Sophos’ John Shier unpacks AI’s double edge in
THE AI PARADOX
Artificial intelligence has moved from being an enabler
its promise comes with peril. That is the theme of this
Our cover story features Sophos’ Field CISO, John Shier, who warns of AI-powered social engineering and the rise of deepfakes that can impersonate executives in real time. At the same time, he emphasises how AI, applied wisely, equips defenders with faster, more disciplined tools for
We also look at how AI is transforming industry. At IFS Connect MEA in Riyadh, CEO Mark Moffat highlighted the role of industrial AI in driving Saudi Arabia’s Vision
manufacturing. In hospitality, Dominic Carr, CIO of Rotana,
thermal ceiling and that enterprises must embrace liquid cooling to sustain AI-driven workloads in extreme conditions—a shift as strategic as it is technical.
This issue also brings fresh perspectives from Confluent, SentinelOne, Acronis and others, offering a broader view of how technology is being redefined at every layer. And with GITEX GLOBAL 2025 fast approaching, we look forward to seeing these conversations unfold on one of the world’s biggest stages for innovation.
Until then, I invite you to dive into the insights and stories we’ve curated.
Happy reading!
Commercial Director Merle Carrasco merlec@insightmediame.com +97155 - 1181730
Administration Manager Fahida Afaf Bangod fahidaa@insightmediame.com +97156 - 5741456
Operations Director Rajeesh Nair
rajeeshm@insightmediame.com +97155 - 9383094
Designer Anup Sathyan
While the publisher has made all efforts to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors
Adelle
Managing Editor
Adelle Geronimo
GITEX GLOBAL returns to Dubai this October
GITEX GLOBAL 2025, marking its 45th edition, will run from 13-17 October at Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Harbour. The event will showcase over 40 halls of breakthroughs in AI, quantum tech, cybersecurity, mobility, biotech and more.
Dubai Airport unveils world’s first AI-powered passenger corridor
Dubai International Airport unveiled the world’s first AIpowered passenger corridor, enabling up to ten travellers to pass through without stopping at passport control. The system pre-verifies data, doubles processing capacity, and aims to redefine efficiency and security in global air travel.
AI and immersive tech power Kingdom’s tourism drive
Saudi Arabia rolled out AI, virtual reality, and other immersive technologies across its tourism sector, including flagship projects like Neom and the Red Sea. Under Vision 2030, the country aims to draw 150 million visitors by 2030 while increasing tourism’s GDP contribution from three percent to 10 percent.
Geely’s expands satellite network to boost navigation and safety
Chinese automaker Geely, through its aerospace arm Geespace, successfully launched 11 new satellites aboard a Smart Dragon-3 rocket, expanding its GEESATCOM constellation to 52 satellites. The network supports IoT connectivity for sectors like maritime, urban mobility, and emergency services, with over 99.97 percent uptime in testing.
DIFC Courts roll out blockchain-verified services Saudi Arabia backs SMEs free online stores
DIFC Courts unveiled a new Mediation Service Centre and English-language Notary Service under Dubai Law No. (2) of 2025, offering businesses and residents faster dispute resolution and notarisation, including blockchain-verified documents, with options for online, virtual, and in-person access.
Saudi Arabia’s E-Commerce Council, in collaboration with Italian firm Incomedia, launched an initiative to provide 650 free online stores for micro and small businesses.
Using WebSite X5 Pro, the programme aims to boost e-commerce adoption and support Vision 2030’s digital transformation goals.
UAE Cyber Security Council identifies public WiFi as major causes of breaches
The UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC) reported that more than 12,000 security breaches had been recorded this year through the use of open and untrusted public Wi-Fi networks. The figure accounted for nearly 35 percent of the total cyberattacks registered in the country, highlighting how hackers increasingly exploited
insecure connections to obtain passwords, banking details, and personal information.
According to the Council, many users remained unaware of the risks of connecting to free Wi-Fi in public places such as cafes, airports, and shopping centres. While such networks were convenient, they often lacked basic
12,000
The number of security breaches in UAE traced to open Wi-Fi networks
Source:UAECyberSecurityCouncil
protections, making them a target for fraud and electronic hacking.
Dr. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, said, “Under the directives of the wise leadership, the UAE continues its pioneering and ongoing efforts to build a safe cyber environment that protects users from growing digital threats while keeping pace with rapid technological developments.”
The Council advised avoiding sensitive transactions on public WiFi and recommended measures such as multi-factor authentication, regular software updates, and the use of reliable VPN applications. It added that attackers could also redirect users to fake websites, intercept calls, or install spyware.
Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN launches first homegrown Arabic AI app
Saudi Arabia unveiled HUMAIN Chat, the country’s first homegrown Arabic artificial intelligence application. The app, developed by HUMAIN, was powered by ALLAM 34B, a large language model built in the Kingdom by a team of more than 120 AI specialists, including 35 PhD-level researchers.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, ALLAM was trained on one of the largest Arabic datasets compiled to date and refined with the input of over 600 domain experts and 250 evaluators. The model was designed to process both classical Arabic and regional dialects, while also being available in English.
Tareq Amin, CEO at HUMAIN, described the launch as “a point of pride for Saudi Arabia,” adding that it represented a milestone in creating sovereign AI. “This is not the end state, but the beginning of a journey to serve the Kingdom, the Arabic-speaking world, and beyond,” he said.
HUMAIN Chat became available through iOS, Android, and web platforms, with plans to extend access to other Arabic-speaking countries. The rollout formed part of Saudi Arabia’s wider efforts to strengthen domestic AI capability and to promote regional-language models that reflect cultural and social contexts.
Tareq Amin, HUMAIN
Take control of your IT
HPE expands ‘Saudi Made’ server line with AMD-powered models
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) expanded its locally manufactured server portfolio in Saudi Arabia with the addition of two new ProLiant models,
Salesforce launches AI agent platform for government agencies
Salesforce introduced Agentforce for Public Sector, an AI-driven platform designed to help government agencies manage staffing shortages and rising public service demands. The solution provided agencies with digital labour in the form of AI agents that could
the DL365 and DL385 Gen11. Both servers were built with 5th Gen AMD EPYC processors and were unveiled at Alfanar’s production site in Riyadh. The
autonomously handle administrative and time-consuming tasks within established guardrails.
The platform allowed government employees to offload routine processes such as answering common citizen queries and processing licence renewals, enabling them to focus on mission-critical work. Salesforce said the system was intended to improve responsiveness, simplify enforcement, and reduce risk for government workers while offering citizens faster and more cost-effective services.
event marked the first AMD CPUpowered server to be produced from the new Saudi facility.
The servers, carrying the ‘Saudi Tech’ logo, became available not only in Saudi Arabia but also in Jordan, Egypt, and other Gulf countries. The expansion followed last year’s launch of the first ‘Saudi Made’ HPE servers, which received the National Product Certificate.
According to HPE, the new models were designed to provide higher performance, scalability, and flexible storage configurations to meet rising workload demands. In addition, HPE and AMD announced training programmes to further develop skills among the majority-female workforce at the facility and support the Kingdom’s growing technology sector.
The proportion of government leaders that expect cost-savings from AI adoption 64%
Source:Salesforce
According to company data, 64 percent of government leaders expected significant cost savings from adopting AI technologies, and 90 percent of citizens were open to AI-powered public services. However, privacy and security concerns remained a barrier to broader use.
Agentforce was launched with compliance certifications including FedRAMP High, Protected-B, and IRAP to address these concerns. It also came with prebuilt actions, such as tools to identify similar complaints or check regulatory code violations, which could be adapted across departments. The company positioned the offering as a way for agencies to quickly deploy AI capabilities in secure and compliant environments.
UAE’s HBMSU launched AI agent initiative to support faculty
Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) launched an initiative called “An Artificial Intelligence Agent for Every Faculty”, the first of its kind in the UAE and the wider region.
The announcement was made during a media event at the university’s Dubai campus. The project aligned with the UAE’s National AI Strategy 2031 and Education Strategy 2033, both of which emphasise technology’s role in the future of education.
Dr. Mansoor Alawar, Chancellor of HBMSU noted that the initiative was launched in line with the vision of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, and President of HBMSU.
