Artificial intelligence (AI) is doing wonderful things for many businesses. It’s helping to automate repetitive tasks for efficiency and cost savings. It’s supercharging customer service and coding. And it’s helping to unearth insight to drive improved business decision-making. Way back in October 2023, Gartner estimated that 55% of organizations were in pilot or production mode with generative AI (GenAI). That figure will surely be higher today.

Yet criminal enterprises are also innovating with the technology, and that spells bad news for IT and business leaders everywhere. To tackle this mounting fraud threat, you need a layered response that focuses on people, process and technology.

What are the latest AI and deepfake threats?
Cybercriminals are harnessing the power of AI and deepfakes in several ways. They include:

• Fake employees: Hundreds of companies have reportedly been infiltrated by North Koreans posing as remote working IT freelancers. They use AI tools to compile fake resumes and forged documents, including AI-manipulated images, in order to pass background checks. The end goal is to earn money to send back to the North Korean regime as well as data theft, espionage and even ransomware.
• A new breed of BEC scams: Deepfake audio and video clips are being used to amplify business email compromise (BEC)-type fraud where finance workers are tricked into transferring corporate funds to accounts under control of the scammer. In one recent infamous case, a finance worker was persuaded to transfer $25 million to fraudsters who leveraged deepfakes to pose as the company’s CFO and other members of staff in a video conference call. This is by no means new, however – as far back as 2019, a UK energy executive was tricked into wiring £200,000 to scammers after speaking to a deepfake version of his boss on the phone.
• Authentication bypass: Deepfakes are also being used to help fraudsters impersonate legitimate customers, create new personas and bypass authentication checks for account creation and log-ins. One particularly sophisticated piece of malware, GoldPickaxe, is designed to harvest facial recognition data, which is then used to create deepfake videos. According to one report, 13.5% of all global digital account openings were suspected of fraudulent activity last year.
• Deepfake scams: Cybercriminals can also use deepfakes in less targeted ways, such as impersonating company CEOs and other high-profile figures on social media, to further investment and other scams. As ESET’s Jake Moore has demonstrated, theoretically any corporate leader could be victimized in the same way. On a similar note, as ESET’s latest Threat Report describes, cybercriminals are leveraging deepfakes and company-branded social media posts to lure victims as part of a new type of investment fraud called Nomani.
• Password cracking: AI algorithms can be set to work cracking the passwords of customers and employees, enabling data theft, ransomware and mass identity fraud. One such example, PassGAN, can reportedly crack passwords in less than half a minute.
• Document forgeries: AI-generated or altered documents are another way to bypass know your customer (KYC) checks at banks and other companies. They can also be used for insurance fraud. Nearly all (94%) claims handlers suspect at least 5% of claims are being manipulated with AI, especially lower value claims.
• Phishing and reconnaissance: The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned of the uplift cybercriminals are getting from generative and other AI types. It claimed in early 2024 that the technology will “almost certainly increase the volume and heighten the impact of cyber-attacks over the next two years.” It will have a particularly high impact on improving the effectiveness of social engineering and reconnaissance of targets. This will fuel ransomware and data theft, as well as wide-ranging phishing attacks on customers.

What’s the impact of AI threats?
The impact of AI-enabled fraud is ultimately financial and reputational damage of varying degrees. One report estimates that 38% of revenue lost to fraud over the past year was due to AI-driven fraud. Consider how:

• KYC bypass allows fraudsters to run up credit and drain legitimate customer accounts of funds.
• Fake employees could steal sensitive IP and regulated customer information, creating financial, reputational and compliance headaches.
• BEC scams can generate huge one-off losses. The category earned cybercriminals over $2.9 billion in 2023 alone.
• Impersonation scams threaten customer loyalty. A third of customers say they’ll walk away from a brand they love after just one bad experience.

Pushing back against AI-enabled fraud
Fighting this surge in AI-enabled fraud requires a multi-layered response, focusing on people, process and technology. This should include:

• Frequent fraud risk assessments
• An updating of anti-fraud policies to make them AI-relevant
• Comprehensive training and awareness programs for staff (e.g., in how to spot phishingand deepfakes)
• Education and awareness programs for customers
• Switching on multifactor authentication (MFA) for all sensitive corporate accounts and customers
• Improved background checks for employees, such as scanning resumes for career inconsistencies
• Ensure all employees are interviewed on video before hiring
• Improve collaboration between HR and cybersecurity teams

AI tech can also be used in this fight, for example:

• AI-powered tools to detect deepfakes (e.g., in KYC checks).
• Machine learning algorithms to detect patterns of suspicious behavior in staff and customer data.
• GenAI to generate synthetic data, with which new fraud models can be developed, tested and trained.

