businesses to easily scale resources based on demand, providing flexibility without significant capital investment. Cost efficiency is also a major
UGRESH KUMAR, CEO and founder of WESERVE Information Technology
driver, as cloud services reduce IT costs by eliminating the need for physical infrastructure and adopting a pay-asyou-go model. Improved collaboration is facilitated by cloud environments, which enable remote access to data and applications, especially important in remote work settings. Enhanced security is another critical factor, with leading cloud providers offering robust security measures, including encryption and regular updates, to protect against breaches and cyber threats. Business continuity is ensured through reliable backup and disaster recovery solutions, minimizing downtime during outages or disasters. The cloud also supports innovation and agility, providing access to cutting-edge technologies like AI and big data analytics, enabling businesses to innovate quickly and stay competitive. Additionally, cloud providers focus on sustainable practices, helping businesses reduce their carbon footprint. These factors underscore the strategic benefits of cloud migration, enhancing operational efficiency, cost savings, and innovation.
IS ERP ALSO MOVING TO THE CLOUD?
Yes, ERP systems are increasingly moving to the cloud due to several key benefits, including scalability and flexibility, as cloud ERP offers scalable resources and the flexibility to adapt to changing business needs. Cost efficiency is another significant advantage, as it reduces costs associated with on-premises infrastructure and provides predictable subscriptionbased pricing. Cloud ERP also
enhances accessibility and collaboration by enabling remote access and better collaboration across locations. It allows for rapid deployment and regular updates managed by the service provider, ensuring the system stays current. Enhanced security is provided through robust security measures and compliance with industry standards, while business continuity is supported with disaster recovery capabilities. Additionally, cloud ERP systems easily integrate with modern technologies like AI, machine learning, and IoT, driving innovation. This shift supports digital transformation, streamlining operations, reducing costs, and enhancing competitiveness.
HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOUR CLIENTS FROM EVOLVING THREATS?
We protect our clients from evolving threats through a comprehensive approach that includes advanced threat detection using AI and machine learning for real-time monitoring, regular security audits, and timely updates to stay ahead of vulnerabilities. Our robust encryption ensures strong data protection, while multi-factor authentication (MFA) is implemented to prevent unauthorized access. We also prioritize employee cybersecurity training to build a knowledgeable workforce. Our security operations center operates 24/7, providing continuous monitoring, and we collaborate with top security providers to enhance our defenses. Additionally, we maintain comprehensive data backup and disaster recovery plans. These measures ensure we uphold the highest standards of cybersecurity for our clients.
DRIVING INNOVATION AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ACROSS DIVERSE SECTORS
We sat down with Sanjay Raghunath, chairman and managing director of Centena group, to explore the company's innovations and strategic initiatives that are transforming industries across the Middle East and beyond.
WHAT ARE YOUR PRIMARY FOCUS AREAS FOR CENTENA, AND WHICH COUNTRIES ARE YOU TARGETING?
Our business spans five verticals, all rooted in science and technology.
First, we're deeply involved in the maritime sector, specializing in marine communication, navigation, and automation. We work with large ocean-going vessels, shipowners, and shipyards to install, maintain, and service equipment essential for maritime operations. Our service area covers the Middle East, India, and Singapore, supporting operations across 76 ports. Minimizing downtime is critical for shipowners, as delays can result in significant costs. We prioritize a high first-time completion rate of 97.8% to ensure that our engineers can service and depart from ships swiftly, avoiding costly delays.
Second, we operate in the industrial automation sector, focusing on enhancing plant operations. We supply and service SCADA systems, flow meters, valves, environmental protection equipment, and more for the oil and gas industry, providing process solutions that improve operational efficiency.
Third, we are engaged in the analytical equipment business, which involves selling and servicing equipment used for analyzing raw materials and finished products. This includes everything from water quality testing to DNA analysis, working with various sectors, including police and municipal laboratories, as well as educational institutions.
Fourth, we specialize in identification and security technologies. This includes physical security systems, biometric identification, facial recognition, AI-driven video analysis, and RF technology for product identification, all aimed at enhancing security and operational efficiency.
Finally, we are committed to hands-on, fun-based education, particularly for children and vocational training. We collaborate with the Ministry of Education in the Gulf to design curricula that teach students through interactive games and experiments rather than traditional textbooks. For example, a child might learn about angles and force by using a rocket launcher in a game, gaining practical knowledge through trial and error. This approach has impacted over a million children in the region over the past five years, including those in schools like GEMS.
HOW DOES CENTENA GROUP DEFINE ITS ROLE IN TODAY’S MIDDLE EAST MARKET, AND WHAT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES HAS IT INTRODUCED OVER THE YEARS IN TERMS OF SOLUTIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES?
Innovation is essential to making a meaningful impact. Our purpose is to enrich and transform lives through our work, ensuring that we positively affect society.
For example, in the marine industry, we've developed ballast water treatment technology that neutralizes water during a ship's voyage, preventing the transfer of harmful marine species between regions. This innovation helps protect ecosystems.
In other areas, like cement manufacturing, we monitor emissions to reduce environmental impact, and we provide customized analytical solutions to maintain product quality and environmental safety.
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, from protecting marine life to reducing pollution. In education, we focus on practical skills and teamwork, preparing students for a rapidly changing future.
Finally, our advancements in marine technology, such as the Integrated Bridge
starting AI implementation internally to drive better results.
Our work spans a wide range of industries, from grocery stores to government services. For example, we can implement solutions for a national identification program, utilizing the same facial recognition technology used at Dubai airports. This technology is versatile—it can be used both in high-security environments like airports and in everyday office settings for identification purposes.