“Today we are shaping the features of a new stage in which we aspire that artificial intelligence (AI) will form the pillar for designing future initiatives and services in Dubai,” he said.
The system assigned AI agents to perform tasks such as developing course content, generating assessments, and monitoring student performance. According to the university, the initiative
Lexar expands retail presence across MEA
Today we are shaping the features of a new stage in which we aspire that AI will form the pillar for designing future initiatives and services in Dubai
reduced content development time by 85 percent, cut faculty workload by 95 percent, and improved student mastery by 40 percent.
The platform was developed locally in Dubai by HBMSU’s team, led by Vice Chancellor for Artificial Intelligence and Technology, Maitha Al-Tunaiji. It was designed with safeguards covering privacy, transparency, accessibility, and bias reduction.
Lexar announced that its products had become available in more than 5,000 retail stores across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), representing a fivefold increase in outlets carrying the brand. The company said the expansion reflected rising demand for its storage solutions and the strength of its partnerships in the region.
Fissal Oubida, General Manager – Middle East, Africa & India, Lexar, said, “For nearly 30 years, Lexar has been empowering the world with memory innovations, helping transform the daily lives of photographers, videographers, gaming enthusiasts, and creators while shaping the future of digital storage. Our rapid growth in the Middle East and Africa region reflects both the rising demand for reliable memory solutions and the strength of our partnerships with leading retailers.”
Lexar planned to showcase its portfolio at GITEX Global 2025 in Dubai, with further expansion, new collaborations, and additional product offerings under consideration.
Dr. Mansoor Alawar, HBMSU
Fissal Oubida, Lexar
“NETWORKING AND SECURITY ARE INSEPARABLE. THAT’S EVEN MORE TRUE IN THE AGE OF AI. THE NETWORK CANNOT SIMPLY MOVE DATA, IT MUST ALSO SECURE IT, ENFORCE POLICY, AND BUILD TRUST AT EVERY STEP”
Mohannad Abuissa, Director of Solutions Engineering and CTO, Cisco Middle East and Africa
“THE LAUNCH OF HUMAIN CHAT IS A POINT OF PRIDE FOR SAUDI ARABIA…WE ARE PROVING THAT GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE TECHNOLOGIES CAN BE ROOTED IN OUR OWN LANGUAGE, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND VALUES – BUILT IN SAUDI ARABIA BY SAUDI TALENT”
Tareq Amin, CEO, HUMAIN
SPACE ECONOMY SOARS:
UAE AND SAUDI ANCHOR GCC GROWTH
The Middle East and Africa’s space sector has surged to a valuation of USD 18 billion, with the UAE emerging as the clear leader in shaping the region’s trajectory. These findings are detailed in Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) latest report, Governments in Space: A Universe of Opportunities.
The UAE accounts for 40–45 per cent of regional government spending on civil space activities and is positioned to secure more than half of the downstream services market. In 2024 alone, its civil space investment reached USD 443 million, reflecting over a decade of consistent state support. Downstream services—satellite communications and Earth observation—make up around 70 per cent of the global space market, underscoring why the UAE’s emphasis on this segment provides a competitive edge. National programmes such as MBZ-SAT, the Hope Probe and the Arab 813 initiative are expected to deliver returns of three to four times their investment.
Saudi Arabia is also scaling its ambitions with an estimated USD 220 million committed in 2024, representing 20–25 per cent of MEA government space expenditure. The Kingdom is forecast to secure over 20 per cent of the downstream services market, supported by collaborations with NASA, Axiom and private sector entities such as Neo Space Group. Qatar, matching Saudi Arabia’s civil space spend, contributes around five per cent of the regional market, with Es’hailSat serving as a cornerstone of its satellite communications strategy.
USD 18 billion 3–4x ROI
The current value of the MEA space market
The predicted potential return from the UAE’s flagship programmes
20–25%
Saudi Arabia’s share of MEA government space spending
SECURITY’S NEXT FRONTIER
John Shier, Field CISO at Sophos, explores AI’s dual role as a powerful security ally and a dangerous adversary
Over the past year, every major IT provider has embedded AI more deeply into its platforms, cloud vendors are racing to roll out agentic frameworks, and enterprises from finance to manufacturing are weaving generative models into daily workflows. That rush has delivered breakthroughs in efficiency and customer experience—but it has also exposed businesses to novel attack vectors and nth-party risks that are moving faster than many security teams can track.
In this increasingly high-stakes environment, John Shier, Field Chief Security Officer at Sophos, is urging leaders to look beyond the promise of automation and confront the vulnerabilities that come with an AIdriven world.
Supercharged attacks
“The biggest threat posed by AI is social engineering,” says Shier. “This technology has supercharged phishing. We can no longer rely on poor grammar and spelling mistakes to detect a phishing email.”
AI coding assistants are lowering the barriers to entry for less-skilled criminals, making it far easier for them to produce functional, if unremarkable, malicious code
awkward logos or broken English— has become trivial thanks to generative text and image tools. This shows how the attack surface has multiplied.
Sophos’ incident response teams have already investigated campaigns in which AI-generated emails paired with convincingly forged invoices penetrated finance workflows undetected. Last year, it was widely reported that criminals chained AI-built deepfakes into a Microsoft Teams call to impersonate a senior executive’s voice and likeness. Shier recalls, “In 2024, scammers used a deep fake of the WPP CEO in an attempt to get personal information and steal money from the company. They communicated using a chatbot over a Microsoft Teams meeting.”
He adds, “What this illustrates is the daunting reality that the next breach might not begin with a suspicious link but with what appears to be your CFO on video, asking for a wire transfer.”
The rapid improvement of audiovisual deepfakes takes this a step further. “As the technology evolves, scammers such as the Yahoo Boys are using live deep fakes to have real-time conversations with their victims,” Shier notes. Beyond fraud, the reputational risks are immense. A convincing fake of a CEO admitting to regulatory violations or a politician making inflammatory statements can move markets or ignite unrest before the hoax is exposed.
Not every corner of the cybercriminal underground has been revolutionised. “Malware is an area where AI hasn’t really gotten much of a foothold—at least that’s how it appears,” Shier explains.
The consequences of that shift ripple through every department of an enterprise. Phishing once relied on clumsy scams easily spotted by vigilant employees. Now, AI models can scrape breach data, LinkedIn profiles, and public-facing information to craft flawless, personalised lures. Brand impersonation—once betrayed by
Detecting AI-authored code is nearly impossible without tell-tale signs, and in practice, AI-generated malicious code often looks identical to traditionally written malware—for defenders, its origin matters less than its behaviour.
“Your detection technology should be able to catch all malware, regardless of who or what wrote it,” Shier notes.
But the Sophos Field CISO doesn’t downplay the trajectory of this problem, he says: “AI
coding assistants are lowering the barriers to entry for less-skilled criminals, making it far easier for them to produce functional, if unremarkable, malicious code. This increased accessibility could flood the ecosystem with more attacks, stretching security teams and resources.”
Shier warns that while today’s AIcoded malware hasn’t yet outpaced existing protections, complacency would be a mistake. “There may come a time where AI-coded
malware becomes good enough to defeat our existing protection stack,” he says. “Thankfully, we’re not there yet—but we have to be ready for when that day comes.”
Weak links and governance gaps Beneath these tactical threats lies a deeper challenge – AI’s own vulnerabilities. Modern businesses increasingly depend on AI-driven workflows—from fraud detection to customer service. If those models or their underlying infrastructure
are disrupted, entire industries could seize up. Shier cites a recent example: “Anthropic had a brief outage between August and September which prevented access to Claude.ai, the API, Claude Code, and the management console. As our dependency on AI grows, even minor service disruptions can become major events.”
AI models themselves can be manipulated. Adversarial attacks can corrupt training data, exfiltrate proprietary code, or trigger
misclassifications with specially crafted inputs. Jailbreaking—prompt injection that bypasses a model’s safeguards—remains rampant.
“Multimodal prompt injection uses mixed media to embed malicious instructions. For example, a QR code can be used. There is also indirect prompt injection where the malicious instructions are loaded from external content such as files or websites,” explains Shier.
