Just because technology gives everyone the ability to investigate, doesn't necessarily mean that everyone is a proper investigator.

This is particularly true of Sequoia Capital partner Shaun Maguire, who once again finds himself in hot water after falsely implying that Palestinian activism was behind a string of US shootings.

The backlash against his comments continues, but it's important to remember that Mr Maguire has tremendous sway in the technology world with his seat at the Sequoia table.

Far too often, society equates that sort of influence with competence and maturity, but as Mr Maguire and other technology executives have shown in 2025, that isn't necessarily be the case.


The UAE's digital transformation will help create jobs in manufacturing, education and retail, forecasts say. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The UAE's digital transformation will help create jobs in manufacturing, education and retail, forecasts say. Chris Whiteoak / The National

In brief | If everything goes as planned, a new skills forecast report has some very positive predictions when it comes to how AI, a continued digitisation push and overall economic factors will affect the UAE.

The analysis, conducted by enterprise software company ServiceNow and education company Pearson, says the UAE will probably need to add approximately one million workers by 2030.

Among the 10 countries studied, the UAE leads the way, followed by Saudi Arabia, in terms of countries that will see a significant, positive “workforce impact”, in part because of current technology and AI investments.

Why it matters | As is often the case with any technological advancement, AI has sparked a lot of fears about job losses.

Make no mistake, some of those fears are well founded, and it's important for social safety nets and training to be a major priority as a result, but this study takes a longer view and looks at the likely ripple effect AI and technology will have in terms of long-term job creation.

Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but there are plenty of reasons for having a relatively positive outlook.

Quoted | “What we are seeing in the UAE, as well as in nearly every other country surveyed, is that AI augmentation will be central to capturing the next wave of economic growth”

– William O’Neill, GCC vice president at ServiceNow


A new analysis of toys with AI features warns that they're far from perfect, and could invite problems for children and parents
A new analysis of toys with AI features warns that they're far from perfect, and could invite problems for children and parents

• Parental warning | AI toy dangers abound and parents should be vigilant, new report warns

Made in Sharjah | New mini-satellite designed to boost disaster-response efforts begins final testing

Play along | Why 'gamifying' banking is no gimmick

• Important choices | How to survive the great AI job cull


The Garadagh solar plant operated by Masdar in Baku, Azerbaijan. Pawan Singh / The National
The Garadagh solar plant operated by Masdar in Baku, Azerbaijan. Pawan Singh / The National

Abu Dhabi clean energy company Masdar has signed an agreement with Malaysia to develop the company's largest floating solar plant, as it expands in South-east Asia.

Sharing in the solar spotlight, UAE-based Amea Power has finalised funding for a major solar-power plant in the Ivory Coast, as it helps address energy needs in West Africa's second-largest economy.

This is a signal: With so much discussion about a possible energy grid gap due to power-hungry AI data centres in 2025, nuclear reactors dominated the headlines.

Yet methodically and somewhat under the radar, solar energy is advancing and not to be overlooked. According to the World Economic Forum, some speculate that electricity generation from solar farms will exceed output from nuclear reactors.

The two UAE-based solar stories mentioned above give credence to this idea. Make no mistake, solar energy is alive, well and still very much in the future energy mix.


Get ready for a big piece of digital real estate in your hands. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Get ready for a big piece of digital real estate in your hands. Chris Whiteoak / The National

• Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold review: Peak mobile convenience - or can we go bigger?

• UAE President Sheikh Mohamed and Elon Musk discuss advanced tech and AI developments

• Opinion: The world needs to hedge its AI bets

• The 10 best PC games of 2025

• How Adnoc Gas is expanding its network to meet AI data centre demands

• From bunker to infinity swimming: historic Paris building is reborn



The National produces a variety of newsletters across an array of subjects. You can sign up here. To receive The Editor's Briefing, our Editor-in-Chief's weekly newsletter – exclusive to registered readers – that rounds up the top stories of the week, sign up here.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS

6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)

6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill

7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby

7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill

8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

MATCH INFO

Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)

Charles 57, Amla 47

Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)

Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9

Bangla Tiger win by five wickets

Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Empires%20of%20the%20Steppes%3A%20A%20History%20of%20the%20Nomadic%20Tribes%20Who%20Shaped%20Civilization
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKenneth%20W%20Harl%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHanover%20Square%20Press%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EPages%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E576%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

ASIAN%20RUGBY%20CHAMPIONSHIP%202024
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EResults%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EHong%20Kong%2052-5%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESouth%20Korea%2055-5%20Malaysia%3Cbr%3EMalaysia%206-70%20Hong%20Kong%3Cbr%3EUAE%2036-32%20South%20Korea%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFixtures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EFriday%2C%20June%2021%2C%207.30pm%20kick-off%3A%20UAE%20v%20Malaysia%3Cbr%3EAt%20The%20Sevens%2C%20Dubai%20(admission%20is%20free).%3Cbr%3ESaturday%3A%20Hong%20Kong%20v%20South%20Korea%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dubai World Cup Carnival Card:

6.30pm: Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (Dirt) 1,200m​​​​​​​
7.40pm: Zabeel Turf Listed $175,000 (T) 2,000m​​​​​​​
8.15pm: Cape Verdi Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m​​​​​​​
8.50pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,600m​​​​​​​
9.25pm: Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,600m

THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

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