SANJAY RAGHUNATH, Chairman and Managing director of Centena group.
System, allow ship captains to control vessels more efficiently and safely using an iPad, showcasing our commitment to innovation and improving life at sea.
CAN YOU PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVES THAT YOU HAVE DONE?
AI is causing significant disruption across many fields today, offering both immense advantages and potential downsides. One major advantage is the ability to process vast amounts of data rapidly. Our focus is on leveraging this capability for positive outcomes. For instance, our organization uses AI to enhance data processing, thereby improving operational efficiency. We believe in
AI also plays a crucial role in digital transformation within our organization, particularly in visual recognition. When you need to identify an individual among thousands of records, AI and machine learning are essential. An example is the evolution at Dubai Airport, where the need for physical documents is minimized thanks to AI-driven facial recognition. However, with the rise of AI, security has become a significant concern. Although we may not require the same level of security as some highstakes environments, we still prioritize protecting our data. Our IT team is vigilant about cybersecurity and aware of the growing threats that come with advanced technologies. For instance, the possibility of voice or face replication poses new challenges, making cybersecurity an even more critical focus.
This duality of AI—its power to transform but also its potential for misuse—is something we must navigate carefully. While AI can revolutionize industries, it also presents risks we must mitigate to protect organizations and individuals.
BANKING ON GROWTH
The "Middle East IT Industry Foresight 2024 - Banking" report from CAAS Research examines the profound impact of digital transformation on the banking sector across the Middle East.
This study gathers insights from over 150 C-level executives, focusing on how innovations in digital banking services, AI, machine learning, and data analytics are reshaping banking operations and customer interactions. The report highlights the strategic importance of adopting these technologies to enhance customer service, streamline operations, and ensure robust data security. It offers a roadmap for banks to navigate the digital landscape, emphasizing continuous investment in technology and fostering innovation to maintain a competitive edge and achieve sustainable growth.
DIGITAL BANKING INNOVATIONS
Digital banking services have become a crucial aspect of modern banking, enabling banks to offer more convenient and personalized services to their customers. This section explores the widespread adoption of digital banking platforms and mobile applications, highlighting the commitment of banks to digital transformation. The report discusses the challenges of implementing digital banking services, including technical complexities, compliance issues, and user training. Recommendations include enhancing user experience through intuitive interfaces, investing in cybersecurity to protect customer data, and providing comprehensive training programs for staff and customers to maximize the benefits of digital banking.
ADVANCED UTILIZATION AND SECURITY
The adoption of AI and machine learning in banking operations, particularly in trading strategies, is transforming how banks operate and compete. This section examines the use of these technologies to enhance trading accuracy, efficiency, and decision-making. The report highlights the challenges of implementing advanced technologies, such as infrastructure limitations, data quality issues, and regulatory compliance. Recommendations focus on improving data quality, investing in robust technology infrastructure, and addressing skill
gaps through training and partnerships with technology providers. By leveraging AI and machine learning, banks can improve trading performance and maintain a competitive advantage.
DATA UTILIZATION AND SECURITY
Data analytics is a powerful tool for banks to understand customer behavior, optimize operations, and enhance decision-making. This section explores the extensive use of data analytics and personalization in banking operations. The report discusses the future plans for data utilization and security, highlighting the need for banks to invest in advanced analytics tools and enhance data security measures to protect customer information. Recommendations include expanding the use of data analytics, integrating analytics tools with core banking systems, and implementing comprehensive data security frameworks to ensure data integrity and confidentiality. By prioritizing data-driven insights, banks can improve customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES AND COMPLIANCES
As the banking sector evolves, so does the regulatory landscape, requiring banks to adapt and comply with new regulations. This section examines the confidence levels of banks in managing evolving regulatory requirements and the anticipated role of IT in banking operations. The report highlights the trend towards deeper integration of IT and innovation in banking, with a focus on balancing traditional methods with new technologies. Recommendations include fostering a culture of innovation, staying informed of regulatory changes, and implementing compliance management systems to navigate the regulatory environment effectively. By embracing IT as a catalyst for transformation, banks can drive innovation and competitiveness.
The report forecasts significant growth in the adoption of digital technologies within the banking sector in the Middle East. By 2025, the integration of AI, machine learning, and
data analytics is expected to transform banking operations, enhance customer interactions, and improve operational efficiency. The trend towards automation and AI-driven solutions will expand beyond customer service to include personalized financial advice and enhanced risk management. The report emphasizes the strategic importance of continuous investment in digital infrastructure and innovation to maintain competitiveness
and lead the industry in the digital age.
The "Middle East IT Industry Foresight 2024 - Banking" report underscores the critical role of digital transformation in the banking sector. Embracing advanced technologies, integrating digital platforms, and prioritizing data security are essential for maintaining competitiveness and enhancing service delivery. The report concludes that strategic adoption of digital innovations
will shape the future landscape of banking operations, offering significant opportunities for growth and operational improvement. Banks that invest in these technologies and foster a culture of innovation will be well-positioned to lead the market, ensuring resilience and excellence in the digital age. This transformation is vital for optimizing banking processes, enhancing customer satisfaction, and achieving long-term success.
BUILDING WITHOUT BOUNDARIES
Prasanna
Rajendran, Vice President - EMEA, Kissflow, on the no-catch answer to the buy -vs-build dilemma.
