Dubai government invests in AI to improve efficiency and service delivery

AI sector in the Gulf is expected to expand its contribution to the region’s economy from $10 billion in 2022 to $150 billion in the coming years. (Dubai Media Office/File)
AI sector in the Gulf is expected to expand its contribution to the region’s economy from $10 billion in 2022 to $150 billion in the coming years. (Dubai Media Office/File)
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Updated 09 June 2023
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Dubai government invests in AI to improve efficiency and service delivery

Dubai government invests in AI to improve efficiency and service delivery
  • New Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence will train 1,000 government employees, launch pilot projects

LONDON: Dubai launched on Thursday an artificial intelligence center to help government entities embrace cutting-edge technologies across key sectors and boost efficiency and service delivery across public services.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai and chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, unveiled the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence at the Emirates Towers.

“Dubai’s government will be the best in the world in deploying artificial intelligence within its various entities,” said Sheikh Hamdan.

“This new center is the first step in achieving this goal and developing future services to keep pace with rapid technological advancements.”

 

 

Located in Area 2071, the new specialist center will train 1,000 government employees from more than 30 government bodies on the uses of generative AI.

It will also help launch dozens of pilot projects and improve government services, as well as increase the productivity of employees and support over 20 local and global advanced technology startups.

During the launch, Sheikh Hamdan encouraged Dubai’s government employees from all departments to embrace generative AI tools, enhancing productivity and optimizing government services.

“We aim to see practical applications of generative AI technologies in our government sector,” he said.

“Technological development is moving very rapidly, and in Dubai, we are determined to be just as fast in testing and harnessing it for the benefit of society. We want new AI-powered government tools to have a clear impact and tangible results.”

Organizations like the Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Media Council, and Dubai Digital Authority will supervise the introduction of the center’s AI objectives and outcomes.

The DCAI plans to utilize AI technology to conduct simulations, study the changes and effects of new policies and legislation, predict the results of various scenarios, evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and support intricate decision-making.

Moreover, the center will employ data analysis tools to uncover trends and insights, empowering government offices to make well-informed decisions.

The launch of the DCAI comes at a time when the generative AI sector in the Gulf is expected to expand its contribution to the region’s economy from $10 billion in 2022 to $150 billion in the coming years.


Live Nation Middle East makes global push to promote Arabic music

Live Nation Middle East makes global push to promote Arabic music
Updated 17 sec ago
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Live Nation Middle East makes global push to promote Arabic music

Live Nation Middle East makes global push to promote Arabic music
  • Newly appointed Amin T. Kabban to lead team promoting international tours for Arabic artists
  • Company is committed to growing regional talents, exporting Arabic music worldwide, Live Nation Middle East president said

LONDON: Live Nation Middle East, the regional arm of the entertainment giant, is making a global push to promote Arabic music.

The company has appointed Amin T. Kabbani to lead a newly formed team that will focus on booking and promoting international tours for Arabic artists.

“Expanding our operations to include international touring for Arabic talent is a natural progression for Live Nation Middle East,” said James Craven, president of Live Nation Middle East.

“While focusing on established names, Live Nation Middle East is equally dedicated to nurturing up-and-coming regional talent.”

As part of its initiative, the entertainment powerhouse will host events at some of the region’s iconic venues, such as Etihad Arena.

Craven said Live Nation is committed to nurturing up-and-coming Arabic talent and raising the profile of Arabic music around the world.

Kabbani, an industry leader with 15 years of experience, said that he is “truly honored and excited to join the Live Nation Middle East team on this incredible journey of transforming the Arabic touring market.”

He added that this is a “remarkable opportunity to not only shape the future of live entertainment but also to celebrate the rich Arabic culture through unforgettable performances.”

Live Nation Middle East will kick off its global touring business in early 2024 with an 18-stop tour headlined by an iconic Arab artist.


Arab Cinema Week returns for second year

Arab Cinema Week returns for second year
Updated 44 min 57 sec ago
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Arab Cinema Week returns for second year

Arab Cinema Week returns for second year
  • Held under the theme ‘Human Bonds,’ the festival will feature films reflecting key events that have affected the Arab world

DUBAI: The second Arab Cinema Week is returning this month to Dubai, UAE.

