AI is transforming the Middle East, with countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia leading the charge. Experts discuss AI’s potential in cybersecurity and the importance of responsible development.
The Middle East is undergoing a rapid digital transformation, with AI at its epicentre. Countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have positioned themselves as global AI leaders, investing heavily in research and development. The UAE’s appointment of an AI minister in 2017 and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative underscore their commitment to leveraging AI for economic diversification and global influence.
The region’s technological prowess is evident in breakthroughs like the Falcon 2 AI model, which rivals global giants in the AI domain. However, this digital evolution comes with its own set of challenges. Cybersecurity threats are rising, with countries like Bahrain and Egypt experiencing a surge in malware attacks.
Fortunately, AI is also at the forefront of combating these threats. Organisations across the Middle East are increasing their AI investments to fortify their cybersecurity defences. AI-powered systems are becoming indispensable tools for detecting anomalies, predicting breaches, and responding swiftly to cyberattacks.
While AI’s potential to revolutionise industries and enhance security is immense, it’s crucial to approach its development and implementation responsibly. As we celebrate AI Appreciation Day today, we asked the experts what the approach meant for them. Leaders from diverse backgrounds and experiences offer many insights applicable to everyone, from personal users to business professionals.
Barry Norton, VP of Research at Milestone Systems
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is undeniably transforming technology and security landscape, marking a pivotal moment in our digital era.
One striking example of AI’s transformative power is Generative AI. Traditional internet searches yield millions of results, requiring considerable effort to find valuable information. GenAI streamlines this process, delivering coherent and concise answers, thus freeing humans to focus on higher-level tasks and actionable insights. Integrating AI with search engines is just the beginning; combining AI with other technologies, such as video surveillance, has shown tremendous potential.
Within the security landscape, AI-powered devices equipped with deep learning analytics are revolutionising how we interpret video data. These smart devices are becoming increasingly adept at understanding video scenes, potentially surpassing human capabilities due to their scalability. The synergy between AI and video technology promises to empower individuals, businesses, and societies by enhancing security and operational efficiency.
However, with these advancements come legitimate concerns about AI’s increasing role in our daily lives. Future generations may have different expectations of AI and technology, necessitating a shift from viewing technology as an end in itself to a means of achieving greater societal well-being.
At Milestone Systems, we are committed to developing AI solutions that prioritise humanity’s greater good. The successful integration of AI into everyday life hinges on responsible implementation, ensuring that AI serves as a tool for societal benefit rather than merely a profit generator.
To this end, we focus on enhancing AI solutions’ performance by addressing accuracy and fairness. Effective AI solutions require massive amounts of labelled training data, which can pose privacy and ethical challenges. To mitigate these issues, we utilise Synthetic Data—computer-generated data that replicates real-world conditions without infringing on individual privacy. This approach maintains data integrity and ensures that our AI systems are trained on diverse datasets, leading to better performance and fairness.
Ziad Nasr, General Manager, Acronis Middle East
The UAE made history by appointing an AI minister in 2017, aiming to become a top global AI hub by 2031. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 places AI at the core of its diversification strategy beyond petroleum reliance. These initiatives mark both nations as pioneers in the Middle East, shifting towards tech-driven innovation and expanding their global influence beyond the oil and gas sector.
The development of technologies like the Falcon 2 AI model underscores the region’s commitment to innovation, competing with global giants like Meta and OpenAI. As technology evolves, it is no surprise that threats loom in the online world for businesses. According to Acronis’ Cyberthreats H1 Report, Bahrain and Egypt were two of the most targeted countries for malware attacks in Q1 2024.
However, AI remains at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation in 2024. In the UAE, nearly 95% of organisations plan to increase investments in artificial intelligence to enhance cybersecurity measures. At Acronis, AI-based technologies perform malware detections and behavioural analysis, assisting our MSP partners in understanding and investigating cybersecurity incidents. These AI-powered security systems enable organisations to autonomously detect anomalies, predict breaches, and respond swiftly to real-time cyber attacks.
As we celebrate Artificial Intelligence Appreciation Day, it is clear that AI is revolutionising how we safeguard the digital landscape. By empowering IT professionals to anticipate and mitigate threats proactively, AI ensures robust defence mechanisms against evolving cyber risks, paving the way for a safer and more interconnected future.
Karim Azar, Regional VP of Middle East and Turkey at Cloudera
From advanced image recognition and personalised recommendations to natural language processing, AI is becoming increasingly smarter and more integrated into our everyday experiences.
AI profoundly impacts business, society, finance, and culture. In the GCC region, governments and the private sector embrace AI technology, fostering investment in research and collaboration to propel economic growth. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Israel are in charge of AI research, development, and implementation, particularly in healthcare, education, urbanisation, transportation, security, and robotics.
AI has driven substantial growth in the Middle East’s IT sector, with the region expected to see a potential economic boost of $320 billion from AI advancements. IT and ITES organisations are finding numerous opportunities in areas like automation, operational efficiency, cybersecurity, data analytics, and enhancing customer experience.
Cloud technology plays a pivotal role in this AI-driven digital transformation. By providing scalable and flexible infrastructure, cloud platforms enable the rapid development and deployment of AI solutions.
On this AI Appreciation Day, we must recognise the transformative power of AI and cloud technology in shaping the future. The Middle East is poised to become a global hub for AI innovation, and the continued collaboration between governments, businesses, and technology providers will be crucial in realising this vision.
In conclusion, AI is undeniably reshaping the Middle East’s landscape. Its potential to drive economic growth, improve security, and enhance various aspects of life is immense. However, the region must responsibly navigate the challenges associated with AI development and deployment. By prioritising ethics, privacy, and human well-being, the Middle East can harness the full potential of AI to build a brighter future.
As we celebrate AI Appreciation Day, it’s essential to recognize AI’s transformative power while remaining mindful of its potential drawbacks. By striking a balance between innovation and responsibility, we can ensure that AI serves as a force for good in the future.