The Arab Gulf region has weathered many storms in the past 20 years. Pursuing national agendas of economic diversification, public and private sectors have leaned heavily on technology. Organisations have become well-practised in overcoming the challenge of the moment by cautiously adopting AI, IoT, remote work, or whatever helps them overcome obstacles. One challenge that stubbornly remains is the buyversus-build dilemma. But high as this hurdle may appear, with the right equipment it is no less scalable than anything that has come before. The answer lies in low-code/no-code platforms. Digital transformation has become a way of life and of business. When drawing up a roadmap, each project involves a decision of whether to procure an off-the-shelf solution or develop one in house. One forecast has the GCC Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market growing from US$1.74 billion this year to US$4.22 billion by 2029 – a CAGR of 19.39% over five years. But interest has also mushroomed in low-code development because of another stubborn hurdle to digital transformation. The IT skills gap is global but is particularly acute in the region. With not enough developers to turn digital visions into reality, transformation can slow to a frustrating crawl.
The reasons for this are obvious and unavoidable. Projects that have the potential to add genuine business value are invariably going to originate with a non-technical employee. Even if this employee has great influence in the enterprise, and the project begins as soon as they have the idea, it will still take time to go through requirements analysis, use-case specifications, and so on. But imagine if the business-oriented employee could “become” a software coder. That is what Low-code Nocode allows. And by overcoming the skills gap problem it inadvertently solves the buyversus-build conundrum.
BANKING ON IT
The global Low-code market is expected to grow at a 31.65% CAGR from US$22.25 billion
in 2023 to US$264.4 billion in 2032. If the past is prologue, we can expect the GCC low-code market to follow this trend, and perhaps, given its economic ambitions and skills shortages, even outpace it. In low-code market projections, the BFSI sector is commonly singled out as the most likely trendsetter.
One recent estimate for how much investment is wasted globally on digital transformation projects is US$2.3 trillion – equivalent to the GDP of some top-10 economies. Much of this wastage is believed to come from the implementation of technologies that do not fit into existing technology suites. We could think of these projects as houses that look impressive from the outside but are lacking a fundamental interior feature – such as running water or electricity.
Now imagine having your own bricks, cement, and glass but rather than having to create everything from scratch, entire floors and walls have been pre-assembled. In the Lowcode No-code world, citizen developers can drag and drop the equivalent of prefabricated foundations, AC systems, kitchens, and bathrooms into an intuitive virtual workspace. These elements are pre-coded and pre-tested, meaning entire databases, orchestrations, reports, and security protocols can be built into viable solutions by employees with little to no technical background.
The implications of Low-code No-code platforms are far-reaching. In fact, they are game-changers for the entire concept of digital transformation. They accelerate time to market for digital experiences, which is critical in the era of the right-now development cycle. Entire steps are no longer necessary. There is no need to gather requirements when the developer is the one who has the need, and since the developer cannot code, no coding is required. Software development becomes less resourceintensive and considerably faster. And more flexible. Modifications are done more easily because of the visual, intuitive way low-code projects are built. So, businesses can respond
PRASANNA RAJENDRAN, Vice President - EMEA, Kissflow
to market trends and other surprises more quickly.
GROWING A CULTURE
As for the skills gap, not only is the citizen developer an answer to this problem, upskilling domain-smart employees gives them a deeper sense of investment in the enterprise’s future. Hence, job satisfaction and a greater potential for innovation are two other benefits of low-code development, especially if management can guilefully avoid project silos by encouraging greater collaboration between business and IT teams. The importance of this culture shift cannot be overstated. IT has traditionally guarded its turf just as other departments have defended theirs.
Strong leadership from within the IT team and among other department heads will assure professional coders that far from being replaced, their roles have been escalated to a dual responsibility. They are now technical consultants on smaller projects – projects that they would have found unchallenging. And they will continue to code more advanced, longer-term solutions that will add immeasurable value.
In choosing the “build” option, organisations condemn themselves to significant –
and potentially unpredictable – costs. Low-code/no-code platforms bring back control and predictability. Because they reduce the resource burden, they shrink costs. As mentioned previously, the financial services sector has put great stock in the potential of Lowcode No-code solutions. The GCC BFSI industry is rapidly coming to terms with complex regulatory frameworks while catering to the needs of digital natives through the launch of digital banks such as Mashreq Neo and Emirates NBD’s Liv. Citizen development allows these banks to streamline internal processes through automation of routine workflows. With minimal input from IT, banking staff can boost efficiency and accuracy, making the brand extremely popular with regulators and customers. Banks can personalise customer experiences by deploying custom applications. The low-code market is home to solutions that automate compliance with local regulations, which is critical for employees who, while highly trained, may not be capable of building compliance elements such as reporting and security into their digital creations.
Benefits Abound
Low-code has the potential to turn any business, especially a BFSI, into an agile, customerpleasing, regulator-satisfying powerhouse. Lower costs, happier employees, more efficient departments, deeper collaboration between IT and line of business – the list of benefits is endless. Regional enterprises must choose between coughing up the dust of early Low-code adopters or vying for pole position in a race to greatness.
EMBRACING THE FUTURE
Rohit Madhok, Senior Vice President & Global Head of Large Deals, Strategic Solutions & Transformation, Tech Mahindra, writes about how the Middle East is leading in embracing, adapting, and harnessing Autonomous Operations
In today’s world of innovation, data is the new gold. AI and GenAI are our ingenious guides, and businesses must adapt swiftly to stay ahead. The days of clunky operational silos and custom code are behind us. Autonomous Operations (AO) are here, transforming how we create agile, efficient, and cost-effective ways of deploying & managing newer services, products & offerings. Essentially transforms operations into self-optimizing ecosystems that set new standards of excellence and innovations. Remember when flip phones were the coolest gadgets around? Sending a message or browsing the internet felt like a dream. Today, we can’t live without our smartphones. Similarly, traditional business models are in the past now, they can’t keep pace with the digital world.