As businesses connect agentic AI systems to live data and operational
Governance will be key for businesses looking to mitigate the risks brought on by AI
tools, the potential for attackers to exploit these weaknesses grows.
Sophos’ own telemetry reveals another frontier: supply chain exposure. As companies integrate AI-powered SaaS offerings or thirdparty models, they inherit whatever security posture those vendors
maintain. In a world of nth-party dependencies, a breach far upstream can cascade rapidly. This calls for governance that extend beyond the firewall. “As an organisation’s data begins to work its way through different AI systems, will we know where it ends up? Will you have access to all your data, can you delete data on demand, and can you keep it out of certain jurisdictions?” says Shier.
The business case for AI remains powerful—but far from straightforward. Executives overly fixate on productivity gains and cost savings, yet the numbers are sobering. A Reuters poll found that 71 percent of US adults worry AI will eliminate jobs. MIT researchers discovered that 95 percent of corporate generative AI pilots failed to deliver measurable revenue impact. And an AI research nonprofit,
METR, found that while developers assumed AI would make them 25 percent faster, it slowed them by 19 percent in controlled studies.
The lesson isn’t to abandon AI but to apply it judiciously. MIT’s study identified where organisations found real ROI: back-office automation, process outsourcing, and reducing external agency spend. Tools like ChatGPT or Claude work well for individuals but don’t always map cleanly onto enterprise workflows.
Shier likens the problem to mistaking a collaboration tool for a fully autonomous system. In his framing, automation tools—like ATMs or dishwashers—perform near-flawlessly without oversight. Collaboration tools—chainsaws, word processors— multiply human capability but require skill. “Blind automation can quickly turn a worker from a centaur (a human being who is assisted by a machine), into a reverse centaur (a machine that uses a human being as its assistant),” he cautions. “Understanding what it is you’re trying to do with AI and applying the right kind of tool is crucial to the success of your implementation.”
That nuance resonates in boardrooms now racing to avoid being outpaced by competitors.
“Governance will be key for businesses looking to mitigate the risks brought on by AI. Enterprises must define who owns AI risk, how outputs are sanitised, and how systems are monitored,” says Shier.
Shier emphasises that technology is only part of the answer. Business leaders need to prioritise policies, assign responsibility, and test constraints before AI sprawl turns into what he calls “shadow IT on steroids.”
Cost is another overlooked dimension. AI vendors pitched declining inference costs as a path to ever-cheaper automation. But context windows are expanding, queries are becoming more complex, and total token consumption is rising. Paid coding assistants already charge around $200 per developer annually for pro tiers, yet some platforms are throttling even paying customers to preserve margins. Industry analysts estimate heavy enterprise usage
could drive effective per-developer costs toward $100,000 per year when energy, infrastructure, and premium model access are factored in.
Behind these economics lurks an even larger bill: the energy required to run increasingly powerful models. Breakthroughs in renewable energy or data-centre efficiency will be necessary to make AI’s growth sustainable. The question, as Shier puts it, is simple but unresolved: who foots that bill—private companies, governments, or a hybrid approach?
A smarter playbook ahead
For Sophos, success in weathering the shifting attack vectors lies in preparedness and perspective.
AI isn’t a magic wand, nor is it an apocalypse. It is another technology wave—transformative, yes, but controllable if approached with discipline. Shier’s guidance to CISOs is pragmatic – treat AI like any powerful new tool. Identify the pain point first, pick the right
class of solution—automation or collaboration—and demand transparency from vendors. Build guardrails early, and expect the unexpected.
This isn’t just defensive posturing. Sophos is investing heavily in its own AI capabilities—not merely embedding machine learning into endpoint protection, but building systems that can triage incidents, surface anomalies, and relieve human analysts of drudgery. The company’s X-Ops threat intelligence unit, for example, uses AI to crosscorrelate signals from millions of endpoints worldwide, shortening the detection-to-response window. Yet Shier is clear-eyed about the double-edged nature of that power. Just as defenders use AI to accelerate response, adversaries are probing for ways to poison models, mislead detection systems, or hijack MCP servers.
The tempo of change shows no sign of slowing. “We can only
theorise what’s going to happen next because the pace of change seems to be accelerating exponentially,” Shier admits. “You can’t enumerate all the ways in which AI can cause problems. We must be prepared to react when something new comes along.”
For business leaders, that readiness will define who thrives in the next decade. Competitors are experimenting with AI today. Customers are expecting AIenhanced experiences tomorrow. Regulators are scrambling to keep pace. In that turbulence, industry players like Sophos aren’t simply sounding alarms, instead they’re offering a roadmap. It’s one drawn in hard-won lessons: secure your models, understand your objectives, govern your data, budget realistically, and never mistake automation for wisdom. Those who follow that map may find AI not as a threat to their survival, but as a disciplined ally in building the future.
ENGINEERING PROGRESS
At IFS Connect MEA in Riyadh, CEO Mark Moffat set out the company’s strategy to lead in industrial AI and support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 with sector-focused software and long-term investment
Industrial innovation is accelerating in Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom pushes ahead with its Vision 2030 agenda.
From giga projects and smart cities to ambitious sustainability programmes, technology is being positioned as the backbone of economic diversification and long-term competitiveness. Sectors such as energy, utilities, manufacturing, logistics, and construction are undergoing rapid digital transformation as the country builds a new model for industrial growth.
In response to this momentum— and to underline its commitment to the region—IFS, the global enterprise software company specialising in asset- and service-focused industries, recently hosted IFS Connect MEA in Riyadh. The event gathered executives, customers, and partners to examine how industrial software and AI can help organisations achieve resilience, efficiency, and sustainable growth while aligning with national ambitions.
In his keynote address, Mark Moffat, CEO of IFS, laid out the company’s vision in clear terms. He described the mission as nothing less than “to develop the world’s leading industrial AI platform that empowers customers to orchestrate missioncritical operations, assets, people and services in a responsible way.”
He stressed the importance of focus and discipline in that mission, adding that IFS aims to remain “AI-native, future-ready and always customer-focused.”
Rather than stretching itself thin across multiple verticals, Moffat explained, IFS has deliberately concentrated on six core industries— those that are capital intensive, asset heavy, and data rich. He described this as a cornerstone of the company’s differentiation. “We’re not greedy. We’re focused on being the number one industrial software brand, number one in asset and service. All these industries underpin economic prosperity and progress,” he said.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is setting a new blueprint for what an industrial economy looks like, a new global benchmark— and IFS is here to help deliver it with purpose, partnership, trust and pride
This clarity of purpose has also earned external recognition: Gartner has ranked IFS number one in field service software for seven consecutive years, while the company has achieved EUR 1.6 billion in revenue and now operates in more than 90 countries. “We continue to outperform the market by a factor of three, and all of that is reinvested back into delivering even better solutions for the long term,” he told delegates. The speech was firmly anchored
in the context of Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation. Moffat called Vision 2030 “bold, efficient, transformative—but most of all, inspiring,” and emphasised the role of IFS in supporting its objectives. He pointed to work with the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) as an example of how the company is helping safeguard critical infrastructure, and noted the importance of partnerships with global and regional manufacturers.
Long-standing customer Jotun, for instance, will soon open its facility in the Kingdom to demonstrate how IFS software supports production and supply chain operations. On sustainability, Moffat cited independent research commissioned by IFS, which showed that widespread use of its solutions across the company’s top three markets and focus industries could enable customers to cut global carbon emissions by 2.6 per cent. After the keynote, we sat down
with Moffat for a deeper discussion about how industrial AI is being applied in practice. He explained that many organisations face challenges moving from legacy systems to cloud platforms—an essential step for unlocking AI’s potential. “If you’ve got technology and software that’s 25 years old, it’s really hard for you to benefit from AI. Modern technology manages data better, it’s easier to create APIs and integrations. So number one, we’re focused on giving
AI to our existing customers today. And number two, we’re helping those on legacy applications move to the cloud so they can benefit,” he said. He also drew attention to areas where businesses could be missing opportunities, particularly in utilities.
“On average, 30 per cent of water is lost in transmission. If we could find ways to use robotics to identify where leakage is happening in the
infrastructure, the impact would be quite great,” he explained.