As the battle between malicious and benevolent AI enters an intense new phase, organizations must update their cybersecurity and anti-fraud policies to ensure they keep pace with the evolving threat landscape. With so much at stake, failure to do so might impact long-term customer loyalty, brand value and even derail important digital transformation initiatives.

AI has the potential to change the game for our adversaries. But it can also do so for corporate security and risk teams.

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What were the key criteria for selecting the startups included in this year’s Top 50 Contech Startups list?
The selection process is based on several criteria and is decided by the Investment &  Business Development team. One of the strongest sources to build this list is the Construction Startup Competition, completed with the contributions from our investment and collaboration pipeline. We select startups with unique and innovative solutions that are aligned with Cemex Ventures’ four focus areas—green construction, enhanced productivity, supply chain, and construction future—and their potential to disrupt traditional practices of the construction industry. Overall, we aim to find passionate and resilient entrepreneurs and businesses that are covering the needs and challenges of the current built environment.

What major trends in construction technology stood out among the companies on the list this year?
This year, we saw a surge in solutions addressing the reduction of carbon footprint through sustainable materials (recycled and upcycled materials) and more efficient and productive construction processes.. There was also a noticeable rise in AI-driven tools for project management, project tracking, predictive analytics & maintenance, and automation, as well as advancements in industrialized construction methods and robotics to address labour shortages and efficiency gaps. Beyond our Top 50 report, we saw that 37% of all the capital raised in construction tech ecosystem went to AI, and the largest deals registered in 2024 went to solutions using AI.

Are there any regions or markets that showed a notable increase in innovation or representation in this year’s list compared to previous years?
North America and Europe continue leading the investment activity in our industry with 85% of all Contech transactions. From a deal perspective, Asia-Pacific showed significant growth in representations, with innovative startups tackling challenges unique to densely populated urban areas. Europe also strengthened its presence with growth across all the focus areas, although sustainability and productivity took 66% of the transactions. It seems that sustainability-driven solutions continue reflecting the region’s regulatory pressure to adopt and implement greener construction practices.

How many selected startups focus on sustainability, and what specific solutions stood out in addressing environmental challenges?
We try to build a balanced list of startups across our verticals every year. However, we see solutions from other buckets with a slight sustainability component, such as making processes efficient and greener by consuming fewer resources. In the Green Construction group, key innovations included CCUS technologies, LCA tools, AI tools for optimizing material usage, recycled construction materials and waste management, startups developing alternative cementitious materials and water efficiency & conservation.

With AI becoming increasingly integral, how are the listed startups leveraging artificial intelligence and automation to transform the construction industry?
AI is being used across various phases of the construction value chain, from generative design to predictive maintenance and real-time project monitoring. Many startups on the list leverage AI to optimize workflows, improve safety through automated risk assessments, and reduce project delays by predicting supply chain bottlenecks. Likewise, automation is particularly prevalent in robotics for tasks like bricklaying, 3D printing, site inspections or rebar works. 

Which startups or categories on the list do you see as having the highest investment potential or the greatest impact in the near future?
Startups focused on the sustainability, decarbonization and supply chain efficiency fields stand out for their investment potential, given the pressing demand for tackling industry´s carbon footprint, resource optimization, regulatory pressure and meet carbon budgets and targets. Specifically, those developing low-carbon materials, energy-efficient technologies, and AI-driven supply chain platforms are likely to have the greatest near-term impact. Lastly, the race for full automated sites has started, startups succeeding in automation lowering actual costs and increasing production will also take investors’ attention.

Are any of the startups from the list currently collaborating with Cemex Ventures, and if so, can you share examples of these partnerships?
All the startups included in the list are (or has been) part of our pipeline. While all these companies can benefit from our knowledge, our extensive network, or programs like the Construction Startup Competition, we prioritize those solutions whose vision is aligned with Cemex´s strategic needs and those that can help our operations to be more sustainable and efficient making our corporation more reliable and competitive. For example, some of these startups have participated in our acceleration program LeapLab, others are already collaborating with our operations and others are working with our Global R&D team.

Based on the innovations showcased, what do you see as the most significant opportunities and challenges for Contech in the next 5-10 years?
The most promising opportunities lie in addressing our industry decarbonization challenges throughout the entire construction lifecycle. The optimization of processes to make construction sites leaner and agile performing tasks on time and on budget will continue with capital inflows in the next years. Advances in AI, robotics, and industrialized construction will help to achieve this level of optimization. However, challenges include the slow adoption rate of new technologies due to the fragmented nature of the industry, regulatory hurdles, materials scarcity or the need for substantial investment to scale these solutions globally.