The traditional enterprise model was perfect for delivering and monetizing standard business services. Creating operational silos and custom code made perfect sense at that time, but those structures now block agility and inhibits these organizations’ ability to evolve into the new digital economy.
Organizations that embrace, adapt, and effectively harness the potential of autonomous operations will significantly outpace others in constructing a future-proof and sustainable business.
THE FUTURE OF AUTONOMOUS OPERATIONS & ITS TRANSFORMATIVE BENEFITS
AO is set to disrupt the way business is built & consumed worldwide. It aims to provide zero wait, zero-touch, and zero-trouble customer experience across industry verticals. This reduces friction points or delays and leaves the implementation complexity with the providers using cutting-edge technologies. Organisations can achieve autonomous excellence in customer onboarding, demand fulfilment, service assurance, self-healing, predictive maintenance, and various other business processes through the transformative power of AI/GenAI. This is facilitated by intentbased fulfilment, data utilisation, analytics, deep insights, closed-loop assurance, and cloud-native technologies.
In the Middle East, both tech companies and the public sector are heavily investing in automation and artificial intelligence (AI). AI is being integrated into a wide range of applications, including streamlining banking operations, enabling face-scanning check-ins at airports, enhancing conversational gadgets, and advancing computerized healthcare systems. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) and smart city projects are also key aspects of this technological shift.
Autonomous vehicles are becoming a reality, with significant progress led by the
ROHIT MADHOK,
Senior Vice President & Global Head of Large Deals, Strategic Solutions & Transformation, Tech Mahindra
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). In the oil and gas sector, automation is enabling unmanned offshore facilities and reducing carbon footprints, while AI is enhancing port operations. The MENA region's AV market is projected to reach $100 billion by 2030, aligning with global trends, where the AV market is expected to grow from $54 billion in 2019 to $557 billion by 2026. The Middle East is driving the future of autonomous operations with sustainability, efficiency, and innovation at its core.
Government initiatives are playing a crucial role in embracing autonomous operations. For instance, the UAE is at the forefront of smart city development, with Abu Dhabi and Dubai ranking among the world's top 50 smart cities due to digital transformation initiatives and Expo 2020 Dubai. Dubai aims to convert 25% of its transportation to autonomous modes by 2030, including automated vehicles and smart mobility initiatives. Governments in the Middle East, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are refining policies and regulations to accelerate the adoption of autonomous vehicles. The UAE's national smart mobility strategy aims to position the country as a global leader in AI by 2031.
As the region embraces smart cities and Industry 4.0, warehouse automation has emerged as a major trend. This approach not only boosts efficiency and productivity but also enhances employee well-being by freeing them from repetitive and physically demanding tasks. With an increasing emphasis on optimizing logistics and supply chain management, the Middle
East is strategically positioned to continue its investment in automation, solidifying its leadership in the digital economy.
PEOPLE AND PROCESSES IN AUTONOMOUS OPERATIONS
While technology forms the backbone of AO, people are the heart. They also pose the most significant challenge. Successful AO implementation requires a top-down vision and strategy that aligns leadership with the benefits of autonomous operations, down to the lastmile employee. This approach fosters a culture of innovation and facilitates adoption in the digital era.
The next five years in the industry will see more profound changes than the previous thirty, fuelled by new customer needs, new technologies, and low barriers to entry. The integrated enterprise model was perfect for delivering and monetizing traditional services. But those very structures now block the agility and inhibit the industry’s ability to evolve. Hence to stay relevant enterprises must embark on a journey to the digital native enterprises, which are more agile, efficient, self-optimizing, self-healing, autonomous and focusing on newer revenue streams.
IT and software service providers must help enterprises create a future where autonomous systems and AI-driven solutions elevate operational efficiency, significantly reducing costs and shrinking the time to market for new business avenues. This will be the next wave of growth for these organizations as they will help enterprises reimagine themselves as Cognitive enterprises.
WHY THE ARRIVAL OF ROBOTS IN MAINSTREAM BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES MAY BE ROUND THE CORNER
A combination of digital innovations, aging populations, and rapid growth of knowledge skills, are compelling early adaptors to look at how robots can be applied in a variety of use cases, writes Mohammed Aldousari, Regional Robotics Lead at PROVEN Robotics.
Global economies are facing multiple challenges. They range from unpredictable levels of demand and supply, increasing complexity of global supply chains, challenges of climate change, move to zero carbon emissions, and the need to digitally transform, including organizational structures and future of work.
Chief executives of enterprises, whether small, medium, or large, are compelled to build their skills to tackle these challenges with any degree of success.
The rate of change in technology and knowledge economy is soaring. Over the next decades, digital platforms are expected to disseminate knowledge and data at an ever-increasing rate. While it is easy to say that humans should keep reskilling themselves and schools and colleges should keep adding courses and learnings to address new technologies and new skills, there are limits to this speed of change.
Human beings cannot continuously reskill themselves at speed, whether in education, knowledge skills or hands-on training. They have a definitive cycle of learning, adaptation, and execution. Can large-scale automation be a possible solution for the need to continuously adapt and respond as demanded by our modern macroeconomic conditions?
New technologies have successfully disrupted industries whenever their benefits could be brought down to the shop floor and adapted at scale. Can large scale engineering industries be a starting point for automation, enabled by digital technologies to be deployed, innovated, and applied to all forms of societal requirements?
Advanced industrial automation in the form of robots could be rapidly adapted to new roles requiring skills still in their infancy among humans,
or in situations where the learning curve is high. In the past, robots have been deployed in industrial environments based on their rapid output, ability to withstand environmental conditions, and ability to keep functioning for long periods of operation.
