In conversation with Ahmad El Dandachi, Enterprise Commercial Director, Microsoft UAE as he discusses their GITEX participation and showcase, current tech industry trends and 2024 technologies to look forward to.
Can you tell us about your participation at GITEX this year, were there any new launches or unique innovations on display?
Microsoft has always been very committed to GITEX, and we have been at GITEX every year for the past two decades. GITEX Global 2023’s theme of ‘The Year to Imagine AI in Everything’ is very special to us because it is an amalgamation of our decades of research and the UAE’s vision to adopt AI technologies to achieve its national goals. We were present with 32 of our partners to showcase how the latest AI technologies and solutions, especially in generative AI, are assisting the key industries of the region. For example, we showcased what the government services of the future will look like with ‘Mai’ the Citizen Companion. Mai is a digital assistant bot, powered by generative AI, that is designed to assist residents in the UAE access any government service such as renewing their driving license, applying for a UAE Golden Visa, or paying a traffic fine.
Please share your outlook of the technology industry in the coming months and 2024?
We are observing a lot of momentum in how technology can help customers improve efficiency, boost productivity, generate new revenue streams, and create new business models. This is evident all around the world, and so the outlook is very positive.
Here in the UAE, we are very lucky in that the visionary leadership of the country has been such a strong supporter of the need to adopt and leverage the latest technologies. This support is accelerating momentum and building a strong foundation for our customers and partners. The wise leadership has also emphasized the importance of developing the right digital skills to continue this momentum.
How is Microsoft set to make a difference for the technology industry and customers in 2024?
I believe Microsoft will be a market maker for AI. Our collaboration with OpenAI has seen us make significant progress on both the roadmap and technology fronts. Copilot is now in the market and generally available, and Azure OpenAI is also available in the region. In addition, we are bringing generative AI to our data centers in the UAE, which is important for data sovereignty, security, and privacy. Our customers and partners can leverage these technologies to boost their businesses, drive more efficiency, and increase productivity.
What are some of the tech trends we can expect to see in 2024?
I honestly think generative AI will change the way we, our customers, and our partners do business. It will not only be a new technology, but also a new way to interact with our customers. With all the automation that generative AI brings, we will see a lot more government entities adopting it to enhance the use of their services through “companions” such as the one we displayed at our stand.
We also know that new jobs will be created that will require a different set of skills than those being utilized in the current workforce. This is why we are committed to helping prepare the current and future workforce for the opportunities and demands of an AI-driven job market.
