From ‘small village’ to humanoid teachers, hugging robots: GITEX GLOBAL highlights Dubai’s rise

DUBAI: Dubai Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Omar bin Sultan Al Olama reminisced about the time when the emirate was a “small village” just a few decades ago, quickly turning towards the city’s AI- and tech-driven future that is competing at the global stage.

In a short talk held at the SuperBridge Summit, running adjacently with GITEX GLOBAL, on Wednesday, Al Olama also recalled a quote on investing money in the future. His remarks come in conjuction with Dubai hosting the flagship GITEX GLOBAL 2024 where over 6,500 exhibitors from across 180 countries gathered to explore the latest innovation and advancements that had people bustling from one corner to the other.

Major themes included AI, digital economy and sustainability – words that are used more frequently now than ever before.

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As he mentioned Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision for the city, Al Olama praised those who invested in Dubai, highlighting the public-private partnership that has done wonders for the Gulf city.

“In the 1960s, Dubai was a small village,” said Al Olama as he addressed a hall packed with diverse nationalities and audience members early morning. “Fifty years ago, Dubai was considered a third world city, just as the UAE was considered a third-world country.

“Every single person who was forecasting Dubai’s growth said it would take 100 years to get to where the US or other developed cities are.”

Fast forward just a few decades later, Dubai stands as a global hub for startups, attracts wealth from major investors, and is now actively working towards embracing and driving new innovation.

“We are trying to work as fast as possible and grow as quick as possible.”

Reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub, he cited how Dubai isn’t an open market, but a global market.

“The future is going to be created by driven, passionate people who work and build alongside each other.”

Dubai has evolved from being just a tourist destination to now looking to attract global wealth and talent. Its D33 agenda – that broadly aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy — also outlines a broad focus on digital and building a diversified economy.

Some of the precursors to the transformative projects were also on display at GITEX GLOBAL including a section called ‘Smart Cities’. The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), hosting the event, was also replete with holograms, humanistic, hugging robots, and an Emirati humanoid teacher.

These technologies along with a host of others – some led by the Dubai government – also showcased the possibilities of a smarter, more connected world.

Meanwhile, as robots may still be some time away, GITEX also showcased real-world day-to-day-tasks, encouraging show-goers to interact with their practical applications.

On one side, as you parsed through the crowds, Maha, an Emirati humanoid teacher, showcased the future of education and learning, as her gently-programmed delivery made visitors stop and take notice.

A pioneering project in humanoid robots, this particular one was programmed with conversational abilities — not unlike humans replete with intonation and delivery.

It was also programmed to adapt its responses based on context and user input, as well as possessing emotional intelligence.

Maha was programmed to use facial cues and tone of voice to gauge emotional states and AI integration made it possible for it to generate-human-like responses based on its programmed language knowledge.

Also on display were friendly Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) robots, giving hugs and high-fives, along with being programmed to respond to customer service concerns.

The DEWA R&D Centre, at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, is also driving innovation in several key areas, some of which include AI, IoT, robotics and drones, and space.

Another location at GITEX provided the opportunity to interact with a hologram, interacting and conversing with attendees about their experience at GITEX and answering their questions in real-time.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024