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Why it matters: This new research follows an August 2024 study published by Slack that found SMBs can lose valuable time to technology inefficiencies, uncovering a need for AI solutions that boost productivity.

One such example is reMarkable, a rapidly-growing Norwegian premium paper tablet scale-up that chose Salesforce’s Agentforce to scale their customer service operations. With Agentforce, reMarkable will be able to handle a soaring volume of customer inquiries, providing a white-glove experience at scale by proactively addressing common questions and seamlessly escalating complex issues to human agents. With humans and agents working together, reMarkable can quickly and cost-effectively scale customer service without compromising quality.

The Salesforce perspective: “AI and agents are reshaping what’s possible across business functions like marketing, sales, service, and commerce,” said Kris Billmaier, EVP, Salesforce. “SMBs adopting AI are seeing significant returns and doubling down on their investments. Their success is creating a blueprint for how small businesses can leverage AI, including Agentforce, a new layer on the Salesforce Platform that enables organizations to build and deploy autonomous AI agents, to drive growth.”

AI investments are a sign of growth
Today, 75% of SMBs are at least experimenting with AI, with growing businesses leading in adoption (83%). This gap appears set to widen — 78% of growing SMBs plan to increase their AI investment next year, versus 55% of their declining peers.

The different approaches reflect broader business priorities: while stagnant and declining SMBs focus primarily on customer acquisition, growing SMBs invest in improving the customer experiences and technology capabilities that drive sustainable growth.

SMB leaders who haven’t adopted AI may have a blind spot about its prevalence: While 80% of those using AI believe the technology is commonly used among their peers, only a third of non-users agree.

“AI is leveling the playing field between SMBs and larger enterprises,” said Billmaier. “Small and medium-sized businesses using AI see real returns across their operations, from improved efficiency to stronger customer relationships. Those who wait too long to invest risk falling behind as early adopters build their advantage.”

SMBs call AI a ‘game-changer’
SMBs with AI have a bright outlook for the technology: 78% say it will be a game-changer for their company. Already, 87% of respondents with AI say it helps them scale operations, while 86% see improved margins. The technology is transforming both customer-facing and operational functions, with top use cases including:

1. Marketing campaign optimization
2. Content generation
3. Automated recommendations for customers
4. Natural language search tools
5. Automated service chatbots

Service teams are also reducing case resolution times, while sales teams are using AI to automatically draft personalized prospecting emails and recommend next best actions for reps. Meanwhile, marketing teams are increasing conversion rates with AI-based lead scoring, decreasing unsubscribe rates through automated email lists, and more.

How leading SMBs maximize AI success
The research also identifies clear patterns in how successful SMBs approach AI implementation.

Data Foundation First
AI systems are trained on and continuously use data, so data quality directly determines results; inaccurate data can lead to harmful flaws. Seventy-four percent of growing SMBs are increasing data management investments, compared to 47% of declining SMBs.

“Some people don’t really understand how data is going to impact the business in the future,” said Dan Atkinson, COO & Co-Founder of Salesforce SMB customer MedLogiq. “It’s about how this data will be valuable to the company five years down the road. We want to make sure we’re not losing that information.”

Integrated Approach
When systems work together seamlessly, AI can access and act on data across the entire business, from sales and marketing to service and the back office. Compared to SMBs with declining revenue, growing SMBs are twice as likely to have an integrated tech stack (66% vs 32%), dodging the problems of siloed data and inefficiencies common to having many standalone applications.

Security and Trust
Security ranks as the top technology challenge for SMBs, reflecting the growing stakes of managing sensitive business data as SMBs expand their AI capabilities. This shapes their purchase decisions: 81% of SMB leaders say they would spend more on technology from trusted vendors.

The next wave: AI agents
The foundations SMBs are building today — such as data management, integrated systems, security, and trusted partnerships — also position these companies for the next wave of AI: agents that can learn, adapt, and take action across the business.

“When SMBs follow AI best practices, they’re not only optimizing their current technology. They’re also positioning themselves for the emerging era of AI agents, in which agents can execute work by searching for relevant data, analyzing this data to formulate a plan, and then actioning the plan — without human intervention,” said Billmaier. “SMBs that have built strong foundations are perfectly positioned to tap into solutions like Agentforce to augment their staff, scale their workforce, and lower costs.”

For more information, please read the full report.

