Microsoft highlights AI innovations at 40th GITEX Technology Week

Microsoft opened a socially distanced area ‘The Microsoft Hub’ as the 40th GITEX Technology Week launched, which runs from 6th to 10th December at Dubai World Trade Centre. Alongside the latest Microsoft’s Surface portfolio and select partner innovations, the area will also showcase agricultural solution Azure FarmBeats, which uses AI and IOT technologies to support sustainable farming practices and contribute to food security, in line with Microsoft’s global ‘AI for Good’ initiative.

The Microsoft Hub offers an opportunity to experience technological innovations, initiatives, and products, which shape the future for business at a time when years of technological advancement have been achieved in a matter of months. Partners joining in this area include Itqan, Intertec, Poly, Netways, Liferay, Forteinet and HCL.

A central Microsoft showcase at GITEX is AI solution Azure FarmBeats, which enables data-driven farming to maximize agricultural output. With data visualization, machine learning and data analytics, automated recommendations are provided enabling growers to calibrate water usage and soil quality, for more sustainable farming under challenging conditions. This has valuable applications as the coronavirus pandemic has seen the UAE and Gulf economies increasingly prioritize food security and lay the foundations for long-term strategies to reimagine food systems.

“By 2050 there will be a need to feed 9-10 billion people, requiring a significant increase in food production. However, there is a limited amount of additional arable land, and water levels have also been receding. Cloud technology may prove crucial to address this agricultural challenge,” said Sayed Hashish, General Manager, Microsoft UAE. “During the pandemic, we have seen how technology has rapidly provided response and recovery mechanisms. Now, governments are reimagining a more positive world, and we are investing alongside them into critical technological infrastructure to solve pressing challenges.”

One of the key highlights of Microsoft’s cloud journey has been to accelerate the digital transformation capabilities of businesses across the region. Microsoft UAE datacenters are empowering job creation, entrepreneurship and economic growth across the Middle East. These datacenters are contributing towards innovation, by providing organizations, enterprises and developers with access to scalable, highly available and resilient cloud services, while maintaining data residency, security and compliance needs.

Microsoft’s Surface portfolio will also be demonstrated at the event, which further empowers remote collaboration in a socially distanced world. Devices and Microsoft solutions on display enable teams to work in entirely new ways and provide them with the flexibility to come together wherever they work best.

Microsoft will also be participating as Strategic Partner for the GISEC 2020 exhibition, focused on cybersecurity. The hybrid style event will take place in-person and virtually. Speakers include Cyril Voisin, Chief Security Advisor, Cybersecurity Solutions Group, Microsoft EMEA, who will discuss how the ‘Zero Trust’ strategy increases security and productivity. In addition, Paula Januszkiewicz, Founder and CEO, CQURE will ‘Deep-Dive into Forensics Operations to Track Down Hackers,’ demonstrating how hackers think and exploit vulnerabilities, and how businesses can protect themselves against virtual intruders.  

This year’s GITEX is the only in-person live global tech show of its scale for 2020. The event is delivered with adherence to strict health and safety precautionary measures, including temperature screenings, social distancing, contactless transactions and hygiene protocols.