This is why robots were categorized by engineering specifications rather than compute or technology specifications or business use cases. However, rapid advances in sensory, spatial, compute, data, cloud, 5G, wireless networks and coding frameworks mean that robots can now be taught and adapted for a much wider range of business and corporate tasks than just the industrial shop floor.
According to an announcement by the International Federation of Robotics in February 2023, the stock of operational robots around the world has now reached 3.5 million units, and the value of installations has reached an estimated 16 billion USD.
According to the Federation, robotics now plays a fundamental role in the changing demands of manufacturers around the world. Innovations in robotics are attracting the attention of key players in small, medium and large enterprises as well as OEMs. The areas of convergence with robotics are of key interest to early movers and investors around the world.
Here are some of the innovations taking place that are impacting the application and use cases of robotics around the world.
IMPACT OF AI AND ML
The information technology industry is witnessing an integration of machine language, artificial intelligence, and generative AI across a full range of solutions including business applications, connected devices, networks, security, databases, and so on. AI and ML
Regional Robotics Lead at PROVEN Robotics
platforms are also being included in robots that will allow them to learn from usage and improve their performance and behaviour, thereby becoming more intelligent.
In the consumer space, premium delivery robots like BellaBot or KettyBot, using autonomous navigation technology, have already demonstrated their ability to enhance productivity, improve operational flexibility, and expedite processes. These robots are an example of the transition from conventional production lines to integrated, scalable, and modular production cells with delivery across facilities.
GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND RESHORING
Many nations are looking at nearshoring and will move away from offshoring. While manufacturing plants can be set up and activated, do the human skills exist at the required price point and in the numbers required to make the plants viable?
Automation of the plants with robots, programmed to function in various roles and at various places in the plant, would be the way forward. Intelligent visual and spatial recognition, through the Internet of Things and AI would help rapidly build and customize the robots into their required roles.
ENERGY SAVING FUNCTION
As corporates become increasingly aware and demanding of their scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3 emission levels, there will be an increasing emphasis on energy efficiency and conversation. Inbuilt intelligence in robots will allow them to adopt the most suitable energy-saving profile that suits their role.
A robot that has been deployed to assist first responders will
probably never be in an energy standby mode while a robot that has been set up to match humans on duty may go into a deep sleep mode to conserve as much energy as possible. Similarly, sleep modes of most connected devices would need to become more intelligent to match the work profile of their users.
ARRIVAL OF LOW CODE
Over the last decade, the IT industry has seen the arrival of robotic process automation, business process engineering, hyper intelligent automation, everyday AI, and predictive analytics, which have required close mapping of business processes. This has also meant that the IT organization has been compelled to work more closely with business departments, and collaboration levels between IT and business heads have vastly improved.
Low code is now built into many applications to allow business users to become handson with these tools and map business processes much more rigorously into IT workflows and collaboration defaults. Robot OEMs and vendors now provide low code tools to customize their robots for specific roles and functions. In the past, robot OEMs provided specialized software kits that would restrict the appeal of the robots to IT departments and not business owners.
As in the past, stand-alone innovations and technology advancements have not been sufficient to disrupt industries and introduce large scale societal upheavals. The convergence of multiple technologies and innovations with macroeconomic conditions has triggered large scale disruptions. Will this happen in 2024?
DIVERSE MODELS FOR DIVERSE NEEDS
Lori MacVittie, F5 Distinguished Engineer,
writes there is ‘no one model to rule them all’ with
Generative AI
Based on the headlines, OpenAI is the only generative AI game in town. It is mentioned in every conversation about AI, even this one. But it isn’t the only service out there, nor is it the only model available.
In fact, adoption of generative AI for enterprise is not as homogenous as the headlines might lead you to think.
In our 2024 State of AI Application Strategy research, we discovered that organizations are, on average, running with almost three different models. The reason behind that choice appears to be driven by use cases.
For example, it’s no surprise to see security ops as a use case gravitate toward opensource models, which can be trained privately without fear of exposing processes and sensitive corporate data. The same is true for content creation, which often requires sharing sensitive data with a model. Nor is it surprising to see workflow automation use cases looking to Microsoft’s hosted services, as many organizations are tightly coupled to Microsoft solutions both on-premises and in Azure. No single model is going to fulfill all the technical and business requirements for the
growing list of generative AI for enterprise use cases.
This leads to some challenges when it comes to app delivery and security and general operations, as different model choices imply different deployment patterns.
EMERGING AI DEPLOYMENT PATTERNS
There are three basic deployment patterns emerging. The core difference revolves around operational responsibility for scaling inferencing services. In all patterns the organization is responsibility for app delivery and security.
•SaaS Managed. In a SaaS managed deployment pattern, AI applications use APIs to access an AI managed service, a la OpenAI ChatGPT. Operational responsibility for scale lies with the provider.
•Cloud Managed. Cloud managed deployed patterns leverage cloud provider hosted AI services. These services are still accessed via an API but may be either private to the enterprise or shared. The AI apps themselves may also be in the public cloud or on-premises. When the service is private, the enterprise takes on the responsibility for scaling inferencing
LORI MACVITTIE, F5 Distinguished Engineer
services, which can be a challenge as most organizations have little experience scaling large language models. When the service is shared, organizations defer responsibility to the cloud provider but must consider factors such as quotas and token-based costs as part of their operations.
•Self-Managed. Opensource models are most likely to be deployed in a self-managed pattern, both in the public cloud and onpremises. Models may be accessed via API or directly via an application. In this pattern, organizations take on full responsibility for scaling, securing, and monitoring the inference services.