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Imagine a farmer boosting crop yields using 5G-enabled weather insights, a student in rural villages accessing global education through digital platforms, or a logistics firm slashing delivery times with IoT-powered solutions. These are not visions—they are realities powered by Ericsson’s cutting-edge technology and long-standing partnerships with our customers the communication service providers across the Middle East and Africa (MEA). As we approach 2025, the MEA region is not just embracing the digital revolution but actively leading its evolution.

With 310 million 5G connections expected by 2029 and over 1.2 billion mobile subscriptions, MEA is poised for transformative growth. At Ericsson, we are proud to be at the forefront, empowering communities, supporting telecom operators, and driving enterprise innovation to create a connected, inclusive, and sustainable future. In a rapidly digitalizing world, enterprises across MEA are leveraging Ericsson’s technologies to innovate and thrive.

As a few examples, in Saudi Arabia, Ericsson’s partnerships are building the next generation of networks, supporting digital transformation initiatives in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aspirations. In 2024, we partnered with leading telecom operators in the multiple countries in the region to implement 5G Advanced time-critical communication solutions, enhancing user experience and driving the adoption of next-generation applications like cloud gaming and extended reality.

Our technology is powering logistics solutions and reducing delivery times by 30%, while private 5G networks are enabling manufacturers to automate operations and adopt Industry 4.0 practices. Ericsson’s Private 5G networks in South Africa are driving efficiency and safety in the mining sector by automating operations and enabling remote monitoring. These innovations are helping enterprises across the region unlock efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and contribute to national economic growth.

Ericsson’s technologies are enabling telecom operators to lead in connectivity, unlock new revenue streams, and deliver superior services. In the GCC Countries and by 2030, 93% of mobile subscriptions in GCC nations are expected to be 5G. Ericsson’s dual-band radios and AI-driven network solutions are helping operators deliver faster speeds, seamless coverage, and lower latency.

Last year, Ericsson has modernized core networks in Egypt, enabling operators to launch the country’s first 5G standalone services and introducing innovative consumer and enterprise applications. While in Nigeria, the AI-driven analytics have reduced network outages by 25%, improving service reliability and customer satisfaction for millions.By partnering with telecom operators around efficient, scalable, and sustainable solutions, Ericsson’s technology secure sustainable success in a competitive market while meeting the rising demand for advanced connectivity.

Ericsson’s impact is evident across MEA. As one example, in Qatar, Ericsson-powered 5G stadiums have redefined fan experiences, showcasing immersive entertainment and operational efficiency during global sports events. While in Kenya, our Fixed Wireless Access solutions have brought high-speed internet to remote villages, enabling education, telemedicine, and small business growth. By tailoring solutions to local needs, Ericsson is fostering innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable development across the region.

5G, AI and the Cloud are the building blocks of MEA’s digital future, and Ericsson is leading the charge in their deployment. In Nigeria, our AI-powered network optimization ensures reliable connectivity, enhancing user experiences and enabling businesses to operate seamlessly.

Technology is not only enabling a prosperous future but a sustainable one as well. Sustainability is at the heart of Ericsson’s innovations, helping reduce environmental impact while expanding connectivity. In Morocco, Ericsson’s initiatives in smart city infrastructure and telecom sustainability, as part of their vision for 5G and smart cities in the Middle East and Africa. And in the GCC Region, Ericsson’s energy-efficient 5G networks are reducing power consumption by up to 30%, supporting national climate goals.

But what would it mean for every enterprise in MEA to harness the full potential of connectivity? How can advanced and emerging nations collaborate to ensure digital inclusion for all?

The answers lie in collective action. By 2030, mobile broadband will account for 70% of subscriptions, and 5G will revolutionize sectors such as education, healthcare, and finance. Ericsson is committed to being a driving force behind this transformation.

At Ericsson, we see technology as a bridge to opportunity, inclusion, and progress. Together with our customers and industry partners, we are shaping a future where connectivity empowers nations, uplifts communities, and drives sustainable development. Through groundbreaking innovations, impactful partnerships, and a commitment to sustainability, Ericsson is unlocking the potential of the Middle East and Africa, to lead in a connected world.

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This came as part of their participation in the second edition of the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain. Under the theme of “Investing in a Rapidly Transforming Region”, the forum attracts international participation from top government officials, business leaders, and executives.

On this occasion, Her Excellency Ms. Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez, Chief Executive of the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), emphasized Tamkeen’s commitment to enhancing programs and initiatives aimed at training and developing national talent in various fields, especially in the fields that utilize latest tech advancements, therefore enhancing their competitiveness in the labor. These efforts further emphasize Bahrain’s position as a global innovation hub.