A theme that ran through both the keynote and our conversation was what IFS calls the moment of service— the point where technology directly shapes customer experience. Using the example of SEC technicians with mobile devices powered by IFS, Moffat said: “It’s about understanding how technicians engage with customers. If
there’s an outage, how are they kept informed? Are they receiving alerts that an engineer is on the way, or that the fault has been fixed? Thinking from the end consumer’s perspective forces a different level of thinking about what we provide.”
Closing the event, Moffat reiterated the company’s long-term commitment to Saudi Arabia. He underlined the importance of working with trusted local partners such as Saudi Business Machines (SBM) and investing in local skills. “We’re not in the Kingdom for quick wins or short-term gains. Working with trusted local partners such as SBM is essential because they understand the market, have long-standing credibility, and can help us deliver lasting impact. In line with this, we’re investing heavily in local talent and resources,” he said.
Moffat ended by underlining that Saudi Arabia’s industrial transformation demands sustained collaboration. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is setting a new blueprint for what an industrial economy looks like, a new global benchmark—and IFS is here to help deliver it with purpose, partnership, trust and pride,” he said.
INSPIRED BY HOSTED BY
SHATTERING THE STREAMING CEILING
DBy Leandro Galli, Senior Solutions Engineer, Confluent
ata streaming has quietly become the lifeblood of modern business, enabling real-time decisions and unlocking the value of data as it happens. From fraud detection in banks to dynamic pricing in airlines, the ability to stream, process, and act on data instantly has reshaped customer experiences and competitive dynamics. This shift toward immediacy has redefined what customers expect, and what businesses must deliver.
Why maturity stalls
Despite the growing demand for real-time responsiveness, many organisations in the Middle East remain stuck at the early stages of data streaming maturity. They may be running promising pilots but they often struggle to scale their success beyond isolated teams or departments. According to the latest edition of the Confluent Data Streaming Report, over half of organisations globally find themselves at this “Level 3” plateau, having achieved data streaming in isolated pockets, but still keeping it largely siloed and tactical. Only eight percent have reached the next level, where data streaming operates as a truly enterprise-wide platform, and fewer still have achieved the vision of a fully connected “central nervous system” for real-time data.
Opportunity or obstacle?
For businesses across the UAE, KSA, and wider Middle East that are eager to compete globally, this maturity gap represents both a risk and a strategic opportunity. The region’s digital economies are advancing quickly, and both customers and regulators are setting higher expectations around agility, transparency, and resilience. But to meet these expectations, organisations must move beyond fragmented experimentation and begin treating data streaming as a core business enabler, one woven deeply into the fabric of enterprise architecture.
The cost of inaction
Given the number of priorities competing for a CIO’s attention, it’s fair to ask why advancing from Level 3 should be urgent. The answer is simple: remaining at this level leaves tangible business value unrealised. A bank may use streaming credit card data to detect card fraud in real time, but fail to apply those insights across the customer journey. An airline may optimise seat pricing dynamically based on flight occupation, but fall short of applying similar intelligence to baggage handling or crew scheduling. When use cases stay in silos, organisations miss out on broader efficiency, consistency, and scale.
Silos also generate friction: duplicated efforts, inconsistent standards, and rising maintenance costs. Often, different teams launch their own streaming projects with little central coordination, resulting in innovation that’s valuable in early phases but unsustainable at scale. While the grassroots, developer-led enthusiasm enabled by open-source tools like Apache Kafka and Apache Flink has been a great starting point, long-term success demands senior sponsorship, a cohesive vision, and enterprise-level alignment.
From tech project to business strategy
Breaking through this “maturity ceiling” starts with a mindset shift. Data streaming isn’t a back-end technical add-on. It’s a strategic lever that can accelerate business outcomes. It’s what enables a
Data streaming isn’t a back-end technical add-on. It’s a strategic lever that can accelerate business outcomes
UAE’s Smart Government Strategy and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 have put citizen experience and service delivery at the core of innovation. In both public and private sectors, realtime responsiveness is becoming the new expectation.
Connecting data to customer experience
business to respond in real time to customer behaviour, operational signals, and external events, and that’s where competitive advantage is increasingly defined.
The Middle East has a clear chance to lead here, particularly because customer experience is now front and centre of the region’s digital transformation agendas. The
To move forward, organisations need to connect the dots between data maturity and customer impact. That means telling a new story. One that doesn’t begin with infrastructure, but with the missed opportunities and friction points customers experience today. From there, leaders can articulate a vision for what’s possible when real-time data becomes embedded in every product, every process, and every decision.
According to the Confluent report, 84 percent of data-mature
organisations see improved data sharing and reuse, and 83 percent report stronger risk management when they manage data like a product on a streaming platform. These outcomes aren’t just technical metrics. They translate to real business value: faster launches, better customer service, stronger compliance, and more resilient operations.
Operationalising real-time at scale
To operationalise that vision, businesses must align people, processes, and technology. Success requires dedicated teams with a clear mandate to deliver streaming as a shared service. It calls for well-defined processes around onboarding, governance, and service standards. And it demands infrastructure that supports consistency, observability, and security across environments.
Importantly, the journey doesn’t require starting from scratch. Many Middle East enterprises already have proof points in place. They simply need to connect, scale, and standardise. Learning from global best practices while leapfrogging legacy architectures can allow organisations here to move faster than their peers in more saturated markets.
Real-time is real advantage
Ultimately, real-time data streaming is about outcomes rather than just pipelines or dashboards. It’s about making every customer interaction more intelligent, every process more efficient, and every decision more informed. It’s not a “good to have” anymore. In a world that’s defined by immediacy, it’s a must-have.
For Middle East businesses, now is the moment to act. The longer real-time data remains a side project, the more time competitors gain. But by investing in enterprise-wide data streaming, organisations can gain the one thing that matters most in the experience economy: time. Time to serve better, innovate faster, and lead confidently.
Because in today’s race for relevance, real-time isn’t just an advantage. It’s the edge.
ML MONITORING: ARE SOC s READY?
FBy Ziad Nasr, General Manager, Acronis Middle East
or years, managed service providers (MSPs) have battled with alert fatigue, that endless deluge of red flags from traditional monitoring systems that often turn out to be noise rather than meaningful threats. At best, it’s a distraction. At worst, it numbs response teams to real incidents, turning security operations centres (SOCs) into environments where everything blares and nothing gets prioritised. Enter machine learning (ML)based monitoring, and with it, the promise of clarity. Smarter systems, fewer false positives, quicker detection of anomalies. It’s a longoverdue evolution in how MSPs manage risk and uptime. But as MSPs embrace this new monitoring paradigm, it’s worth asking a harder question: what are we giving up in exchange for this new precision?
Because while ML is solving one problem, it may be quietly introducing another.
From too much noise to not enough sound
Traditional monitoring tools don’t discriminate. A spike in CPU usage, an unusually timed login, or a failed update patch, even when harmless, can trigger an alert. Now multiply that across multiple clouds, and thousands of endpoinds, and it’s easy to see how a Monday morning can spiral into a fog of notifications, dashboards, and fire drills. For many MSPs, that’s not a hypothetical, it’s just another start to the week.
ML-based monitoring promises something radically different. These systems learn over time, filtering out background noise, clustering related events, and flagging anomalies that actually warrant attention. The result is not just fewer alerts, but better ones, and a clearer picture of what’s going on beneath the surface.
But herein lies the catch: what happens when the alerts stop coming?
For SOC engineers, and especially junior staff, the constant stream of notifications wasn’t just a nuisance, it was much needed hands-on education. Each false positive was a chance to explore, to ask why something flagged, to get under the hood of the system. With fewer alerts, we may be losing a key training ground. And worse, teams may start to assume the system has it all under control. That’s when silence becomes dangerous.
Cured, but complacent?
Just as fatigue from too many alerts dulls focus, over-reliance on ML can do the same, but in subtler ways. Once teams begin to trust the system implicitly, there’s a danger of assuming it’s always right, or that it’s caught everything worth catching.
