Tag Archives: AI

AI disruptions and legacies will be on the main agenda at the fourth edition of the Dubai Association Conference 2024 from 27 – 28 February at Dubai World Trade Center, which is set to host a transformative gathering of association executives, stakeholders, government officials and strategic partners, with the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), digital disruptions and legacy planning all on the agenda. The event will provide a global platform that will delve into innovative strategies, best practices, and collaborative approaches, to amplify the influence of associations. The fourth edition of the flagship event of the Dubai Association Centre (DAC) aims to create a path for associations to be at the forefront of value creation, both within and beyond their membership. Participants will learn successful member engagement strategies and sustainable practices to enhance their societal contributions and build a lasting legacy. The event also offers a packed schedule of lively discussions, networking breaks, peer-to-peer sharing, and fireside chats that will explore association life and long-term plans within the dynamic context of Dubai. Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment said: “The association sector plays a vital role in today’s world as a key driver of positive change, and the DAC Conference will strengthen its impact. Themes and key topics at the conference – such as member engagement strategies, technology-driven tools, sustainable practices and ethical governance – are all important priorities for associations and will support them in their roles as agents of positive change by tackling societal challenges through collaboration and advocacy. This is complemented by a strong line-up of speakers, who will deliver insights on trade and investment opportunities for sustainable economic and social development. Dubai’s …

IAAPA Middle East Trade Summit 2024 on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi concluded with participation from 400 attendees and 45 exhibitors. Organized in collaboration with Miral, the creator of immersive experiences and destinations, and the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Convention and Exhibition Bureau, the Summit hosted two days of insightful education sessions featuring 27 international experts. Industry leaders from globally renowned entities explored innovative strategies in destination development and management, operational efficiency, and guest satisfaction to foster continued growth across the region’s attractions and theme parks industry. The Summit opened with a welcome keynote address by Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral. Additional speakers included Scott O’Neil, CEO, Merlin Entertainments; Ahmad Hussain, COO, Dubai Holding Entertainment; and Don Potts, President, Qiddiya Investment Company; with many more industry leaders from Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi – Al Qana, Atlantis Resorts, Majid Al Futtaim, Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN), amongst others. A series of interactive sessions and workshops discussed trending topics like Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital transformation, sustainability, and innovative attractions. A selection of guided facility tours, or “EDUTours”, welcomed trade visitors to Yas Island’s world-class theme parks and attractions, enabling them to gain valuable insights into the operations and creative processes behind these leading attractions. Participants had the opportunity to visit the recently opened SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi; and Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The Summit also presented the inaugural edition of the IAAPA Ride Safety Report, specifically tailored for the Middle East region. During the Summit, IAAPA announced it will be expanding its presence in the region …

World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Microsoft’s new report highlight the transformative power of AI (Artificial Intelligence) for Travel & Tourism, marking a commitment to a digital future with unparalleled customer experiences. The first in a series of AI reports, announced during the global tourism body’s event at FITUR and in collaboration with WTTC’s Industry Partner, Microsoft, is poised to redefine Travel & Tourism standards and call on the sector for greater integration of such technologies. As the global leader in Travel & Tourism, WTTC is committed to driving innovation and supporting the sector to embrace AI and other cutting-edge technologies. To promote sustainability and excellent customer experiences, WTTC acknowledges the crucial importance of AI in revolutionising the sector. Throughout the traveller’s journey, WTTC believes AI can play a pivotal role in delivering a tailored and enhanced experience now and in the future. This technology can empower personalised recommendations and marketing strategies by analysing traveller data, optimising pricing strategies through real-time adjustments, and offering instant responses and fine-tuned interactions via sophisticated AI powered chatbots. The report also highlights AI’s capabilities extend to predicting future demand patterns, efficiently allocating resources, and providing valuable insights for governments and Travel & Tourism stakeholders. This contribution can be pivotal in promoting sustainability with efficient resource management by monitoring and minimising environmental impacts, ensuring a more responsible and sustainable sector. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of Travel & Tourism, AI emerges as a catalyst for positive change. The transformative capabilities highlighted in this report demonstrate that AI is not just a technological advancement, it is a strategic tool that can personalise the customer experience, drive sustainable improvements, and create …

