Competition in the age of Artificial intelligence

Competition in the age of Artificial intelligence will be strong. Consequently, transparency and alignment will be a must. This will be increasingly relevant across all firms and sectors. Richard Lock, global head of logistics at EY, commented: "The implications of the huge shift in global trade facilitated by Artificial intelligence on the supply chain are really only just starting to be understood. The change in structure will have profound impacts on key supply chain stakeholders. "The main challenge in identifying how the changes can be managed, understood and capitalised upon by the industry will be in gaining a complete understanding of the changes in business and market opportunities and risks. This will be a vital need for the industry moving forward." The topic of AI and robotics is now an integral part of everyday business life for people across all industries. Of course, plenty of industry players would argue the next decade will be dominated by yet another IT buzzword (storage and cloud) and the development of microservices. Hear me out. Up to 45% of the workload in the Middle East region is currently being done by server resources (mostly in the form of virtual machines, or VMs). This makes for an increasingly small installed base. These virtual machines are the reason behind the need to increase efficiency and overall cost savings at regional businesses and organisations. At a personal level, I am always looking for ways to reduce the amount of personal effort it takes to get things done. Business leaders across the globe can do the same by streamlining their operations and reducing costs. What exactly will be done about the data centre (the Internet of Things)? The recent explosion of mobile data is the result of the move to mobile computing and social media. As we see the rise of wearable technology and the Internet of Things, we are only going to see these figures increase. A survey by Cloudera found that enterprises are currently dealing with the equivalent of more than 240TB of data per user. This total represents the sum of what is being generated by almost 300 million daily users. The only real solution to this is with an integrated ecosystem – one that ensures all data is being captured and analyzed in the most efficient way possible. Finally, what can the data centre be used for? The good news for all industry participants in the region is that many businesses are considering hosting their data centres outside of the traditional physical boundaries. 

The exponential growth of IoT devices across the Middle East is a prime example of how an integrated ecosystem with a focus on interconnectivity across cloud and all technologies is key for the future success of many businesses. With cloud as the new IT frontier, IT leaders in the region need to ensure that they are providing the right IT infrastructure to meet the demands of businesses. In addition, this technology is just one facet of the overarching trend in artificial intelligence – where the power of AI, combined with an end-to-end ecosystem, will completely revolutionise the way we interact with technology. As AI becomes increasingly prevalent in our lives, this technology will make our businesses more productive and will enable us to achieve new heights. As a result of its dependence on an integrated ecosystem, data is key to unlocking the full potential of the future of the Middle East. While the leading edge of this new wave of technology may have hit the region late, we have now started the process of digging in. 

There is much work to be done to capture the new opportunities this disruptive technology will bring to the region. Footprint Technology managing director Musab Musallam said: "We are all still trying to understand the changes brought about by the convergence of digital technologies. "Of course, the concept of smart homes and intelligent cities are not new – they are a natural progression for technology to move from a stand-alone setting to a situation where the outcomes are dictated by the environment. "However, this is not just a modern-day concept – it is one that existed for thousands of years, as is evidenced in some of the great cultural traditions of the Middle East, in which the elements of nature can be seen as the centre of spirituality and prosperity. "When we look at the evolution of technology from virtual reality, augmented reality, smartwatches, 3D printing and DNA storage, we will be looking at the total synergy that IoT will bring to the way we live, the way we work and the way we interact with society.

" The Middle East is a major beneficiary of the rise of IoT and it's a country where all stakeholders in the digital transformation space must come together. It is not a question of if the region will benefit from IoT, but rather when. However, an IoT ecosystem can be built in the region, and should be; it will help bring about widespread productivity, as well as unprecedented advances in education, health and other services that have been lagging behind for many years. Companies are now beginning to realise this, and many have already taken the first steps. In fact, earlier this month, Microsoft and Dubai Smart Government announced a partnership to develop technologies to improve the government's efficiency and service delivery in the Emirate. 

Just a few days earlier, Saudi Telecom announced the launch of a new network named MTN MY SmartNerve which will bring a host of IoT-related services, including smart parking solutions and weather updates to Saudi Arabia's urban population. Another recent venture in the region, Tata Communications, took the next step in its digital transformation journey in January 2018, when it launched its IoT global internet of things (IoT) centre of excellence in Dubai. Aiming to tap into the enormous market potential for IoT services in the region, the centre of excellence is designed to support key digital transformation initiatives across a range of industries. With a vision to become the leading global technology integrator, Tata Communications will serve as a technology partner of choice for the digital transformation of companies globally. 

As a result of the increasing interest in IoT solutions, as well as other future technologies, a number of countries and international organizations have shown an interest in establishing and developing IoT in the region. This is a region that has been – and still is – closely associated with what many describe as the 4th industrial revolution. The UAE, for example, is already a leading adopter of IoT technology with its 'smart' initiatives. In fact, the recent announcement of the upcoming 'Dubai Smart City' project – a vision to turn Dubai into a smart, sustainable city by 2025 – is an excellent example of how IoT is already transforming the UAE. Many governments, such as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, have placed a heavy emphasis on creating the right conditions to help create

AI driven rover