So, understand the impact, consider how subtle configuration drifts are typically uncovered. Often, these affect a handful of customer environments for weeks and don’t trigger alerts because these
changes occurr gradually, and behaviours technically fall within the learned baseline of ML systems. Such issues usually only come to light when support engineers notice an uptick in unusual helpdesk queries and decide to investigate manually.
Incidents like these are reminders that ML tools are remarkable, they aren’t omniscient. They depend on training data, contextual parameters, and decision thresholds — all of which can age or become misaligned with evolving systems. If no one is watching the watchers, important details can slip through the cracks.
ML monitoring is a game-changer, but it’s not set-and-forget
None of this is to say ML-based monitoring isn’t valuable. When used well, it transforms how MSPs scale operations. ML-based alerting goes beyond static thresholds, drawing from telemetry, logs, and real-time behavioural data to deliver a richer, more accurate view. It frees up analysts to focus on genuine threats, supports faster root cause analysis, and enables a more proactive security posture. For stretched SOC teams, it’s a welcome evolution.
But these systems aren’t “set-and-forget.” Models drift. Contexts shift. And clients’ needs evolve. If no one is validating the outputs, tuning the thresholds, or questioning the results, the quality of protection can quietly degrade.
Regular audits of model performance are therefore essential, not just in terms of false positives, but false negatives too. Teams should be manually reviewing anomalies that the
Because at the end of the day, it’s not about reducing alerts, it’s about staying alert
system didn’t flag, running routine spot-checks, and understanding the logic behind the decisions being made. Cross-training staff in how these models work will help them question and interpret outputs with a critical eye, rather than treating alerts (or the absence of them) as infallable truth.
Honing the human edge
So how can MSPs keep their teams engaged and sharp in an environment that feels increasingly automated?
The trick is to actively design opportunities for engineers to stay sharp, even in a world with fewer alerts. Start with something as simple as post-incident reviews. When the system catches something, don’t just thank the algorithm and move on. Walk through the detection journey. What signal tipped it off? What data did it correlate? Would a human have
caught it, or missed it?
Tabletop exercises are another useful strategy. Simulate events that the system isn’t designed to detect — such as a partner API going rogue, or a rogue insider gradually escalating privileges. Challenge engineers to spot the signals the system might miss, such as a shift in ticket tone from a customer, or a repeated pattern of minor access anomalies across unrelated endpoints.
There’s also value in encouraging a broader view. Some threats don’t leave neat logs or signatures. Socio-technical factors such as a stressed insider, a business partner behaving oddly, a sudden shift in external communication might not trigger the system, but they matter. These are the kinds of patterns humans are particularly skilled at detecting.
These exercises don’t need to result in a major discovery. They’re about maintaining the mindset that
not everything worth noticing will appear in an alert.
A smarter SOC is still a human one
Ultimately, ML-based monitoring should be seen for what it truly is: a force multiplier. It doesn’t replace your SOC analysts, it amplifies them. It gives them time back. It removes the drudgery. It lets them focus on high-impact work.
The smartest MSPs won’t be the ones who lean back and let the platform run the show. They’ll be the ones who lean in, using ML to elevate their teams, not sideline them. They’ll invest in both the tech and the talent. And they’ll build SOCs that are not only more efficient, but more resilient, more curious, and better prepared for the threats the models haven’t seen yet. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about reducing alerts, it’s about staying alert.
SUITE CONNECTIONS
Dominic Carr, CIO of Rotana, highlights the group’s bold digital play to transform experiences and loyalty for the modern connected traveller
The hospitality industry is evolving rapidly as digital expectations reshape how travellers choose and engage with brands. Capturing a modern traveller’s attention now starts well before check-in. Guests no longer tolerate outdated interfaces or generic offers; they expect a booking experience as fluid and personalised as their favourite shopping app. This shift is driven by widespread smartphone adoption, AI-powered discovery tools, and a market where even minor digital friction can cost a brand its next booking.
In the Middle East and Africa, the mobile travel booking market—valued at USD 4.6 billion in 2024—is projected to more than double by 2031. Yet even as mobile reservations surpass half of all hotel bookings, many travellers still abandon their reservations when pages load slowly, navigation stumbles, or checkouts become cumbersome.
In such a competitive landscape, hotels that fail to deliver seamless, mobile-first journeys risk losing loyalty to more agile rivals. Many are turning to chatbots, predictive analytics, and unified booking platforms to meet changing expectations. But few have attempted a wholesale reimagining of their digital ecosystem the way Rotana has.
The Abu Dhabi–based hotel group has unveiled a fully redesigned rotana.com, positioning the site as the gateway to a wider, AI-driven digital strategy. The launch blends a mobile-first architecture with advanced personalisation tools, unifying hotel stays, dining, and event bookings on a single platform. It’s an ambitious move for a brand that manages more than 114 properties across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Türkiye.
“Guests today expect seamless, mobile-first interactions and personalised journeys,” says
Dominic Carr, Chief Information Officer at Rotana. “They want to research, book, and manage their stay quickly, on any device, with recommendations that feel relevant to them. Technology has moved hospitality beyond static websites and transactional bookings—it’s now about anticipating needs, providing inspiration, and building trust at every touchpoint.”
From vision to execution
Carr describes the relaunch as the cornerstone of a multi-year programme to modernise Rotana’s digital backbone. The company plans to migrate its core applications to the cloud within three years, a shift designed to unlock agility, scalability, and stronger security. Behind the scenes, AI and advanced analytics will quietly connect each step of the guest journey—identifying preferences, predicting behaviour, and tailoring offers in real time—while still allowing guests to choose how
At Rotana, our vision is to create a seamless, intuitive, and inspiring guest journey that gracefully blends innovative technology with the personal warmth of human hospitality
“digital or human” they want their stay to feel.
This vision, he explains, isn’t about flashy features for their own sake. “At Rotana, our vision is to create a seamless, intuitive, and inspiring guest journey that gracefully blends innovative technology with the personal warmth of human hospitality,” Carr says. “Through the new rotana.com, our upcoming migration to cloud-based applications, and wider digital initiatives, we will provide thoughtful recommendations and loyalty-driven experiences that turn every visit into ‘Treasured Time.’”
The project has been years in the making. Planning began two years ago, and completion is expected within the next three. Delivering a cloud-native, scalable backbone has required meticulous coordination— budgeting, vendor selection, integration, and input from hotel teams across the network. The payoff, Carr notes, is a foundation that unifies operations, provides real-time data access, and enables intelligent automation across departments.
Redefining the booking journey
The redesigned rotana.com is built for today’s mobile traveller. The responsive platform eliminates friction from search to checkout and integrates hotel stays, restaurant reservations, and event bookings in one intuitive interface. High-quality imagery, immersive video, and scrollable content modules bring Rotana’s “Treasured Time” brand promise to life, while significant performance and SEO improvements accelerate load times and boost visibility.
Corporate and event planners benefit too: a new group booking tool lets organisers submit a single request for proposal (RFP) to multiple hotels at once, dramatically simplifying event planning. And in the coming months, an AI-powered conversational chatbot will debut, offering instant information, booking guidance, and live-agent escalation when needed.
Carr emphasises that AI, CRM segmentation, and predictive analytics will be central to Rotana’s
future guest experience. “By envisioning the use of guests’ previous stays and behaviours, Rotana aims for AI-driven solutions that anticipate needs before they even emerge,” he explains. “This forward-thinking approach is intended to enable the brand to offer truly personalised recommendations, targeted offers, and dynamic promotions throughout every stage of the guest journey—from booking to in-stay interactions.”
Loyalty beyond points
In hospitality, customer loyalty is more than a metric—it’s a powerful
driver of repeat business, brand advocacy, and long-term revenue stability. Winning a guest’s trust can translate into years of bookings and positive word of mouth, making loyalty programmes a strategic priority for leading hotel groups. Reflecting this, Rotana’s loyalty ambitions extend well beyond transactional rewards. Later this year, the group will join the GHA DISCOVERY programme, one of the world’s largest independent hotel loyalty networks. For Carr, the move represents a philosophical shift: “Our aim is to redefine loyalty, shifting focus away from mere points and
Our aim is to redefine loyalty, shifting focus away from mere points and rewards and instead emphasising genuine, heartfelt connections with our guests
rewards and instead emphasising genuine, heartfelt connections with our guests,” he says. “Personalisation is at the core of our strategies, this includes using data responsibly to anticipate individual preferences and empower staff to deliver moments of unexpected delight and thoughtful care.”