The inaugural event last year screened nine feature films and six short films — with 11 Arab countries and nine female directors represented.

This year the festival is being held under the theme ‘Human Bonds’ and aims to explore an individual’s connection to a particular society and the effect customs and traditions have on a person’s upbringing, identity and relationships.

The featured films reflect key events that have affected the Arab world — such as the unrest in Lebanon, the earthquake in Morocco and the upheaval in Sudan.

For example, the documentary “Heroic Bodies” explores the position women hold in Sudanese society, and in “My Lost Country,” filmmaker Ishtar Yasin Gutierrez retraces her father’s roots in Iraq, 20 years after the invasion of the country.

Beirut holds a special place in the selection, said Rabih El-Khoury, curator of this year’s festival.

The lineup includes three Beirut-based films: Wissam Charaf’s “Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous,” which tells the story of a Syrian refugee and an Ethiopian domestic worker falling in love in Beirut; Mohamed Soueid’s documentary “The Insomnia of a Serial Dreamer” and Borhane Alaouie’s celebrated feature “Beirut the Encounter,” which was shot during the Lebanese civil war.

Other films this year include “Under the Fig Trees,” “Life Suits Me Well” and “Alam.”

El-Khoury said: “Arab Cinema Week is both an exploration and a celebration of Arab cinema. In a program that invites the spectators to investigate human bonds, Cinema Akil is also fortifying its ties with its tremendous audience and filmgoers, a human bond that remains invaluable.”

The 10-day event will be held at Cinema Akil in collaboration with the UK’s Safar Film Festival from Oct. 6 to Oct. 15.


India police search journalists’ homes and offices in the country’s latest raids on media

India police search journalists’ homes and offices in the country’s latest raids on media
Updated 03 October 2023
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India police search journalists’ homes and offices in the country’s latest raids on media

India police search journalists’ homes and offices in the country’s latest raids on media
  • Indian authorities raid NewsClick over allegations of illicit funding
  • India’s crackdown on journalists and media outlets has raised international concerns

NEW DELHI: Indian police raided the offices of a news website that’s under investigation for allegedly receiving funds from China, as well as the homes of several of its journalists, in what critics described as an attack on one of India’s few remaining independent news outlets.
The raids came months after Indian authorities searched the BBC’s New Delhi and Mumbai offices over accusations of tax evasion in February.
NewsClick, founded in 2009, is known as a rare Indian news outlets that is willing to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A number of other news organizations have been investigated for financial impropriety under Modi’s Hindu nationalist government, as international monitors warn that press freedom is eroding in India.
Indian authorities registered a case against the site and its journalists on Aug. 17, weeks after a New York Times report alleged that the website had received funds from an American millionaire who, the Times wrote, has funded the spread of “Chinese propaganda.” NewsClick has denied the charges.
The case was filed under a wide-ranging anti-terrorism law that allows charges for “anti-national activities” and has been used against activists, journalists and critics of Modi, some of whom have spent years in jail before going to trial. No one has been arrested in connection with NewsClick so far.
The Press Trust of India news agency cited unidentified officials as saying that investigators took data from the laptops and mobile phones of journalists, and that two journalists were detained.
At least two journalists whose houses were raided by Delhi police confirmed their devices were seized.
“Delhi police landed at my home. Taking away my laptop and phone,” journalist Abhisar Sharma wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Delhi police did not immediately respond for a comment, but India’s junior minister for information and broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, told reporters that “if anyone has committed anything wrong, search agencies are free to carry out investigations against them.”
In August, Thakur accused NewsClick of spreading an “anti-India agenda,” citing the New York Times, and of working with the opposition Indian National Congress party. Both NewsClick and the Congress party denied the accusations.
Reporters Without Borders, an advocacy group for journalists, ranked the country 161st in its press freedom rankings this year, writing that the situation in the country has deteriorated from “problematic” to “very bad.”
The Press Club of India said it was “deeply concerned about the multiple raids conducted on the houses of journalists and writers associated with NewsClick.”
“The PCI stand in solidarity with the journalists and demands the government to come out with details,” it wrote in a statement on X.
Ties between India and China have been strained since 2020, when clashes between the two militaries in a disputed border area killed at least 20 Indian troops and four Chinese soldiers. Since then, New Delhi has banned many Chinese-owned apps, including TikTok, and launched tax probes into some Chinese mobile phone companies.
The Modi administration has also introduced rules that require government approval for investments by companies from China and other countries that neighbor India.


