Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said the world is poised to usher in a “historic” new era driven by technology after touring Dubai's Gitex 2022 on Tuesday.
The Vice President and Ruler of Dubai said his visit to the major technology show highlighted how knowledge-based economies would lead the charge into the future.
He spoke of the need to invest in the “most important wealth” of data to thrive on the global stage.
Sheikh Mohammed has hailed the five-day event — being held at Dubai World Trade Centre — as the “largest technology exhibition in the world”.
More than 5,000 companies from 90 countries are on hand to show off their cutting-edge innovations.
“A quick tour of the existing global technology companies confirms that humanity is in a historical transit stage towards a future governed by technology,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote on Twitter.
“And its economy is made of knowledge … and its most important wealth lies in data.”
Sheikh Mohammed was joined on his visit to the high-profile trade fair by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed, chairman of the Dubai Border Security Council; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports and chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group; Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and a number of senior officials from the Dubai government.
Sheikh Mohammed said Dubai's hosting of the annual event reflected the UAE's emerging role in shaping the society of tomorrow.
“The biggest ever edition of Gitex Global places Dubai at the vanguard of cities opening new horizons for innovation and shaping the future of technology,” Sheikh Mohammed added in a statement carried by state news agency Wam.
“Dubai will continue to be a city where the world’s brightest minds converge to explore new possibilities and build a brighter tomorrow.
“We have established strong partnerships with leading global technology companies spearheading innovation worldwide to make our vision a reality. The global entrepreneurial success stories that have emerged from Dubai demonstrate its ability to provide a fertile ground for technology innovators to transform their promising ideas into reality.
“Dubai will continue to adopt the latest technological advances to further its vision and strategy to enhance human happiness and well-being.”
Sheikh Mohammed explored a number of pavilions on display at the sprawling exhibition space, including industry leaders such as Microsoft, Cisco and Huawei.
With a 25 per cent increase in exhibition space from last year, organisers said 52 per cent of exhibitors were new to Gitex, including global tech companies Binance, AMD, Tencent and ByteDance.
The event features the latest developments and innovations in 5G, artificial intelligence, cloud technology, cyber security, FinTech, blockchain, data analytics and smart cities.
Gitex 2022 — in pictures
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Inside the RTA stand at Gitex Technology at the Dubai World Trade Centre. All photos: Leslie Pableo for The National -
Visitors were treated to new areas of advanced technology. -
The event drew large numbers on Monday. -
A variety of stands housed a number of attractions. -
Dubai's first driverless taxis were on display at the city's annual flagship technology event on Monday. -
The Roads and Transport Authority-branded vehicles were shown off to visitors at the event. -
People milling about, sizing up the stalls. -
The Abu Dhabi stand at Gitex. -
The Saudi Arabia stand. -
The GDRFA stand at Dubai World Trade Centre. -
The Saudi Arabian stand with its latest patrol car. -
Government stands at Gitex.