Building such meaningful connections depends on trust—a principle Rotana considers fundamental to every digital initiative. “Every innovation is underpinned by strict data governance and privacy measures,” Carr adds. “Guests should feel
confident that their information is safe, and that any data we use is solely to enhance their experience.”
A competitive landscape
Rotana’s investment in AI-driven, cloud-native architecture comes at a critical moment. Travel demand in the Middle East is rebounding strongly post-pandemic, but competition is fierce: global hotel chains are rolling out their own digital ecosystems, and regional players are experimenting with super-apps and agentic AI to capture market share. The brands that can remove friction, provide meaningful personalisation, and deliver consistent experiences across devices will win guest loyalty. By unifying its digital touchpoints and modernising its back-end systems, Rotana is betting on speed, reliability, and insight as differentiators. The approach is pragmatic: simplify processes for staff and guests now, while preparing for emerging technologies that could redefine hospitality in the next decade. Carr is already watching predictive analytics and conversational interfaces closely. “AI and conversational technologies will be transformational, but we’re also watching the rise of predictive analytics and integrated digital ecosystems,” he says.
Looking ahead
The redesigned rotana.com is live worldwide in multiple languages and already strengthening the group’s direct booking channel. But Carr is quick to note that the relaunch is a step in a broader journey, not a finish line. As AI matures and guests demand ever more intuitive interactions, Rotana’s digital ecosystem will continue to evolve— linking cloud-enabled operations, intelligent service, and human hospitality in a way that keeps pace with changing expectations.
In an industry where the guest journey is increasingly digital long before check-in, Rotana’s strategy offers a glimpse of hospitality’s future – smart, seamless, personal, and grounded in trust.
FOMO TO FOCUS: A SMARTER PATH TO INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION
By Mark Feathers, Product Marketing Manager, Epicor
The United Arab Emirates’ non-oil GDP grew by 4.4 percent in the first half of 2024, taking the country another sizeable step towards realising the goals of “We the UAE 2031”. Manufacturing constituted 15 percent of nonoil GDP during the period, showing yet again that home-grown factories have a significant role to play in sustainable prosperity.
But any opportunity space is, by its nature, competitive. And when seeking an edge, manufacturers are confronted by a shopping mall of technology options. Inaction is not an option, but any move made has the potential to bring a net positive or a net negative.
In search of a competitive edge, but restrained by doubt over the next best investment, leaders also face limited resources. And any path they choose must come with measurable results so that ROI can be calculated and investments justified. In a growing sector, manufacturing companies must plot a course to their own
sustainable growth, and smartfactory technologies that optimise operations and increase efficiency will seem like the logical way forward.
Paper vs practice
On paper, technology brings operational efficiency, cost savings, and many other benefits. By now, UAE manufacturers know that to prosper from a tech investment, they must define their business goals clearly. They cannot afford to succumb to the fear of missing out. By formulating each investment in the form of “problem first, solution second”, they can not only bring value to their organisation but do so quickly.
In Epicor’s global Future of Work in Manufacturing study, we found 39 percent of manufacturing workers and 52 percent of managers considered their workplace “very modern” compared to industry competitors. Given the age in which we live, these figures may seem surprisingly low, but they can be explained by the everyday experiences of both managers and workers outside the workplace where AI and smart hardware are part of life.
For UAE manufacturing, these findings are significant because the nation is home to a relatively younger (and hence, more digital-
native) population than its global peers. As of 2025, the median age here is 31.6 years compared with 38.5 in the US, 40.1 in China, 49.8 in Japan, 40.1 in the UK, and 45.5 in Germany. As UAE manufacturers look to their future technology investments, they must account for these attitudes or risk suffering a talent drain to more forwardlooking competitors — a trend that may prove difficult to reverse.
Inclusive plans
Manufacturers must plan carefully to ensure that investments in technology represent modernisation rather than backwards steps. Plans must, of course, include budget but they must also include staff training and the integration of procured tools with legacy applications. Many benefits are available to the manufacturer who brings the whole workforce with it when it moves. Buy-in from the factory floor to the back office means input from all stakeholders. And input from all stakeholders means an increased likelihood that investments will be wisely targeted.
maintenance, the visualisation and virtual testing of process models, and the optimisation of employee work scheduling. In Epicor’s global research we found 76 percent of manufacturing leaders see the potential for AI to identify production inefficiencies, and 51 percent think it will be useful in forecasting the price of raw materials. Meanwhile, automation can elevate the employee experience by boosting accuracy and reducing human workloads; and the Internet of Things can optimise factory environments and supply chains.
The
proportion of global manufacturing leaders who see AI as key to spotting inefficiencies 76%
Source:Epicor
This inclusivity is important because every business is unique. Perhaps your manufacturing firm can use GenAI exactly like your main competitor does; perhaps not. Your stakeholders will know. There is a risk that because GenAI is the newest thing, it will eclipse strategy and lead to a hasty procurement process. So, if widescale adoption were to take root in the UAE manufacturing sector, it should be tempered by the problem-first approach mentioned earlier. If GenAI makes data analytics easier and faster and leads to more efficient operations or better decision making, then the investment is worthwhile. But if it is adopted simply to keep pace with the industry with no plan for training or use cases, then positive impacts may be elusive.
Turning Possibility into the Practical
Some potentially lucrative use cases for AI are predictive
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms can harvest data from the entire manufacturing ecosystem, analyse it centrally using AI, and deliver better visibility to business leaders, leading to better decision making and higher ROI. ERP can also draw on predictive analytics to maximise ROI by demystifying the future for the C-suite. Predictive analytics can be especially powerful when provided with data from IoT devices and sensors, which allows it to assess factory floor processes and machinery. AI monitoring can boost output and reduce downtime.
And finally, in a region where sustainability has become an indispensable element of business operations, the right technology investments can help enormously. Sustainability is the classic example of problem-first digitalisation. While the precise journey may vary from organisation to organisation, it is one we all must take. Reducing waste, optimising energy use, and enhancing supply-chain resilience will be crucial to the future of all UAE businesses. But beyond brand reputation and regulatory compliance, manufacturers can enjoy significant bottom-line boons. Manufacturing leaders need not necessarily be technology leaders. But with the right partners, it becomes easier to identify the right challenges and the right way to tackle them. Investments become wiser, and ROI greater.
AI AND THE NEW ERA OF STRATEGIC SECURITY OPERATIONS
By Ezzeldin Hussein, Regional Senior Director, Solution Engineering, META, SentinelOne
The era of judging AI by its potential has passed, and for CISOs, the only cybersecurity conversation that matters is its proven performance. Security experts are now thinking about ways to execute and implement AI rather than questioning whether to adopt it. Investing in AI enhances threat detection, aids analysts, and visibly reduces the possibilities of risk. Speed, accuracy and operational efficiency are now becoming an absolute necessity in order to face sophisticated cyber-attacks.
AI conversations have shifted from an “if” to a “how”, making it crucial
to implement solutions that visibly improve organisational operations. Enterprises now face high-velocity, complex cyber threats in large volumes, and manual workflows create overburdened analysts and increase risks. In a market flooded with AI claims, CISOs must distinguish real value from noise. The size of the model, benchmark scores, or marketing hype does not decide which AI is the most suitable for enterprises. It is determined by tangible results in operations that bolster security posture and increase business confidence.
Advanced Generative AI and agentic AI now unlock significant capabilities.
Generative AI can convert raw data into actionable intelligence, giving summaries, advice, and context that helps analysts understand data better. Agentic AI goes one step ahead by taking ownership and autonomously executing tasks that involve multiple steps, remembering and recalling data while correlating it, and making accurate decisions, allowing faster reactions.
AI does not replace but only supports human efforts, which in turn gives organisational security teams more time and energy to focus on strategy, active threat-hunting, investigations, and supervising security systems. Operations are now shifting from reactive to proactive as AI is taking on the role of performing repetitive tasks and triaging. This shift makes it easier to foresee and prevent threats. It also brings together scattered data across endpoints, cloud, identities, and networks into actionable insights, reducing alert fatigue and driving autonomous workflows that strengthen posture and reduce risks.