There are numerous providers that will host open-source models to support a SaaS managed pattern and many cloud providers that also offer open-source as a service. OpenAI models are not only available in a SaaS managed pattern via OpenAI, but as a cloud managed pattern via Microsoft. Mistral, a popular
open-source model, can be deployed in all three patterns. This is why we see use case as the primary driver of model choice, given that enterprises can choose to mix and match, as it were, models and deployment patterns. Organizations are already feeling the pressure with respect to the skills needed not only to train models but operate and secure them. Thus, matching models by use case makes the most sense for many organizations with limited operational expertise to spread around. Focusing resources on those use cases that cannot, for security or privacy reasons, be deployed in shared patterns will ultimately net the best results.
BEWARE OPERATIONAL MYOPIA
But beware the danger of operational myopia, which can lead to silos within the organization. We’ve seen that happen with cloud computing and no doubt we will see it again with generative AI for enterprise. But being aware of the danger of isolating operations and security by model, one hopes that organizations might avoid the complexity and risk that incurs and strategically choose models and deployment patterns that make the most of operational resources, capabilities, and budgets.
These are early days, and by the time you read this there will no doubt be new providers and new models with new capabilities. But the deployment patterns will remain largely the same, which allows for more strategic planning with respect to operations—from budgets to staffing to the app services you’ll need to secure and scale whatever models you might choose.
MORE OBSERVABILITY, MORE OPPORTUNITY
Fernando Castanheira, CIO at Riverbed Technology, outlines the blueprint for banking tech success in the Middle East.
The Middle East banking landscape has undergone profound transformation over the last decade - from the rise of FinTech and crypto assets to the emergence of programmable Web3 and, more recently, the surge of artificial intelligence (AI). With AI alone projected to contribute up to US$320 billion in economic value to the Middle East by the end of this decade, banks find themselves navigating both challenges and opportunities at unprecedented speed. In the region, where economies are diversifying rapidly, this technological evolution could prove pivotal in shaping the future of finance.
Across financial services, machine learning is already making waves. From replacing human judgment in underwriting to assessing risk in the payments industry and even providing customers with conversational interfaces in mobile banking apps, the application of AI is as broad as it is transformative. But for banks in the Middle East, how can they not only keep pace with these changes but also capitalise on the exciting advancements? Here are some key strategies.
The rise of blockchain platforms like Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana has been revolutionary, with over 1.3 billion addresses— the blockchain equivalent of bank accounts— now in existence. This decentralisation has allowed FinTechs and neobanks to challenge traditional banking giants, with venture capital flowing into the FinTech sector at a staggering rate of $4 billion per month. In the Middle East, neobanks such as UAE’s YAP and Saudi Arabia’s STC Pay have already made significant inroads. As the financial landscape evolves, established banks must embrace the opportunity to adapt or risk falling behind.
Partner Up: Collaboration is key. The scale of transformation required to stay competitive cannot be tackled alone. Strategic partnerships with technology providers are essential for banks to keep up with the changing pace of innovation. In the region,
we've seen partnerships like Saudi National Bank collaborating with FinTech startups and Dubai’s Mashreq Bank embracing tech giants to offer integrated digital solutions. These alliances are vital for developing new customer experiences and bolstering operational efficiency.
Explore New Platforms: Beyond partnerships, banks need the right platforms to enhance their visibility and understanding of customer interactions. In a hyper-connected region like the Middle East, where mobile banking adoption is among the highest globally, digital experience is everything. According to Riverbed’s Global Digital Employee Experience (DEX) survey, 98% of financial services leaders agree that digital experience is critical for staying competitive. Banks that succeed will be those that provide seamless, efficient, and innovative services through their digital platforms.
From the user’s perspective, the technological advancements are game-changing. They now have the ability to send money through social media messaging apps, save via payment apps, and manage their finances through allencompassing apps. Digital banking is now the preferred banking channel and so this integration is critical. Banks must not only offer an easy-to-use app, but they must ensure that the performance of this is consistently up to the highest standards. The most impressive interface won’t undo the negative impact of poor end-user experience. Also consider personalised recommendations, perhaps facilitated by AI-driven robo-advisors. The alternative? Customers will turn to competitors who can.
Delve Into Your Data: At the heart of providing these seamless digital experiences is data. Middle East banks need to collect, analyse, and extract actionable insights from full-fidelity data across all platforms. Whether it’s understanding customer spending habits or identifying opportunities for cost savings,
CASTANHEIRA, CIO at Riverbed Technology
having great AI outcomes depends on having great data. With clear benchmarks in place, banks can ensure they consistently meet—and exceed—expectations.
Invest in Intelligent Monitoring: An AI observability platform is essential for monitoring data and establishing a baseline for what ‘normal’ looks like for both employees and customers. With real-time monitoring and data-driven insights, banks can make informed improvements, reduce downtime, and enhance overall customer experience, all while staying ahead of the competition. The region’s tech-savvy consumers demand instant gratification; the ability to respond to problems before they escalate is a major competitive advantage.
Automate, Automate, Automate: Automation is a game-changer. By implementing platforms that automatically optimise workflows—whether it’s through addressing service desk issues or fixing bugs—banks can increase productivity and improve app functionality. For Middle East banks, where operational efficiency is critical in the race to digitise, automation can significantly reduce costs while improving customer satisfaction.
Review Your Resources and Make Smart Choices: Resource optimisation is a must in an era of cost-conscious banking. By gaining insight into which resources are being utilised and where efficiencies can be made, banks in the Middle East can make smarter decisions.
Do they need as many physical branches when digital banking is taking off? Could software licenses be better managed? These considerations help banks to operate more efficiently and sustainably, aligning with the region’s focus on balancing growth with environmental impact.