The training program aims to equip Bahraini nationals to become professional AI generalists, AI specialists, and AI startup founders. In addition to knowledge exchange on AWS’s best practices in cloud computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Through this initiative, Tamkeen and AWS will provide the opportunity for Bahrainis to obtain three main qualifications related to generative artificial intelligence, implementing machine learning technologies in production and operations, and utilizing technology to address various business challenges.

This partnership comes in alignment with Tamkeen’s 2024 strategic priorities focused on economic impact and the private sector under three pillars: increasing economic participation through new employment opportunities for new entrants, expanding career development opportunities available to Bahraini workforce, and further developing the private sector by supporting enterprises and boosting productivity and adoption of technology.

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“Our strategic decision to allocate funds to AI investments is rooted in a deep understanding of the Kingdom’s growing ecosystem. By fostering innovation and supporting AI startups, we aim to accelerate the development of cutting-edge technologies that will drive economic growth, improve quality of life, and position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in Artificial Intelligence. This investment will not only incentivize local entrepreneurs but also support the localization of global talent, ultimately unlocking the immense potential of AI,” said Anas Algahtani, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Wa’ed Ventures.

According to a recent report by PwC, Saudi Arabia’s gain from AI is expected to exceed other countries in the Middle East with an estimated $135 billion in value by 2030. This would position Artificial Intelligence as one of the leading economic drivers, composing more than 12% of the country’s total GDP by 2030.

Wa’ed’s new AI strategy marks another initiative by the fund in keeping with its commitment towards investing in high-potential AI applications and infrastructure players. During the past few months, Wa’ed Ventures announced its investment in the Korea AI chip company Rebellions, as well as the California-based startup AiXplain, a leading provider of essential infrastructure for accelerated AI development.

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Between January and June 2024, the MBZUAI community—made up of more than 80 world-class faculty, 200-plus researchers, and hundreds of students—published more than 300 papers at top-tier AI venues. This included 39 papers at the prestigious International Conference on Learning Representations 2024 (ICLR) held in May.

This follows last year’s success of 612 published papers at top-tier venues in 2023. Highlights included delivering 30 papers at the International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV), 34 papers at the IEEE / CVF Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition Conference (CVPR), 44 papers at Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing (EMNLP), and 53 papers at the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS).

Five years since its inception, MBZUAI is now recognized as one of the world’s top 100 universities across all of computer science, and is ranked in the top 20 globally across AI, computer vision, machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and robotics (CSRankings).

Five stand-out research papers published by MBZUAI in the past six months are listed below: 

1. Tackling misuse of LLM-generated text
A team of MBZUAI researchers, working with international collaborators, developed a series of resources for identifying text created by large language models (LLMs), which could have a profound impact in fields such as journalism, academia, and education. Previous research in this field was limited to reviewing only one or two languages, using only one text generator or considering only single domains, such as news, and uses, such as summarization of text. In contrast, the M4 analyzer that came out of this work covers multiple languages, various LLMs, and diverse domains, to enable more general machine-generated text detection. Additionally, the dataset associated with this work will lay the foundation for future research on more robust approaches to the pressing societal problems associated with LLM-created text.

The paper, ‘M4: Multi-generator, multi-domain, and multi-lingual black-box machine-generated text detection’, was awarded the Best Resource Paper Award at the European Chapter of the Association for Computational Linguistics Conference 2024 (EACL) held in March. 

2. Improving gene-sequencing analysis to manage diseases
MBZUAI Professor of Machine Learning, Acting Chair of Machine Learning, and Director of Center for Integrative Artificial Intelligence (CIAI), Professor Kun Zhang, collaborated with his Ph.D. student Gongxu Luo and researchers from major American universities to create a model that enhances the accuracy and analysis of gene-sequencing processes. Their breakthrough research could help to improve our understanding of diseases such as cancers, and potentially improve treatments and outcomes.

Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) represent the causal relationships governing gene activities in cells that are vital for understanding biological processes and diseases. A common problem in investigating GRNs are dropouts, or zero values, in single-cell RNA sequencing data. These zero values could be true dropouts, reflecting no gene activity, or false dropouts caused by the sequencing process itself. In their paper, ‘Gene Regulatory Network Inference In The Presence Of Dropouts: A Causal View’, the researchers propose a new causal dropout model that that provides a more accurate picture by focusing on data without zeros when testing gene relationships.

The paper was presented at ICLR and marked a significant step forward in genetic research.