Recent studies by SentinelOne found that companies using AI see 63 percent faster threat detection and 55 percent quicker solving. Security analysts experience 38 percent more efficiency, which makes it easier for teams to handle 61 percent more endpoints. These enterprises were able to achieve 338 percent ROI along with a payback period of only four months. Confident in resilient systems, security leaders adopt new approaches and calculated risks, turning security from a cost centre into a competitive differentiator and business enabler.
Choosing AI that gives adequate support to security teams, lowers risk, increases productivity, and produces tangible, measurable results is important for CISOs. Going beyond hype, the emphasis needs to be on solutions that offer practical insights, fortify systems, and guarantee impactful, sustainable, and strategic investments. AI is no longer a mere conversation topic, but a practical reality. It now actively contributes to enterprise operations and helps security leaders who give importance to verified results over just promises. AI systems provide security teams with speed, efficiency and assurance that molds them into successful strategic business enablers.
WIRED FOR PROGRESS
Mohannad Abuissa, Director of Solutions Engineering and CTO, Cisco Middle East and Africa, shares insights into why resilience, AI-ready infrastructure, and integrated security will define the next chapter of the UAE’s digital economy
Across enterprises, networks are facing unprecedented demands. Cisco’s latest global networking research reveals a stark reality: even a single major outage can cost businesses billions, two-thirds of organisations admit their data centres are not yet capable of handling AI’s workload requirements, and siloed systems continue to undermine scalability and security. The report signals a turning point—AI-driven services, edge computing, and cloud architectures are now commonplace, but without resilient and intelligent networks, these advances could falter.
Mohannad Abuissa,
Director of Solutions Engineering and CTO, Cisco Middle East
and Africa, describes these findings as a wake-up call for markets such as the UAE, where connectivity underpins economic ambition. “The UAE has positioned itself as a global leader in digital infrastructure and connectivity,” he says. “According to a report by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), the country recently achieved 100 percent internet connectivity, ensuring every resident has access to the internet, and also set a global record with fibre optic network coverage of 99.5 percent.”
As the first Arab nation to deploy 5G, the UAE has expanded network
capacity and efficiency, enabling IoT applications and smart city initiatives that are reshaping industries. The UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 is another cornerstone of this vision, embedding AI across healthcare, energy, education, transport, and government services, with a projected AED 335 billion contribution to the economy. “The UAE distinguishes itself by combining broad, high-quality internet access with rapid adoption of next-generation technologies,” Abuissa notes. “This positions the country as not just a regional hub, but a global benchmark for connectivity, innovation readiness, and digital transformation at scale.”
That ambition places network resilience firmly in the spotlight. Cisco’s research estimates that a single major outage globally can cost up to $160 billion, disrupting supply chains, customer service, and brand reputation. In the UAE, 99 percent of IT leaders say resilient networks are essential, yet 78 percent have experienced major outages in the past year. “Advanced network observability provides real-time visibility, while predictive analytics can help prevent escalations,” Abuissa explains. “Implementing AI-powered automation can also minimise downtime and accelerate problem resolution.” He emphasises that resilience is not only about technology—regular testing, staff training, and clear communication strategies are equally important to maintain confidence when disruptions occur.
As AI workloads grow, infrastructure gaps are becoming impossible to ignore. Two-thirds of global organisations say their data centres cannot fully support AI’s demands. Yet Cisco’s findings show that 92 percent of UAE respondents plan to expand capacity—on-premises, in the cloud, or both—to meet this challenge. The
UAE’s forward momentum is evident in the Stargate UAE consortium, an ambitious project to build a onegigawatt AI data centre campus in Abu Dhabi, with Cisco as a key partner. The initiative, targeting an initial 200 MW capacity by 2026, is set to anchor the region’s AI ambitions. Cisco will provide advanced networking, security, and observability solutions that can deliver the scalability and performance such a campus demands. Recognising that many existing data centres were not designed with AI in mind, the company has developed AI-ready platforms such as Cisco UCS AI Servers, Nexus Hyperfabric AI networks, and AI PODs—solutions engineered for highperformance computing, low latency, and energy efficiency. Complementing these are the Hybrid Mesh Firewall and Universal Zero Trust Network Access, designed to protect AI deployments with real-time observability and automated threat defence.
Breaking silos and securing the AI era
But building capacity is only part of the equation. Cisco’s research shows that 64 percent of UAE IT leaders struggle with siloed or partially
integrated systems, and nearly half face challenges from incomplete deployments. These gaps impede scalability and expose organisations to evolving threats. “These issues limit scalability and leave organisations vulnerable,” Abuissa says. Cisco’s strategy focuses on integrated, automated, and secure platforms that unify infrastructure across cloud, onpremises, and hybrid environments, while predictive network management and zero-trust architectures provide the resilience modern businesses demand.
He also cautions that AI’s acceleration brings complexity alongside opportunity. “The rapid advancement of AI has entirely transformed networks; however, it has also introduced risks, including security vulnerabilities and increased demands for higher bandwidths and lower latency,” he warns. Cisco advises organisations to adopt AI-augmented security strategies that combine zero-trust frameworks, AI-powered threat detection, and automated policy enforcement to keep pace with growing demands. This dual focus— leveraging AI for optimisation while securing its potential attack surfaces— is essential for UAE organisations
looking to advance confidently in an AI-driven world.
The network as the engine of intelligence Networking, long the invisible backbone of digital change, is moving front and centre as the engine of intelligence at scale. “At Cisco, we believe that there is no AI without the network,” Abuissa says. “Networking and security are inseparable. That’s even more true in the age of AI. The network cannot simply move data, it must also secure it, enforce policy, and build trust at every step.” By embedding security directly into the network fabric, Cisco is aligning its strategy with the UAE’s broader ambitions.
With initiatives like Stargate UAE and a national AI strategy stretching to 2031, the country is wiring itself for a future where resilient, intelligent, and secure networks will determine economic competitiveness. Rather than merely keeping pace with global trends, the UAE is helping define them. As AI becomes central to both business and national strategies, the sophistication and resilience of the network will shape the next chapter of digital transformation in the region.
THE THERMAL TIPPING POINT
FBy Ashley Woodbridge, CTO, Lenovo META
uture-proofing your data centre starts with how you cool it. The method chosen is no longer a technical consideration, but a strategic one. The reason for this is simple: as data centres scale to support AI and increase their compute density, air cooling is hitting its physical limits, beyond which it is no longer useful.
The IT industry has traditionally relied on air cooling for data centres, but as GPU-based AI systems and high-performance computing (HPC) consume more power and generate more heat, the technology simply cannot keep up. Data centre operators are facing difficult decisions. How will they cater for user demand for more power while dealing with increasing temperatures, all without breaking their budgets?
In the Middle East, Lenovo is seeing these challenges magnified by the region’s extreme ambient temperatures — often exceeding 50°C in summer — and by the rapid growth of AI-driven projects such as NEOM in Saudi Arabia, Expo City Dubai, and Egypt’s New Administrative Capital. These initiatives demand high-density, high-performance computing, and we work closely with regional partners to ensure cooling strategies are ready for these conditions from day one, often leveraging our Lenovo NeptuneTM liquid cooling technology to deliver
reliable performance in even the harshest climates.
The answer lies in a new approach, which will be a gamechanger for the data centres of tomorrow.
Air cooling has reached its limit Air-cooled systems can support up to approximately 70 kilowatts per rack in the data centre, but hit a physical limit when it comes to removing heat known as ‘specific heat capacity’. Beyond this, operators need to look at alternative cooling methods. Adding to the complexity is the rise in demand for AI workloads across every industry, requiring five times the amount of power. The industry is now seeing a shift from chips operating at 120 watts to 600 watts or more.
