Issue 85: GITEX Heats Up
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about innovation in the UAE– Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
GITEX Heats Up
The fall season is always remarkable in the UAE. This year is an extraordinary one, with the Dubai Expo 2020 taking place. One of our favorite events of the fall calendar is the GITEX technology week. The UAE’s best and brightest technology minds come together to demonstrate the pulse of the vibrant local and regional tech sector. This year was full of dynamic announcements that further entrenched the UAE’s reputation as one of the most promising knowledge economies in the world.
5G futures: One of the most exciting announcements came from Digital DEWA, the digital arm of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority. In partnership with du and DEWA’s subsidiary InfraX, the utility announced plans to develop a new 5G use case for smart grids in the city. Dubai has been on the bleeding edge of smart city developments for decades, but this new commitment to 5G technology will ensure that the city remains a world leader. Under the partnership, InfraX will deliver a superfast use case for businesses to bolster on-site capabilities that realize transformative and sustainable impacts of emerging technologies.
Going paperless: Smart Dubai celebrated substantial progress in Dubai’s commitment to a paperless future for all government entities. Smart Dubai awarded a digital “stamp” to government entities that have fully implemented the Dubai Paperless Strategy. When the strategy is fully implemented, it will save 130,000 trees, allowing Dubai’s residents and visitors to economise 40 hours per person per year, as well as save more than AED900 million that would have otherwise been spent executing paper transactions. These announcements are part of the reason why GITEX is one of the most important events of the calendar. We can’t wait to see what is announced next year.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“After bread, education is the first need of the people.”
– George Danton, French politician and thinker
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
Local fintech: Have you heard about BNPL? If not, we have you covered as it is one of the fastest-growing sectors in global fintech. BNPL stands for “Buy Now Pay Later”, and it is driving growth in the untapped market of people who can’t or won’t use credit cards — and the UAE is an emerging hub. If you want to peer into the future of the local technology sector, start with fintech.
Remaking the internet: Facebook is back in the news. Social media companies have tried their best to stay away from content moderation for most of their existence. Leading platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have repeatedly argued that they can’t be the arbiters of truth or the editors of perceptions. That’s all changing now. Companies such as Twitter have started moderating content from significant figures such as former US President Donald Trump. In a piece from the archive, we explore how content moderation is a perfect opportunity for small states like the UAE to help define the internet we want.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
The 4-hour workweek: Cal Newport is writing some great pieces on the future of work at The New Yorker. This week, he loops back on Tim Ferriss’s 2007 manifesto on “The 4-hour Work Week” and finds that our current model of hybrid work from home is a manifestation of that bold idea. The 4-Hour Workweek, Newport writes, delivered a prophecy that many were not yet receptive to. The pandemic has changed this reality. It’s a piece worth reading.
Progress on the climate: We have been focused on climate change for the past several issues. Last week, Saudi Arabia joined the UAE in promising to curb carbon emissions. This is excellent news, but while progress is being made, we face a severe crisis. The New York Times has gone deep on what we need to do now. The interactive graphics bring the gravity of the situation to light.
QUICK HITS
Have you seen Dune yet?
Get ready for “nanotargeting” on Facebook.
What is longtermism?