Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about the year ahead – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy

THE BIG TAKE

Small Steps in AI

Happy new year! After a well-deserved break, we are back with a fresh newsletter on a different day. With this edition of Backstory coming to you on a Friday, we are marking an exciting new chapter in the UAE’s economic growth. Last year, the country decided to shift the workweek from Sunday to Thursday to Monday to Friday. The shift might sound small for those living in the West, but it is nothing short of remarkable for the Gulf and Middle East regions. 

Competitive advantage: The shift to a Saturday-Sunday weekend will align the UAE with much of the rest of the world and boost the country’s status as a global business hub. Virtually every country in the Middle East, including Israel, operates on a Friday-Saturday weekend model because the region's religions consider Friday and Saturday to be holy days instead of Sunday, which is prevalent in the Christian world. When the news broke, Bloomberg reported that the UAE “has set its sights on deeper ties with the fast-growing economies of Asia and Africa, aiming to draw in $150 billion in foreign investment from mainly older partners such as South Korea, Indonesia, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Turkey.”

The pandemic influence: Considered alone, the shift to a new week is impressive. But it’s part of a basket of critical reforms designed to change how the UAE does business fundamentally. These reforms include an overhaul of the visa program to attract digital nomads and remote workers. The pandemic was one catalyst to this shift as it kickstarted changes that were long discussed and debated. As we begin 2022, we are excited to see how the week change will continue the progress of the UAE. It will be a great year, and we are eager to experience it with all of you.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Life is too complicated not to be orderly.”

– Martha Stewart

OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK

Our writing on space: Given the pace of technological innovation over the past ten years, every day seems to bring a new milestone. With so many advancements, have we lost control of the terms we use to describe aspiration? When the United States set the goal of sending a man to the moon in the 1960s, the boldness of the project and its extraordinary vision were accurately described as a moon shot. In this 2019 piece published by Xische, we explored the new moon shots taking place in the UAE.

The future of digital culture: Writing in The National in 2020, Xische’s director of strategy, Mary Ames, addressed the question of digital culture. We’ve all experienced the power of technology, from Zoom calls to the ability to stream millions of hours of content during the crisis. We’ve also read about the myriad privacy issues surrounding platforms like Zoom. The challenge is striking the right balance between innovative technology and data privacy, and the perfect time is now.

SPOTTED ELSEWHERE

Rethinking mental health: Every January, the world’s media are inundated with self-help articles full of tips for starting the year on the right foot, writes Joseph Dana in Asia Times this week. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, these articles have become a mainstay of newspapers and blogs worldwide. It’s no wonder, then, that some forgotten approaches to mental health are resurfacing with ferocity. It can be a challenge to find the strategies that can deliver meaningful change. However, the work of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung (1875-1961), which has enjoyed a significant resurgence, is worthy of our time. Dive deeper into Jung for advice on getting the best from yourself in the year ahead. 

Theranos on trial: Have you been following the trial of Elizabeth Holmes? Once the darling of Silicon Valley, thanks to her promise to revolutionize blood testing, Holmes was found guilty of defrauding investors this week in a high-profile trial that speaks volumes about how venture capital operates. If you want to understand the confusing world of technology investment, the Elizabeth Holmes trial is an excellent place to start.

QUICK HITS

• A neuroscientist contemplates death and the mind. 

• The age of digital divination. 

• The myth of artificial intelligence.

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