Liquid cooling might seem like a daunting prospect, but the reality is that as demand for AI grows, the option is either to adopt liquid cooling or be left behind
This change is pushing air cooling beyond the threshold at which it is viable. It mirrors a previous shift in the automotive industry, where manufacturers had to adopt liquid cooling for engines as consumers demanded more power. Citroen developed the last mass-produced air-cooled engine in the 1970s, with a few holdouts such as Porsche still using air cooling into the last years of the 20th century. Air-cooled cars are now largely limited to vintage or specialist equipment, whereas modern cars use liquid cooling. In the Gulf region, a similar shift has been seen in the energy sector, where traditional cooling
methods for oil and gas processing plants have been replaced with advanced liquid-based systems to handle extreme heat and maintain operational efficiency. Similar lessons can be applied to the data centre industry. Water is the perfect choice because it has the highest capacity to retain and move heat out of any common liquid or gas. It is more than 3,000 times more efficient at moving heat than air. To put that in context, if walking was 3,000 times more efficient, you could stroll from London to Rome in the time it takes to brew a cup of coffee.
For Lenovo, liquid cooling is not just about performance — it’s about
helping Middle Eastern enterprises align with national sustainability visions such as the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategy and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Lenovo NeptuneTM is engineered to deliver measurable ESG outcomes by reducing carbon emissions, improving Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), and enabling heat reuse for district heating or facility warming.
Water makes an enormous difference to the efficiency of data centres, which use as much as half of their total energy on cooling systems. Liquid cooling techniques, such as direct-to-node cooling, can remove at least 98 percent of heat from servers, which can then be
reused to heat facilities. Modern cooling systems are designed to be serviceable and safe, making them practical in a wide variety of environments.
Liquid cooling is scalable, practical and proven
Liquid cooling is not an exclusive technology reserved for the biggest hyperscalers like Amazon, Google and Microsoft. As demand for AI grows, along with concerns over sustainable computing, we are seeing universities and Tier 2 and Tier 3 data centres (rated for reliability) adopting liquid cooling to keep pace. For those switching to liquid cooling, there is no need for a complete overhaul: the technology integrates neatly with existing infrastructure. The latest water-cooled systems work across multiple configurations, including hybrid systems using both air and liquid, which can make adoption easier.
With the energy used by data centres predicted to rise 150 percent in Europe in the coming decade, according to think tank Ember, measuring the efficiency of data centres in power use (or Power Usage Effectiveness) will come under scrutiny. Liquid cooling is the easiest way to stay compliant while boosting performance, and warmwater cooling, which does not waste water to keep it cool, also avoids putting pressure on local water supplies. Energy is used to compute, not cool, and can play a major part in cutting power consumption.
A cleaner future
Liquid cooling might seem like a daunting prospect, but the reality is that as demand for AI grows, the option is either to adopt liquid cooling or be left behind. With air cooling hitting its thermal barrier, CIOs and IT leaders who hope to drive efficiency, hit ESG targets and embrace a data-driven future have to look seriously at liquid cooling. Making the shift brings immediate benefits in terms of running costs, sets organi sations up for a longerhorizon future.
THE FUTURE IN MOTION
GSunil Paul, Co-Founder and Managing Director, analyses how GITEX GLOBAL 2025 reflects the readiness of enterprises to turn innovation into outcomes
ITEX GLOBAL has long served as a compass for the future of technology.
In 2025, it becomes a proving ground for enterprises ready to harness the innovations that will define the decade ahead. Artificial intelligence will dominate the agenda—but the conversation has matured. Generative AI is no longer about proofs of concept or headline-grabbing demos; it is about embedding intelligence into the fabric of enterprise workflows. Adoption is no longer theoretical—78 percent of organisations now use AI in at least one business function, up sharply from 55 percent just a year ago, according to McKinsey. At Finesse, we see industries such as banking, healthcare, and government weaving AI into customer journeys, operational decision-making, and
even compliance frameworks. The pressing questions now concern governance, ethics, and trust—how enterprises can innovate at scale while safeguarding data integrity and transparency.
Cybersecurity is equally central. As digital ecosystems expand, traditional defences no longer suffice. The threat landscape grows more complex by the day, with attackers targeting cloud, IoT, and identity as much as networks. At GITEX GLOBAL, the conversations will echo what we hear consistently from clients: security must evolve from a gatekeeper into an enabler of business resilience. The rise of zero trust, AI-driven detection, and deep observability signals a new era where visibility and speed of response determine survival. Infrastructure also takes centre stage. Cloud has matured into
a multi-cloud and sovereign model, balancing agility with localisation. Enterprises now demand consistency across public, private, and hybrid deployments, while hyperscalers compete to deliver the scale and security required for AI-driven workloads. The semiconductor race is intensifying as enterprises seek performance, sovereignty, and supply chain resilience. Meanwhile, quantum computing edges closer to commercial reality, creating unprecedented opportunities alongside urgent questions around encryption and preparedness.
What sets GITEX GLOBAL apart is not just the technology on display but the ecosystem it convenes— governments, corporates, startups, investors, and academia. This convergence offers enterprises a vantage point to evaluate their own journeys: are digital investments translating into tangible outcomes? Are strategies keeping pace with technological change?
GITEX GLOBAL is, in many ways, a mirror. It will reflect the readiness—or hesitation—of enterprises to take bold steps with AI, cybersecurity, cloud, and more. Those who see technology as a cost will lag. Those who see it as a force multiplier will define the future.
Fred Marie / Shutterstock.com
APPLE: iPhone 17 Pro series
Apple has launched the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, bringing notable improvements in processing power, display, durability, and imaging.
The devices are powered by the A19 Pro chip, which delivers up to 40 percent better sustained performance compared with their predecessors. A new aluminium chassis with a built-in vapour chamber improves heat dissipation, while internal design changes allow for larger batteries, extending runtime.
Both phones are available in 6.3inch and 6.9-inch sizes, featuring Super Retina XDR displays with refresh rates up to 120 Hz and outdoor brightness peaking at 3,000 nits. Apple has also introduced
DELL: Dell Pro Premium
Conferencing Soundbar
second-generation Ceramic Shield glass on the front and back, offering stronger protection against scratches and cracks.
Photography sees a significant boost with a next-generation 48-megapixel telephoto camera that uses a tetraprism lens system, enabling optical zoom at 4× and 8× levels. The main and ultra-wide cameras also remain at 48 megapixels, while the new front camera supports advanced stabilisation, group framing, and simultaneous dual capture from front and rear lenses.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max adds a 2TB storage option, while both models support faster charging with Apple’s latest 40W adapter.
ASUS: ExpertBook B3 series
ASUS has expanded its business laptop portfolio with the launch of the ExpertBook B3 series, offering 14-inch and 16-inch models designed for professional use. Both versions feature 16:10 NanoEdge displays with TÜV Rheinland eye-care certification and anti-glare protection, aiming to reduce strain during extended work sessions.
Powered by up to Intel Core Ultra 7 processors with integrated Intel Arc graphics, the laptops support up to 64 GB of memory. A built-in Neural Processing Unit enables local AI tasks, including enhanced video conferencing with real-time noise cancellation and collaboration tools.
Connectivity options cover Wi-Fi 6E, optional 5G, and a range of I/O ports. Security features include TPM 2.0, secure-core BIOS, fingerprint login, a smart-card reader, and a physical webcam shutter.
Weighing around 1.4 kg, the laptops meet military-grade durability standards and include a 180-degree hinge. ASUS has also focused on sustainability, incorporating over 25 percent recycled materials into the design.
Dell has added the Pro Premium Conferencing Soundbar (SB725) to its portfolio of workplace audio devices, focusing on improving clarity during video and voice calls.
The SB725 connects via USB-A and integrates directly beneath a monitor, housing two 52 mm full-range speakers with a frequency response of 150 Hz to 20 kHz and RMS power output of 3.6 W. A built-in microphone array, covering 110 Hz to 14 kHz, provides a pickup range of up to 2.3 metres, making it suitable for small meeting rooms and personal setups.
The device incorporates AI-driven uplink and downlink noise cancellation, along with echo reduction, to suppress background sounds for both speakers and listeners. Physical controls for volume, mute, and call handling are placed on the soundbar, with LED indicators showing microphone status and Microsoft Teams activity.
Compact and weighing under 300 g, the SB725 is certified for both Teams and Zoom.
iGS950 Series
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