Saudi’s Alamiya to acquire Lyra Pictures in cinema industry push

Saudi’s Alamiya to acquire Lyra Pictures in cinema industry push
Updated 02 October 2023
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Saudi’s Alamiya to acquire Lyra Pictures in cinema industry push

Saudi’s Alamiya to acquire Lyra Pictures in cinema industry push
  • ‘Transformative’ deal goes beyond business, Alamiya CEO says
  • Acquisition represents a return to the film industry for Alamiya after 40 years

LONDON: Alamiya has announced the acquisition of Lyra Pictures in the latest expansion into the cinema and media industry by the Saudi entertainment company.

The newly formed partnership, which has been labeled as “transformative,” marks a significant step toward the development of film production in the region.

Sultan Al-Muheisen, chairman and CEO of Alamiya, said that the acquisition was more than just a business deal as it allowed Alamiya to combine its resources and long-standing expertise with Lyra Pictures’ innovative film development strategies.

“It is about setting a precedent in the regional and local film industry,” Al-Muheisen said.

“With Lyra Pictures under our wing, we combine traditional and modern film approaches to create something new and different.”

As part of the deal, Alamiya will seek to implement Lyra Pictures’s expertise in storytelling and data-driven insights “to deliver unprecedented cinematic experiences to audiences.”

Founded in the 1970’s, Alamiya was the first cinema and television studio to be established in the Kingdom to meet the needs of the growing population and economy.

Following a change of business direction due to the ban on cinema, the acquisition of Lyra Pictures by the iconic entertainment giant reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing entertainment industry.

The strategic acquisition indicates a desire by Alamiya to reestablish itself in the film industry and signifies not only a merger of businesses, but also a combination of expertise and vision.

The move is set to give rise to a film studio located in the heart of the Kingdom, supporting the attraction of local talent and IP, while also facilitating opportunities for international films to be produced in Saudi Arabia.

“Alamiya’s scale and reach, paired with our story-first approach, will create a synergy that promises to introduce innovative strategies to storytelling in the Middle East,” Wesam Kattan, co-founder of Lyra Pictures said.

“We’re excited about what the future holds.”


Arabsat launches new platform for global content delivery

Arabsat launches new platform for global content delivery
Updated 02 October 2023
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Arabsat launches new platform for global content delivery

Arabsat launches new platform for global content delivery
  • ‘Contribution Platform’ will make it easier for TV channels to share content globally
  • Arabsat also partnered with TVU Networks and Zixi to improve content distribution

LONDON: Arab Satellite Communications Organization, or Arabsat, has launched a new platform to make it easier for TV channels to share their content with people all over the world.

The platform, called the Contribution Platform, is compatible with all video formats and networks, meaning that TV channels and groups of channels can use it to broadcast from their studios to anywhere in the world.

In a statement, the Riyadh-based satellite services provider said the newly launched platform is poised to “revolutionize the broadcasting landscape” thanks to its greater compatibility, which enables “stakeholders to overcome traditional barriers and bring their content to global audiences seamlessly.”

Al-Hamedi Al-Anezi, CEO of Arabsat, said: “The launch of the new service is in line with our steadfast commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology to our customers.”

Arabsat also announced two new partnerships with American cloud-based workflow solutions provider TVU Networks, and Zixi, a company that focuses on live broadcast-quality video delivery over IP networks.

These partnerships will help Arabsat to provide its customers with a “seamless and high-quality content distribution experience.”

Al-Anezi added: “Our partnerships with TVU Networks and Zixi will enable us to utilize their cutting-edge solutions to improve the features of our platform.”