News

Big expectations, huge presence: Gitex 2018 opens

Artificial intelligence, blockchain, 5G, robotics, and virtual and augmented reality are all in the spotlight at Gitex Technology Week 2018 in Dubai

By
  • Edward Banda
Published: 15 Oct 2018 10:20

Digital transformation and the role of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and blockchain are in the spotlight at Gitex Technology Week 2018, which is taking place from 14-18 October in Dubai.

The event is highlighting advances in digital transformation, communication and biological technologies, and how these developments are transforming the way people interact with each other and are shaping the experiences around them.

More than 5,000 exhibitors from over 100 countries are taking part in the event, according to organiser the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

The show, now in its 38th year, is being held under the banner “Experience future urbanism”.

More than 100,000 technology experts will attend the event, which is spread across 21 halls divided into sectors such as global smart cities, the internet of things, smart workplaces, cloud, cyber security and future tech.

Global tech giants including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, HPE, SAP, Alibaba Cloud and Huawei are taking part in Gitex 2018.

GITEX is featuring 290 hours of keynote and panel discussions.

Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice-president, events management at DWTC, said: “Technologies, no matter how revolutionary they may be, offer no value to us unless they can create experiences to augment the wellbeing of individuals and larger society.”

Read about last year’s Gitex

  • Carlo Ratti, professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, makes a return visit to Gitex this year to discuss a model that puts people at the centre of smart city developments.
  • Digital disruption and the role of new technologies in bringing positive change to business and society will be the focus for Gitex Technology Week in Dubai in October 2017.
  • Middle East banker will use Gitex stage to encourage banks to automate processes.
  • Technology is empowering doctors and patients, accelerating innovation and pushing the healthcare industry to the point of massive change, according to Gitex speaker.

Advances in digital, communication and even biological technologies are not just transforming the way people interact with each other, she said – they are fundamentally shaping how people experience the city environment around them.

LohMirmand said this year’s Gitex is showcasing how tech innovations can enrich the human, economic and cultural development of the world, both individually and collectively.

The event is hosting experts from industry heavyweights such as Twitter, Alibaba and Amazon, with a keynote by Cassie Kozyrkov, Google’s chief decision scientist.

Another major focus this year is on how government initiatives in energy efficiency, a resurgent construction sector, and the rise of the IoT are expected to turn the Middle East smart home market into a $1.86bn industry by 2022.

Read more on Information technology (IT) in the Middle East