CNN
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A year after Collins Dictionary named “AI” its word of the year, the buzz around artificial intelligence is only getting louder. AI and robotics were the big themes at Gitex Global, which bills itself as the world’s largest tech event and ran Monday to Friday last week at Dubai’s World Trade Centre.
“I think what (was) very exciting this year (was) the focus on AI and deep tech,” said Trixie LohMirmand, executive vice president of Dubai World Trade Centre and CEO at KAOUN International, which organizes the event. “A lot of companies and industries are now attempting to leverage AI, especially getting into the underserved industries such as healthcare.”
According to Patrick Dennis, CEO of US telecommunications company Avaya, AI represents a huge growth opportunity. “The reason why AI is such a big deal,” he told CNN from the event, “is there hasn’t been a shift capable of moving worldwide GDP like this in a very, very long time – think industrial revolution. And that gives everybody an opportunity to take (market) share from their competitors, build new markets and grow.”
The show, which debuted in 1981 as the Gulf Computer Exhibition in a single hall at the same venue, is now on its 44th edition and this year spanned 40 halls, boasting over 6,500 exhibitors, 1,800 startups and 1,200 investors, with attendees from 180 countries. Gitex has crossed borders beyond the United Arab Emirates, with equivalents in Germany, Singapore and Morocco.
Several companies launched new products at this year’s show, including Dubai-based deep tech company Xpanceo, which debuted the new prototypes of its smart contact lenses.
One of the lenses presented at the event could show AR (augmented reality) content while consuming just 1 to 3 microwatts of power, or up to 300 times less than conventional AR glasses. Another prototype was capable of data transmission directly into the lens, allowing it to receive and interact with data, for example coming from biometric sensors placed elsewhere on the body.
Among other noteworthy sightings on the show floor were Maha, a new Emirati humanoid robot teacher, and Mand.ro, an affordable robotic prosthetic hand developed in South Korea that offers high levels of customization but starts at only $1,000 — several thousand dollars cheaper than today’s typical market offerings.
Next year, Gitex will make its debut in Nigeria, which LohMirmand calls “a future AI superpower.” “It was very interesting and encouraging for us to note that many emerging, rising nations, cities and countries are trying to get into the game of digital transformation, and you can feel the urgency and motivation to accelerate that transformation in as short a time as possible,” she said.
