Artificial intelligence, the internet of things, big data and robotics are keys to shaping a positive future. Networked and sustainable cities, autonomous vehicles, intelligent factories and personalized health services are determining our everyday lives. With these technological innovations, the way we live and work will change fundamentally. They bear enormous potential for economic prosperity and social progress. But how can society successfully carry out this transformation?
France is leading a push to increase the taxation of tech giants in Europe, backed by Germany, Italy and Spain. The countries' finance ministers said in a joint letter that they want multinational technology companies like Google and Amazon to be taxed based on their revenues in Europe, rather than only profits as now.
Dubai never fails to impress with its forward-thinking approach to technological innovation. Dubai Police recently unveiled the emirate's ambitious approach to law enforcement: a robot policeman equipped with cameras and facial recognition software. China is taking a similar approach, with companies developing artificial intelligence designed to predict crimes before they occur.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has revealed statistics for the second quarter of 2017 on the nation's most popular mobile phone handsets. Investigating the current state of the market, the report reveals the market share of mobile phones in the UAE by manufacturer and model.
Alphabet-owned Google is fighting back against the $2.8 billion antitrust fine it was given by the European Commission in June this year. The Californian tech giant has filed an appeal against the fine, which was the largest penalty ever given by the European Union's regulator.
Virgin Mobile UAE's mobile plans are "totally customer-centric" said Product Manager Juraj Cangar speaking at the brand's Design District HQ in Dubai on September 6. Customers can have their SIM card delivered to them "within an hour", personalize their monthly mobile plan, and choose their own phone number, all via an in-house built app.
In a move that would encourage Saudi Arabia's telecom sector, His Excellency the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha recently visited the headquarters of both Zain Saudi Arabia and Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) in Riyadh, where he honored the companies for their efforts during Hajj season.
At IFA 2017 in Berlin, Huawei unveiled its vision for the future of artificial intelligence (AI) with the launch of the Kirin 970 chipset. Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, said the company is committed to turning smart devices into intelligence devices by building end-to-end capabilities that support coordinated development of chips, devices and the cloud.
Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, H.E. Eng. Yasser El Kady, told Reuters on Sept. 11, that Egypt will launch commercial 4G services by the end of September. The Minister also said the government will release additional frequencies to operators in the future without committing to a timeline.
Smart Dubai Office sponsored the participation of Emirates Digital Association for Women at the Grace Hopper Conference 2017, held annually in Orlando, USA, to highlight the potential of women in computing, technology and artificial intelligence.