3. New algorithm to enhance complex machine learning tasks
One of MBZUAI’s first Ph.D. graduates, William de Vazelhes, collaborated with MBZUAI faculty and a fellow PhD student to develop an algorithm that promises to enhance the training efficiency of models that rely on “hard-thresholding”, as commonly used in statistics and data science. In the paper, ‘New Insight of Variance reduce in Zero-Order Hard-Thresholding: Mitigating Gradient Error and Expansivity Contradictions’, he proposed a new approach that reduces errors in model training by managing variance better, leading to faster and more reliable results. Tests on financial portfolios and cybersecurity challenges show the algorithm’s promise.

The paper was published at ICLR 2024.

4. First-of-its-kind large multimodal model (LMM) for detailed visual understanding
Researchers from MBZUAI have led a global team in developing an advanced vision language model called Grounding Large Multimodal Model (GLaMM), which supports higher-fidelity interaction between text and images. It is capable of generating natural language responses related to objects in an image at the pixel-level, offering enhanced automated image captioning, reasoning, and the ability to switch objects in images.

In their paper, ‘GLaMM: Pixel grounding large multimodal model’, the researchers detail how the model is trained to allow users to interact using both text and visual prompts, generating natural language responses seamlessly intertwined with corresponding object segmentation masks. To test GLaMM, the authors created a novel dataset with millions of detailed image annotations. GLaMM’s advanced capabilities make AI more intuitive and effective in tasks like grounded conversation generation, referring expression segmentation, image and region-level captioning, and vision-language conversations.

Real-world applications include sectors such as e-commerce, fashion, safe and smart city, and home retail. GLaMM was published at CVPR 2024 held in Seattle in June, which is the highest-ranked engineering and computer science venue worldwide. It has already received more than 50 citations and 600 stars on GitHub.

5. New method to boost efficiency of AI vision transformers     
Dr. Xiaodan Liang and Professor Xiaojun Chang, both MBZUAI professors from the Computer Vision Department, have teamed up with international collaborators to develop a new technique that can make vision transformers, a core component of most modern models for image and video analysis, more efficient. As set out in their paper, ‘MLP can be a good Transformer Learner’, the key discovery is that certain layers in the transformer can be replaced with much simpler multilayer perceptron (MLP) layers. This change, guided by a measure of randomness known as entropy, helps maintain model performance with much smaller models.  The new method supports more streamlined and efficient AI model training, potentially paving the way for faster and less resource-intensive technologies.

The paper was presented as an oral at CVPR 2024 and was nominated for a Best Paper Award.

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Technology has seamlessly integrated into the daily lives of Emiratis, and entrepreneurship is no exception. Small Emirati companies have eagerly embraced Artificial Intelligence to harness its potential. According to the 2024 GoDaddy Global Entrepreneurship Survey, 92% of Emirati entrepreneurs express confidence in navigating AI technologies to enhance their businesses.

The implementation this technology can bring multiple benefits and have a tangible positive impact. The entrepreneurial ecosystem’s willingness to adopt new technologies is clear, ensuring our business environment keeps pace with the rapid advancements in digitalisation. A forward-thinking mindset and adaptability are crucial in this digital era.

Entrepreneurs face numerous challenges, but it can be easier for them if they invest in AI tools to help streamline their operations. The survey shows the most compelling reasons for entrepreneurs to invest in AI tools are improved decision-making through data-driven insights (47%), potential for increased efficiency (45%), and a positive impact on customer service (45%). Additionally, when it comes to the areas they believe AI could benefit their small business the most Emiratis ranked marketing (70%) first, followed business planning and strategy (60%), and customer service (52%). Digitalisation has significantly enhanced work processes, driving growth despite existing obstacles.

Although the outlook for AI is positive, Emirati entrepreneurs face hurdles such as the potential costs (46%), a lack of awareness about the solutions available (44%), and the lack of understanding how AI can really benefit their small business (37%). Many of them also believe they do not have enough time to implement these tools (25%).

To address these challenges, there are user-friendly AI tools such as GoDaddy Studio which creates professional-looking content easily and quickly without needing advanced design skills. A free tool like this one can help entrepreneurs with their marketing efforts for their social media channels, website, customer email communications, and more.

What we can take away from all this data is that small businesses have realised how important it is to go digital, with 92% of Emiratis recognizing its significance. As small businesses embrace AI, growth becomes can become more attainable, ensuring they do not miss the digital transformation wave. Businesses that constantly innovate can be better equipped to respond to changes in the market and customer needs, ensuring they remain relevant and competitive. AI-driven innovation can lead to the development of new products and services, opening up additional revenue opportunities.

