Saudi Arabia Leads Middle East in Digital Experience AI Investments

A leading digital experience (DX) event of the Middle East, ‘The Digital Experience Show Middle East 2023,’commenced on September 5 (Tuesday) in Riyadhempowering several Middle Eastern organisations to embark on a forward-thinking digital business strategy to attain category leadership.

A ‘Digital Experience Intelligence Report,’ which was released on the occasion, offered deep insights into the investment plans and digital strategies of organizations in the Kingdom and Middle East, charting their course for the year 2024.

A compelling trend emerged from the report: companies across the Middle East and Africa are intensifying their investment in artificial intelligence (AI). AI and Intelligent Automation (IA) are proving to be potent instruments to enhance customer loyalty, drive growth, and optimise efficiency.

In line with this, a staggering 81% of companies are ramping up their investment in AI. Additionally, 46% of companies are re-evaluating Chatbots, 27% are reconsidering CRM platforms, and 23% are enhancing Natural Language Translation.

The two-day event spotlighted the pivotal role of digital experience in conferring a true competitive advantage, evident in sustained commercial triumph and elevated customer satisfaction.

Ayusha Tyagi, Managing Director of Customer Experience Live, the organisers of the event, underscored this, stating, “These technologies, when combined, empower companies to understand customer behaviour, converting interactions into actionable insights. This predictive capability enables systems to anticipate and fulfill customer needs, delivering distinctive and enriched experiences.”

Moreover, as organisations emphasise the cultivation of customer loyalty and accelerated growth, the significance of adopting cutting-edge technologies to amplify digital interactions cannot be overstated. A resounding 76% of business leaders affirm that customers expect a continuous stream of innovation through digital products and services that provide substantial value. Correspondingly, 74% of organisations are actively developing more digital experiences, and 63% of companies report an augmented investment in Digital Experience Technology.

The report also provides insights into budget allocation for technological deployment. Notably, 68% of companies confirmed plans to invest over $200,000 in customer experience (CX) in 2024. Furthermore, an assertive 28% have committed to an investment exceeding $1,000,000 for the same purpose.

Majed Rafed Al-Argoubi, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones affirmed, "MODON believes that embracing and optimizing digital interactions is a strategic imperative for organizations aspiring to thrive in today's dynamic environment."

The event's sponsors include Verint, Uniphore, channels by stc, Riyadh Airport Company, ccc by stc, Silah Gulf, KonnectInsights, Aurus, and 2 Ring. Thought-provoking perspectives were shared by aramco, The Coca-Cola Company, Tawuniya, Riyadh Municipality, NEOM, flyadeal, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Human and Social Development, Virgin Megastore, and others, providing invaluable insights and expertise on harnessing digital experience.

Mamoun Alamouri, Vice President of Uniphore, illuminated their mission, “Uniphore is dedicated to transforming every aspect impacting customer journeys, driven by our commitment to provide the planet’s most engaging customer and employee experiences through a unified Enterprise-class multimodal AI and data platform.”

Acknowledging exceptional accomplishments, the Digital Experience Awards, held on 6 September at the event, honored prominent regional organizations that have invested to yield remarkable outcomes in CX and digitization, including the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON), Riyadh Airports Company, solutions by stc, Bupa Arabia, Mobily, Emkan Finance Company, Cobone, and Silah Gulf.