Riyadh Air and Microsoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding to drive innovation and sustainability across Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector. As part of the agreement, Riyadh Air has selected Microsoft’s trusted Azure cloud platform as its preferred platform for accelerating digital transformation and will leverage the highly secure, scalable, and reliable platform to improve operational efficiency and customer service. The announcement will see both organizations collaborating to leverage the potential of cutting-edge technologies such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, copilot experiences, the Metaverse, and Virtual Reality to enhance Riyadh Air’s offerings, services, and operational models. Adam Boukadida, Chief Finance Officer, Riyadh Air, said: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Microsoft as we embark on an accelerated digital enablement journey to fuel the growth and innovation within the aviation industry. Leveraging the robust Microsoft Azure platform is just the beginning; we are poised to tap into the vast network of Microsoft partnerships and harness the remarkable AI capabilities offered through Microsoft’s comprehensive suite of services & solutions, empowering Riyadh Air to grow & thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape. By embracing Microsoft’s platform and solution capabilities, we aim to build a unique customer and employee experience and expedite our progress in achieving our sustainability targets.” Riyadh Air and Microsoft will also jointly establish a Centre of Excellence that will provide a structured framework for driving innovation and delivering substantial business benefits for both organizations. The partnership also sees both parties forming a dedicated board that will actively drive efforts in line with the Kingdom’s national sustainability agenda. Turki Badhris, Acting General Manager at Microsoft Arabia, said that the partnership is a perfect demonstration of Riyadh Air’s forward-thinking vision which leverages …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Microsoft have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at GITEX Global 2023. The alliance enables innovation in key areas such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing and brings together both organisations’ capabilities and resources to enhance the tourist and cultural experience in Abu Dhabi. This engagement with Microsoft aligns with DCT Abu Dhabi’s objectives to drive digital transformation within the organisation, redefining the landscape of the culture and tourism industry in the emirate to positively impact visitors and residents. Activities under the MoU will also drive growth, foster innovation and enhance knowledge among DCT Abu Dhabi employees. The MoU spans across the optimisation, automation, and modernisation of IT and security infrastructure and will be enabled by Microsoft’s cloud computing platform Azure and cutting-edge security. The combination of the Microsoft Azure Intelligent Data Platform and Azure OpenAI Service will significantly improve operational insights, and the use of AI-powered Microsoft 365 tools will streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and elevate the overall service quality provided by DCT Abu Dhabi. HE Adnan Al Awadi, Support Services Executive Director at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Through our collaboration with Microsoft, we reaffirm our commitment to excellence through digital transformation as together we shape the future of work. In line with UAE Digital Government Strategy 2025, these efforts will contribute to elevating Abu Dhabi’s tourism and culture offerings and help meet the diverse needs of millions of tourists who visit from around the world each year. We are embarking on a journey to create a comprehensive digital ecosystem that connects and streamlines our network.” Naim Yazbeck, General Manager of Microsoft UAE, said: …

Saudia Group announced its participation at the upcoming Dubai Airshow 2023, held at Al Maktoum International Airport Dubai from November 13th to 17th. The Group will take over the largest pavilion at the event marking its first international presence following the recent rebrand, which signifies a new era for the group. Through this participation, Saudia Group reinforces its position as a prominent global aviation leader, underpinned by its ever-expanding capabilities and an array of enhanced services and products dedicated to catering to the needs of the MENA region across the aviation industry spectrum, encompassing manufacturing and comprehensive training. Visitors and aviation enthusiasts can expect a world-class experience at the Saudia Group’s interactive pavilion, where it will showcase its industry-leading aviation services and solutions that ultimately contribute to the realization of Vision 2030. This includes demonstrating the Group’s efforts around the localization of services in the Kingdom, as well as Saudia Group’s plans to capitalize on its Jeddah Hub. The Group will also highlight its latest digital transformation services and introduce the world to an AI ChatGPT, named ‘Saudia,’ a groundbreaking innovation in customer service. The Group is set to display two aircraft that visitors will have the opportunity to explore; a Saudia Boeing 787-10 featuring the new brand livery and a flyadeal Airbus 320neo. The B787-10 aircraft will showcase Saudia’s latest amenity kits and offer food samples that reflect the essence of the rebrand. The pavilion will also feature the latest innovations by Saudia Groups’ other rebranded Strategic Business Units (SBUs) including, Saudia Technic, formerly known as Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI), Saudia Academy, formerly known as Prince Sultan Aviation Academy (PSAA), Saudia Private, formerly known as Saudia Private Aviation …

Sojern announces the latest version of its Sojern Travel Marketing Platform with enhanced Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered audiences. Sojern has leveraged its long-standing AI capabilities to provide expanded support for more than 10,000 travel marketers annually. Customers include hotels and resorts of all sizes, destinations, attractions and airlines. “Our customers needed to respond swiftly to the rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape, so during the pandemic, we expanded our automation and AI capabilities. It all begins with data, specifically the Sojern Traveler Ecosystem™, which powers our platform with billions of travel intent signals from thousands of travel brands in every corner of the globe,” said Kurt Weinsheimer, Chief Solutions Officer at Sojern. “While AI is making headlines now, we’ve been harnessing its capabilities for years and are excited to announce these new updates. We have competitors that are just now building AI functionality, and I can tell you firsthand that it takes several years to develop and refine the sophisticated AI models that power our platform. Our 15 years of experience and deep technological expertise gives us a significant advantage in delivering results with AI-powered audiences in the latest iteration of our Platform.” Sojern’s AI-powered audiences offer travel marketers a strategic advantage in optimizing their marketing investments. By leveraging AI technology, marketers can make informed decisions on resource allocation, effectively targeting the right customer segments for maximum return on investment and business impact. Through automated audience segmentation and optimization, brands engage with relevant audiences in real time, achieving greater precision, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. In response to increasing demand for personalized experience, and 71% expressing their expectation of personalization from companies, Sojern’s data-driven approach enables brands to deliver highly tailored campaigns at scale …