In conclusion, the embrace of AI and digitalization is not just a trend but a necessity for small businesses in UAE. The ability to adapt and innovate can help determine their success in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. By investing in AI, small businesses can help drive efficiency, enhance customer service, and expand their market reach. The future of entrepreneurship in United Arab Emirates is undoubtedly digital, and those who embrace this transformation will be well-positioned for success.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI): Art Curation and Marketing
AI is the next big transformational force that is taking place for art curation and marketing landscapes, totally turning upside down the traditional means. This article will delve into how AI-powered tools are pushing the envelope in art discovery and changing market trends, and even transforming the lands of creativity.

Artificial Intelligence-Driven Art Analytics for Curation
This realization has revolutionized the very task of art curation, bringing to light patterns, trends, and interconnections in significantly vast stores of art data. The more sophisticated these algorithms become at analyzing the data, the more they can identify relationships among artists, their styles, and historical periods that are not discernible to the human eye. Artificial intelligence provides insight into the changing contexts and influences present in art, thus enabling curators to place works into coherent contexts, enriching them with narrative framing and thematic coherence. Additionally, AI’s ability to uncover these hidden patterns and relationships can be a powerful tool for marketing your art, helping artists and galleries effectively reach and engage their target audiences.

Moreover, with AI, algorithms enable the discovery of emerging talents and forgotten masterpieces – thus expanding the horizon of artistic representation. Going through huge archives, AI spots promising talent in combination with less-known works, thus opening this previously exclusive form of recognition to the wider public. AI democratizes access to artistic recognition and influences the trajectory of art history.

It creates virtual exhibitions and experiences beyond plain and static ideas. With the help of augmented criteria, listing curators can create interactive displays that go beyond the physical boundaries and allow access to collections in dynamic ways in the virtual paradigm. This, in fact, by no means is going to open up a wider number of approaches, but also will reconsider how audiences can be allowed to interact with the artwork, resulting in global participation by the audience in cultural appreciation.

Automated Artwork Pricing and Appraisal
It was a subjective task, based on expert judgment and market intuition, for pricing and appraising works of art. In contrast, AI algorithms introduce objectivity by analyzing enormous datasets, including sales history, market trends, reputation of the artist, and details associated with a specific artwork. Computation through these variables yields precise valuations and price recommendations, allowing galleries, auction houses, and collectors to make decisions based on data and not the views of a select few.

AI applications, on the other hand, provide real-time market notifications: stakeholders are informed in time about the changes in demand, and price movements are done. Now, the strategic placing of works by artists and finding investment opportunities by collectors can be achieved with the help of AI, hence fostering transparency and efficiency in the market.

AI-generated valuation reports represent an important opportunity for insurance, estate planning, and investment planning, containing deep and comprehensive analyses based on factual data. The AI implementation increases confidence in transactions within art by ensuring fair market value is obtained and decisions are made knowingly in the art ecosystem.

Marketplaces for AI-generated Art: Innovation or Imitation?
The rise of AI-created art brings with it significant issues regarding creativity, authorship, and aesthetic innovation deep into the foreground. AI algorithms have proven capable of imitating different styles of works, motifs, as well as emotional resonances that raise questions against classic conceptions of artistic creation. Some consider AI-generated art as an advancement that pushes the border of the creative class a bit farther and allows humans and machines to conduct this experiment together; others use similar arguments against them.

Debates around AI-generated art underline the philosophical inquiry regarding creativity and the role of technology in art. The most typical argument made is by proponents who believe AI speeds up artistic exploration and allows new interpretations while encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. Critics, on the other hand, maintain that it lacks the subtle sensitivity and personal insight that is part of human creativity and question whether it should therefore have the task of conveying genuine and culturally significant emotional resonance.

AI Apps in Online Art Galleries
The incorporation of AI in online art galleries is completely transforming the game for digital art and taking it to the next level in terms of experience and exposure by people across the world. Platform AI curates personalized journeys into art based on in-app image recognition and AR technology, which immerses viewers in interactive showcases. It makes spatial barriers irrelevant, enabling the virtual study of different artistic traditions and historic epochs in a depth and with an interaction level that nobody had ever imagined to be possible.

AI-powered authentication tools verify information concerning the authenticity and the provenance of the artwork. Artificial intelligence is highly precise in distinguishing real pieces of art from replicas and forgeries and therefore keeps collectors and institutions safeguarded from misrepresentation while preserving the integrity of digital art collections.