Monitor Trends and Patterns: AI’s predictive capabilities extend beyond understanding current trends to forecasting future ones. In a region where consumer spending patterns often fluctuate with seasonal or cultural events like Ramadan, banks can leverage AI to allocate resources effectively, ensuring smooth app performance and superior customer service during peak times.
Investing in new technologies can be costly, but when applied intelligently, they offer the potential for significant savings. By utilising datadriven insights to improve operational efficiency, banks can increase ROI while also reducing their carbon footprint. This aligns with the Middle East’s growing emphasis on sustainability, particularly in economies like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where green finance is becoming increasingly important.
As the Middle East continues to grow as a financial powerhouse, banks must embrace technological transformation to stay competitive. By focusing on partnerships, data-driven insights, and smart resource management, they can not only keep pace with global developments but also lead the way in innovation. The future of banking is digital, and those who invest wisely today will reap the rewards of tomorrow.
FERNANDO
POWERING BUSINESS
Industry experts unveil crucial
With a plethora of choices, choosing the right large language model (LLM) for your enterprise can be a game-changer. As organizations increasingly look to leverage AI for everything from customer service automation to advanced data analysis, the selection of an appropriate LLM is more critical than ever.
The right model can drive innovation, streamline operations, and enhance decisionmaking processes, while the wrong choice could lead to inefficiencies, security concerns, and missed opportunities. Whether you are aiming to supercharge your AI initiatives or seeking to gain a competitive edge, understanding the nuances of LLMs is essential for making an informed, impactful decision.
“When selecting LLMs, enterprises must clearly define their purpose and goals, understand why they need an LLM, and accordingly prioritize pilot use cases, says Benjamin Dietz- Partner, BCG X. “It's crucial to recognize that, while powerful, LLM technology is still evolving and can make errors including hallucinations. Organizations must carefully weigh the potential benefits against the risk of mistakes, assessing their tolerance for errors and determining how to build reliable systems with potentially imperfect components.”
According to Dr Drishty Sobnath, Assistant Professor, Mathematical and Computer
Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, choosing which LLM is best for the industry will depend on the business needs and constraints. It is important to identify areas where these tools will bring the most impact and improve efficiency, for example, routine language-based tasks, customer interactions, producing reports and other tasks that can be automated.
She emphasises enterprises need to evaluate whether the LLM has been trained on data that matches the domain or context of their projects. Some domain-specific LLMs apply Generative AI (Gen AI) technology to specific subjects and industries.
Jim Chappell, Head of AI and Advanced Analytics, AVEVA, highlights that another area to be considered is security. Even if a company doesn’t train its data into an LLM, merely interacting with it, where proprietary company information is used within the question, could create a major security breach. There are two categories of protective guardrails to evaluate: technical and contractual. Both should be implemented to ensure maximum safety of company data. In addition, a process for evaluating responses should be implemented to ensure that third-party copyrights aren’t violated. All of this should be evaluated when choosing an LLM.
For enterprises, there are two choices when it comes to LLMs- open-source and proprietary.
“Organizations today are selecting one or the other mainly for security reasons. The truth is
INNOVATION
considerations for selecting the right LLM
Benjamin Dietz, Partner at BCG X
that the actual usage of private companies with training data/ queries that users handle is still unknown,” says Federico Pienovi, Chief Business Officer & CEO for MENA at Globant. Additionally, LLM is being adopted by companies throughout partnerships at an increasing rate. Many corporations standardize processes for customer service or even automation with agreements between the big techs: OpenAi, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Baidu, Alibaba, etc.
Steve Fernandes, Senior
Dr Drishty Sobnath, Assistant Professor, Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Dubai
Manager - Solution Engineering, Confluent, says the selection between open-source and closed LLMs needs a thorough evaluation of the specific use case and its broader implications for the business. Open-source models bring transparency and adaptability, though they may present challenges in terms of security and consistency. Closed models, on the other hand, offer enhanced security and quality control but may lack flexibility, produce higher costs, and often have limited
Federico Pienovi, Chief Business Officer & CEO for MENA at Globant
Jim Chappell, Head of AI and Advanced Analytics, AVEVA
transparency. So before choosing the ideal approach, it needs a strategic assessment aligned with organizational objectives.
Sid Bhatia, VP & GM - Middle East, Turkey & Africa at Dataiku
Federico from Globant says there is a huge difference between the two, which is the degree of freedom or customization. Opensource requires tech-savvy teams or partners to run properly, but the advantages are immense. Response customizations, use case adaptations, or even devicespecific customizations.
The smaller and more efficient the LLM, the more possibilities it provides. With excellent results, the latest solutions can run on mobile phones or even smaller CPUs like Raspberry PIs.
Stefan Leichenauer, VP Engineering, SandboxAQ, says for now, closed-source LLMs are the best-performing LLMs out there. But the open-source community has been catching up, and over time we expect that open-source solutions will have very similar performance as compared with closedsource. Furthermore, for many business applications, the absolute best possible performance may not be necessary or cost-effective.
With a closed source model, the business has to trust that their data is being handled properly by the third party. How much would you bet that your data is not being improperly used by third parties? How much do you trust a thirdparty's cybersecurity practices?
Stefan Leichenauer, VP Engineering at SandboxAQ
Closed-source models are also less transparent. You don't know exactly what the model is doing.
COMBINING RAG WITH LLM FINETUNING
Combining Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with LLM finetuning is a powerful approach that leverages the strengths of both retrieval-based and generative models to enhance the performance and specificity of AI systems.