Google Cloud and Qatar Airways have agreed to collaborate to set out the airline’s intention to explore leveraging Google Cloud’s data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to create superior customer experiences for its passengers. In 2022, Qatar Airways carried 18.5 million passengers across 150 destinations worldwide. This large volume of passengers drives an abundance of structured and unstructured data to the airline’s digital transformation unit. The proposed collaboration with Google Cloud is intended to help bring deeper meaning to Qatar Airways’ customer data through the power of Google’s data analytics, AI and machine learning (ML) solutions, including BigQuery and Vertex AI. This, in turn, will enable the airline to enhance the travel experience for passengers, providing them with offerings personalized to their individual needs, travel trends, and past travel history. Qatar Airways Chief Information Officer, Mr. A.T. Srinivasan, said, “Qatar Airways is a highly respected aviation leader which has always set benchmarks with its globally recognised and award-winning customer service. Google Cloud brings us the opportunity to build elasticity and scalability on demand, as we increasingly look to leverage both structured and unstructured data to personalise customer and employee experience. We will also leverage Google’s highly secure and diverse set of Cloud service offerings for optimising our airline and airport operations particularly in the areas of aircraft inventory, flight operations both on ground and in the air, as well as airport operations. We also look forward to collaborating with Google Cloud to try out some of their cutting-edge technology through this long-term partnership. The presence of a Cloud in Qatar gives us the assurance that our data stays in-country and we can focus on data and AI/ML led innovation …

Miral Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with Microsoft, announced the launch of its generative AI customer-facing service leveraging ChatGPT through Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to provide personalized guidance and information to customers visiting Yas Island’s theme parks and experiences. With over 1,700 operations completed successfully within a week, ChatGPT is being used to augment the capabilities of chatbots for customer services for the first time, not only across various industries in the UAE, but also within the wider region’s tourism and entertainment sector. Commenting on the collaboration, Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, said: “We are proud to be pioneering the introduction of ChatGPT through Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service within the tourism and entertainment sector.  We champion innovation at every step and believe that digital transformation is key to creating more compelling and personalized visitor propositions. Our collaboration with Microsoft is a testament to our relentless pursuit of delivering unique and memorable experiences to guests of all ages and nationalities, further positioning Yas Island as a top global destination for entertainment and leisure.” Miral has long been working with Microsoft, having used the company’s intelligent cloud and data services for its existing guest experience platform and operations. As part of its ambition to be a customer-centric, progressive and efficient organisation, Miral plans to use Azure OpenAI Service and ChatGPT to enable customers to plan their day at any of the theme parks, providing a more seamless customer experience. “We are delighted to collaborate with Miral to enhance its customer experience through the use of Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service.” Said Naim Yazbeck, General Manager, Microsoft UAE. “With the help of Azure OpenAI Service and ChatGPT, Miral can better engage with …

The annual growth in the contribution of AI is expected to range between 20-34 per cent per year across the Middle East, with the fastest growth in the Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt. The $135 billion investment plan in digital transformation set by Vision 2030 will transform the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia into the global epicentre of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and supercharge the Saudi economy as a global powerhouse in the digital age. A PwC 2018 report estimated that AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030, more than the current output of China and India combined. Of this, $6.6 trillion is likely to come from increased productivity and $9.1 trillion is likely to come from benefits to consumers. PwC’s report estimated that the Middle East is expected to accrue 2% of the total global benefits of AI in 2030. This is equivalent to US$320 billion where the largest gains are expected to accrue to Saudi Arabia as AI is expected to contribute over US$135.2 billion in 2030 to the economy, equivalent to 12.4% of GDP. In relative terms the UAE is expected to see the largest impact of close to 14% of 2030 GDP. AI contribution in Egypt is expected to reach US$42.7 bn in 2030, equivalent to 7.7% of the Egyptian GDP. To meet the demand for having a global platform gathering world class technology experts, the Saudi Emerging Technologies Forum will take place from November 11-13, 2019 in Kempinski Hotel in Riyadh.  The forum is a mega event that will gather over 500 government officials and senior level executives, more than 50 speakers, leading 12 panel discussions with the participation of 900 attendees, …