Augmented reality takes user experience a step further by superimposing artworks into real-world settings to let users “see” art within their personal space. This encodes experience at the space between the virtual and the physical, intensifying the engagement and appreciation of the viewer and allowing deeper connections with the artwork and culture narratives.

AI Predicts the Trends in Art Market
AI predictive power is what allows stakeholders in the art market to pre-calculate trends, demand forecasts, and optimize investment strategies. Artificial intelligence algorithms analyze big data sets on social media to make out changes in preferences, emerging styles, and a reshuffle in artists’ popularity. Such predictive intelligence equips galleries, museums, and collectors with the insight to plan exhibitions and make acquisitions; dealing in art adjusts portfolios beforehand so as to maximize market opportunities and gain competitive advantage.

Implementation of AI techniques into art marketing strategies allows for better audience engagement and strategic positioning by offering products in the market that are aligned with dynamic consumer preferences and market tendencies. AI-driven analytics also take the way towards targeted marketing campaigns, optimal pricing strategies, and greater penetration into various demographic segments to democratize access to art and further global cultural appreciation.

Final Thoughts
In short, it is one of the most changing forces for the arts sector, from issues of what is held in the gallery to the very fabric of marketing and creative expression. With AI-driven analytics, stakeholders can extract new insights, streamline operations, and expand artistic horizons. Authenticity and issues of integrity in arts come to mind with debates over AI-generated art—and it is largely going to be part of online spaces and market-forecasting tools, rapidly running ahead and urging the art world to have the same.

With continuous development, AI technologies advance further into the domain of the art industry, shaping the future of artistic exploration, appreciation, and market dynamics in a way that respects the ethical framework of use. By embracing the potential of AI, together with the appropriate ethical considerations, further distributions will be reached in the harmonious collaboration between human ingenuity and technological innovation on behalf of cultural significance and societal relevance by art in the digital age.

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Mid-year is often a good time to review your business’s status and consider making changes to help it grow during the second half of the year. It is also an opportunity to assess the level of support your business is getting from digital solution tools, what is available in the market, and what to consider helping propel your business and customer engagement.

While enterprise businesses may have large technology budgets and can assemble a team of specialists, it can be different for small and microbusiness owners. They grapple with a variety of unique challenges running their business to compete in crowded marketplaces, yet this is starting to change.

Generative AI (AI) has taken significant strides over the past year and introducing new tools and strategies does not have to become a major investment or require expertise. With AI by your side, it’s use can help create a marketing strategy to not only stand out, but also help to drive increased engagement and fuel growth. With the increasing use of AI tools, Generative AI is on a path to become the next equalizer for small businesses.

Putting AI to work for content creation
AI becomes a companion in crafting both creative and easy to use content calendars. With AI tools, it can be easy to determine which themes and topics will resonate with desired audiences. From there, content can be created to be distributed across channels, establishing deeper connections with customers while boosting an online presence.

Generative AI steps in to assist in crafting content that captures attention and keeps readers engaged. It provides suggestions and enhancements to existing content and suggests professional images giving small businesses an edge in refining their messaging. And it saves time by tailoring integrated content across various channels. AI’s ability to tweak copy based on real-time feedback and analytics, can also help to fine-tune a rich content strategy delivering strong results.

Unveiling the benefits for targeted marketing
AI tools can also be used to delve deeper into competitor research. Using sophisticated algorithms and data, AI tools can swiftly gather information on competitors’ activity. And that is not all – AI can also serve up invaluable customer insights by analysing data from various sources. By discerning customer preferences, behaviours, and demographics, small businesses can more precisely pinpoint the right audience for their products and services. Once locked onto the right targets, AI helps discover the most effective channels to reach potential customers, helping to ensure marketing efforts are reaching the right audiences.

Evaluate, Adjust, and Shine
AI powered tools are not just here to make businesses look good, they excel at measuring customer performance. By tracking metrics like website engagement rates, conversion rates and customer satisfaction, AI provides insights into what is working and what needs a tweak. This allows small businesses to gauge the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and make informed decisions for improvement.

With access to this variety of insights, along with knowledge of their own business plans, businesses can take advantage of the benefits of using AI tools to streamline processes, consider new ideas and gain customer insights. Working along with human intervention, these insights can be essential to refine the outcomes. Knowing the business well can add the human evaluation element to the AI produced insights, which presents a more well-rounded view when considering opportunities for improvement.

With business owners using AI responsibly, the use of AI tools can be a significant technology enhancement for small businesses looking to go up against their competition and successfully grow their business. With these tools easily available to small business owners and entrepreneurs, AI offers the ability to both save time and money while elevating brand presence and resonating with target audiences more effectively than ever before.

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