“It provides several notable benefits. Enhanced contextual accuracy is one of the primary advantages. RAG allows LLMs to incorporate specific, relevant internal data into their responses, which helps ensure that the information provided is accurate and contextually appropriate. This integration of internal knowledge bases makes the responses more tailored and relevant to the enterprise’s needs,” says Sid Bhatia, Regional VP for Middle East, Turkey & Africa at Dataiku.
He adds improved relevance is another key benefit. By using RAG to inject context-specific information into queries, the LLM can generate responses that are more pertinent to the user’s specific situation. This enhances the quality of interactions and provides users with information that directly addresses their
Steve Fernandes, Senior Manager Solutions Engineering at Confluent
needs.
“LLMs are powerful tools that compress vast amounts of information and develop advanced reasoning capabilities, making them valuable for general understanding and problem-solving. By combining RAG and fine-tuning, enterprises can create a more robust and specialized models that understand and reason within the context of your business and possess the necessary detailed information to provide accurate and relevant responses,” says Benjamin from BCG.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANCEMENTS IN LLM WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO?
Stefan from SandboxAQ says when people think of AI right now, they mostly think about intelligent chat bots, automated writing assistants, and similar widgets that all have to do with language. While natural language processing has a lot of very interesting applications, much of the impact over the next 5-10 years is going to come from innovations in Quantitative AI, that is, AI that can do numerical reasoning. Such AI systems will be able to revolutionize areas such as robotics, materials design, and drug discovery in ways that purely language-based models cannot. The next great advance will be the development of Large Quantitative Models,
which are analogous to today's LLMs but capable of numerical inputs and outputs that are directly relevant to physical processes. These LQMs will supercharge engineering and design from the molecular to the macroscopic level, and are one of the most promising tools for addressing challenges like global healthcare and climate change.
Federico from Globant says the main trends while adopting LLMs are still on the lines of operational efficiencies and customer service since these models directly link with conversations and are the missing piece between humanmachine interaction. Enterprises use them to analyze large amounts of data, standardize processes, pragmatism in decision-making, and provide quick resolution times. They are
reducing human tasks but mainly enhancing them, accelerating slow performers, and helping the insecure.
The latest big trend is adding reactivity to organizations. The bigger the corporation, the bigger the blind spots. However, LLMs offer great skill in diagnosing problems and suggesting possible solutions. So, self-diagnostic and selfhealing solutions became the norm in certain departments.
He adds this trend is also interesting because it is directly connected to big consulting firms. LLMs are slowly replacing experts who diagnose and recommend. Sometimes, a consultant's cost may be lower than a GPU farm. It is a very useful tool for automating sectors within the organization
using "smart analysis and diagnostic" with even less bias.
Dr Drishty from Heriot-Watt University wraps up: “As LLMs become more prevalent, there's a growing emphasis on ethical considerations. Developing techniques and best practices to reduce biases in LLMs, and ensuring fair and equitable treatment across different user groups and contexts proved to be challenging. We can also expect to have better factual accuracy by enabling models to fact-check themselves while new prompt engineers can help the model come up with more relevant responses. The continued evolution of LLMs in 2025 is likely to have a profound impact on a wide range of industries and societal domains.”
Cameron Thomson, Group Vice President for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)`
Avaya appoints Cameron Thomson to lead EMEA theatreEMEA theatre
Avaya has appointed Cameron Thomson as Group Vice President for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) theatre, including Turkey and Pakistan.
Based in the United Kingdom, Thomson joins Avaya off the back of extensive success in regional CX leadership at Alvaria and that company’s previous incarnation, Aspect Software.
“This theatre is full of potential, ranging from the large-scale Enterprise CX opportunities for innovation without disruption that we see in developed markets across Europe, to the emerging, large-scale customer-centric CX projects we’re seeing across the Middle East and Africa. This is an exciting time to be joining Avaya, which is best placed to help large-scale organizations tackle their unique CX strategies head on, at a pace that suits them, with advanced technologies that integrate seamlessly with what already works,” said Thomson.
Nutanix appoints new EMEA channel sales leader
Nutanix has announced that Sven Schoenaerts has been appointed as the new Senior Director, Channel Sales EMEA. In his new role, effective 01 August 2024, he will be responsible for Nutanix’ routes to market. All EMEA Regional Channel Sales Leaders will report to Sven.
“Partners have been a cornerstone of the success of Nutanix, and will play an even more important role in helping customers achieve the benefits of hybrid and multicloud architectures,” commented Sven Schoenaerts. “I also look forward to building on my extensive work with Service Providers and Hyperscalers, as those routes-to-market take a more important role in Nutanix’ future.”
Sven joined Nutanix as NEEUR Channel Sales Director in January of 2022 following a long career in various channel, sales and management roles at companies including Amazon Web Services, NetApp and Brocade Communications.
Chief Financial Officer,
Infobip appoints Yariv Dafna as Chief Financial Officer
Infobip has appointed Yariv Dafna as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Yariv is a seasoned finance, business management, and operations executive with nearly 20 years’ experience as an executive in multinational, publicly listed companies. Besides his financial background, Yariv also brings extensive experience in corporate development and M&A. He will lead Infobip’s finance team and focus on enhancing profitability as the business continues to strengthen its position as a leading full stack omnichannel communications platform for every platform.
Yariv joins from Evoke PLC (formerly 888 Holdings Ltd) one of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies, where he was Group CFO. Before this, he held the position of President and Group CFO of Telit Communications PLC, a provider of integrated products and services to support and enable Internet of Things (IoT) deployments globally.
Yariv Dafna,
Infobip
Sven Schoenaerts, NEEUR Channel Sales Director
TRENDING SO CIAL
