Issue 68: Welcoming Digital Nomads
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about how the labor market is transforming in the wake of Covid-19 – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
Welcoming Digital Nomads
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused an undeniable impact on the economic models of the Gulf. Declining hydrocarbon revenues and lower tourism numbers have created a difficult economic climate. One result is a reformulation of the labor market in countries like the UAE. While this is a painful reality, there are some possible opportunities in this historic change.
Remote work: From remote working to increased use of online shopping, Covid-19 has quite literally brought the future into the present. This is positive for the UAE’s knowledge economy. Our digital infrastructure has proven critical to how we’re managing the pandemic. When it comes to our workforce, we now have the opportunity to seek out the best talent from around the world and engage them digitally wherever they are.
Advanced technology: Further advancements in automation and artificial intelligence will enable the UAE and other Gulf nations to rely less on imported labor. This means more resources could be diverted into knowledge-based sectors since there’ll be fewer people to physically look after. Thus, the labor migration we’re seeing is a critical step towards an increasingly streamlined economy ready to focus more on the knowledge and technology sectors.
Digital first: We have a strong affinity for the Estonian model. With regard to labor and the knowledge economy, Estonia simply gets it right. The tiny Baltic nation has invested in digital business, entrepreneurs, and nomads while keeping their physical population small. This investment has enabled Estonia to become one of the most advanced knowledge economies in the world. As the UAE undergoes a labor transformation, we have to bear in mind that the current changes will allow us to become a much stronger technology-first nation. While painful in the short term, these changes will pay major dividends in the long term.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“If you set your goals ridiculously high and it's a failure, you will fail above everyone else's success."
– James Cameron, film director
BACKSTORY: SPACE
The UAE is preparing to send the first Arab space mission to Mars next month. The Amal spacecraft, which means Hope, is due to lift off from a remote Japanese island on 20 July. Over the next three weeks, look out for special Backstory: Space editions landing in your inbox on Friday mornings. This mission is about much more than space exploration and we’ll fill you in on the backstory you need to fully appreciate this historic event.
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
Agility in action: The UAE Government under the direction of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, announced a major reshuffle this month. Ministries and departments across the Government will be merged to create a more agile governing structure. Just like the creation of the Dubai Council at the start of 2020, this decision is vital to the UAE’s efforts to be one of the most responsive and forward-thinking in the world. In light of the global Covid-19 pandemic, this announcement couldn’t have come at a better time. In our latest piece, we explore how this change will transform the Government for the better.
Rethinking citizenship: Could digital citizenship unlock a new knowledge economy? In this piece from the archive, we travel to Estonia to take the temperature of its innovative e-residency program. The small Baltic nation launched the world’s first e-Residency program in 2014 with the goal of 10 million e-residents by 2025. The trend is clear: we have a lot to learn from the Estonians.
A MESSAGE FROM DIGITAI
Artificial Intelligence can work for you. The pace of AI innovation is undeniable. With so many options to choose from, how can you be sure that you are making AI work for your needs? Discover what we’re doing at Digit Ai, a Xische company, to accelerate organisational capacity building that leverages AI and machine learning. Find solutions that make business sense and embrace the power of AI.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
Window swap: Wouldn’t it be nice to open a window in a random city and just check out what’s happening? Well, someone designed a website that allows you to do just that. If you visit Window Swap, you can look out a random window into a city anywhere in the world. You can even submit your own window. With all this time indoors, it’s a breath of fresh air.
Setting our sights: We have a whole newsletter series devoted to the UAE’s mission to Mars (look out for the next edition on Friday) but we couldn’t help but share this incredible piece in the New York Times about the mission. Exposure like this in one of the world’s best newspapers highlights the positive impact of the Hope Probe. Have a read and be sure to share with your friends.
QUICK HITS
What if you had noise-canceling headphones for your house?
US grocery stores are accelerating automation and self-checkout.
Labor exodus in the Gulf presents an opportunity.
Like what you're reading?
