Business Extra

It’s Ramadan, a time of reflection and renewal in all aspects of life. And though it might seem like quite the juxtaposition, the themes of reflection and renewal are not lost on technology – especially in an age of artificial intelligence.

AI is testing our relationship with technology like never before. It’s offering endless possibilities; it’s also creating ample concern, often overshadowing the possibilities.

In this episode, we’re taking a look at the many upsides offered by artificial intelligence, and how those upsides offer an opportunity for renewal and reflection on multiple levels. For health care, education, sustainability and energy, those closest to AI say it can ratchet up solutions.

Host Cody Combs is joined this week by Dr Mohamed Alloghani, senior adviser to the president of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

Ramadan is a time of reflection, solidarity and community. One of the core values of the month for Muslims is to gather with family members for big meals and to stay connected with them.

 

Yet, for millions of people living in conflict zones in the region, Ramadan is not the same as before and staying connected has become a lifeline.

 

A few months ago, the eSIM technology emerged as a game-changer in one of the biggest current conflicts in the Middle East; the Israel-Gaza war.

 

It offered seamless connectivity at times of prolonged communications blackouts that severed telephone and internet connections.

 

So how has the eSIM business become a driver of connectivity? And how does technology serve humanitarian purposes?

 

Dina Tsybulskaya, CEO of eSIM Plus, joins Business Extra host Cody Combs this week to talk about the eSIM industry's growth and its impact on conflict zones.

Never before have we had so much computing power so widely available.

We have super computers, we have quantum computers and, yes, we have an unprecedented amount of data.

It is all creating a perfect situation where we now have the ability to potentially make predictions, make progress and improve society like never before. In particular, data and computational sciences could be game changers for health care, energy, sustainability and financial inclusion.

Adia Lab, Abu Dhabi’s independent institute dedicated to research in data and computer sciences, has focused on looking at ways data and computational sciences could positively affect societally important topics such as health care, energy, climate telecoms and financial inclusion.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs speaks to Horst Simon, the lab’s director and a world-renowned expert in computer science, about how Abu Dhabi and the UAE are positioned to be at the centre of all that computational progress.

AI-generated deepfake videos and images often go viral, deceiving millions before the truth comes out, and even then, it keeps on circulating.
In fact, 2023, according to one study, saw a record-setting number of AI incidents.

Can anything be done amid a technological climate where it’s easier than ever to create deepfakes?

The short answer is yes, and as we speak, researchers are finding ways to identify deepfakes faster than ever.

In this episode of Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs sat down with Professor Hao Li, associate professor of computer vision Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence to know more about that and the first of its kind research hub, dedicated to immersive communication, digital content and spatial computing.

Since 2022, the ripple of artificial intelligence has turned into a tidal wave around the world, having an effect on almost all industries and areas of expertise, including finance and investing.

Bloomberg, a leading global platform for business and financial information, has its own AI large language model.

In this Business Extra episode from the World Governments Summit in Dubai, host Cody Combs is joined by two top executives from Bloomberg LP, chief technology officer Shawn Edwards, and head of quant technology strategy Gary Kazantsev.

They dig deep into the hopes, aspirations and possible ramifications of AI in finance and investing, and explore how the technology is driving Bloomberg's investment and business decisions.

Large language models, more commonly known as LLM, are the backbone of what makes artificial intelligence so intelligent.

M42, Abu Dhabi's technology-enabled healthcare company, has designed a clinical generative AI LLM to serve as an assistant to doctors, patients, nursing staff and other health professionals.

Since October 2023, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health has been helping with the eventual implementation of a new clinical generative AI LLM, Med42, across the emirate’s healthcare system.

Host Cody Combs sits down with Shadab Khan, head of AI and applied sciences at M42, to talk about the company's hopes for the large language model and its potential impact on the healthcare industry.

What do you do with a critical mass of talent yearning to make an entrepreneurial mark in the Middle East? That is the task faced by the UAE’s northern emirate of Sharjah.

In particular, that is the task of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre, or Sheraa, a government-backed organisation launched with a mandate to build the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the emirate.

On this episode, host Cody Combs spoke with Sheraa’s chief executive Najla Al Midfa about the accomplishments, goals and evolving road map for Sharjah entrepreneurs.

Does the world need another social network?

Ayman Hariri, co-founder of Vero and son of former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri, thinks so.

Host Cody Combs talked to the co-founder of the ad-free, algorithm-free alternative to Facebook, TikTok and Twitter at Abu Dhabi Finance Week.

They discussed the big plans for the platform this year and the tech start-up culture in the Mena region.

AI isn't going away, the metaverse is still showing signs of life, and cybersecurity concerns remain abundant.

Just when you thought it was safe to enter 2024 on a clean technology slate, similar themes and a cast of technology characters are re-emerging from the previous year. Yet, not everything is the same. There are some early hints of what to expect, and some clues from tech products that offer a glimpse at how our lives and businesses will change in the weeks and months ahead.

Will deepfake videos cause a cacophony of problems? Will Apple's vision of spatial computing have us all wearing headsets? Will AI concerns finally become reality?

Host Cody Combs looks at where things stand on all these topics and more.

Interviews include analysis from Renee McGowan, Marsh McLennan’s chief executive for India, Middle East & Africa, and Robert Wahl, associate professor of computer science Concordia University in Wisconsin.

A new year is around the corner, and that particular time is always a great opportunity to look back and reflect.

However, it's also essential to look ahead as well and understand the forces that will shape the coming year. 2024 promises to be a pivotal year, with major shifts in technology, political economy, and evolving factors.

Host Cody Combs sits down with Sam Blatteis, co-founder and chief executive of The MENA Catalysts, to talk about what breakthroughs we can expect in 2024, and how will businesses leverage AI to stay ahead of the curve.