< PreviousA s the new year unfolds, and people embark on the ritual of jotting down resolutions, goals, and important dates, the timeless practice of journaling is once again popular. The evolution of recording thoughts has witnessed a fascinating journey – from traditional journals to the digital realm and back. Where pen and paper vied with the allure of digital technology, the Casio Digital Diary, stood out as an enabler of organisational prowess. A high-end Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), the diary was not merely a gadget; it was a comprehensive tool equipped with an extensive Personal Information Management (PIM) suite. Its operating system boasted a calendar, an address book, an account manager, a spreadsheet, a world clock, and even a mail and fax programme, underscoring its multifunctional capabilities. In short, it was a mini computer in itself. Though majorly used by working professionals, some kids (like myself) used to sneak it into school to use as a calculator. The high pitched keypad sound always gives away that it is in use. Upon research, it is revealed that the sound could infact have been reduced or better yet, muted. Despite its feature-rich offerings, the Casio Digital Diary had its limitations, notably the inability to expand its operating system with custom applications. This constraint played a pivotal role in preventing it from attaining the widespread popularity enjoyed by its successor models, particularly the touchscreen- based Pocket Viewer. In an age where the analog is making a resurgence amidst the sea of digital options, the Casio Digital Diary remains a nostalgic reminder of a bygone era when the promise of an organised, digital future beckoned. vintage tech By Arya Devi A pocket-sized personal assistant 10 edge_ january 2024FOR COMMERCIAL ENQUIRIES: Ines Ben Rejeb Senior Commercial Manager T: +971 4 444 3223 E: ines.benrejeb@itp.com WHERE &NUMBERS NARRATIVES WWW.FINANCEMIDDLEEAST.COM AN ITP MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATION online now and in print this February12 edge_january 2024 eventedge_january 2024 13 event In pursuit of reinvention At re:Invent 2023, held on November 27 to December 1 in Las Vegas, USA, Amazon Web Services (AWS) shares a glimpse of how the company is shaping the future powered by cloud, AI, and constant innovation EVENT By Adelle Geronimo14 edge_january 2024 event O ver 50,000 IT industry leaders, innovators, visionaries, developers, entrepreneurs, and AI enthusiasts from across the globe headed down to Las Vegas for AWS re:Invent 2023. At the highly anticipated annual event, Amazon Web Services showcased how they aim to redefine the future and revealed their vision fuelled by artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced cloud solutions. AWS CEO Adam Selipsky’s keynote address set the tone, underscoring the company’s unwavering commitment to continuous innovation and its central role in shaping the technological landscape. “The cloud is for anyone,” says Selipsky. “Customers of every size, industry, region – organisations you can’t even imagine would rely on and innovate in AWS cloud,” said Selipsky. He noted how AWS customers are solving big problems, serving critical needs, and dreaming up the world’s next big thing with AWS cloud. “They count on us to be secure, reliable, innovate rapidly, delight customers, and enable new ways to grow their business. All on AWS.” “Why do they choose AWS?” Selipsky posed the question, asserting that the company stands out as the “oldest and most established cloud giant in the industry” while also being the epitome of security and reliability. However, he emphasised a key differentiator, stating, “Most importantly we ‘reinvent’ constantly. We push through the barriers of what people thought is possible. Reinventing is in our DNA and it continues to drive us every day.” Throughout his keynote, Selipsky detailed the continued progress his division has made in advancing the AWS platform and the successes that their customers attained over the past year. And because this is the year 2023, the vast majority of Selipsky’s session also focused on AI in one form or another. “GenAI is the next step in artificial intelligence, and it is going to redefine everything we do at work and at home,” he says. The event also saw keynotes from Peter DeSantis, Senior Vice President, AWS Utility Computing; Dr Swami Sivasubramanian, Vice President of Data and AI, AWS; and Dr Werner Vogels, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Amazon.com. Here are some of the biggest announcements and launches at re:Invent 2023: Amazon Q takes the spotlight One of the stars of the show was Amazon Q, an AI-powered chatbot exclusively designed for AWS customers. What sets Amazon Q apart is its extensive training on 17 years’ worth of AWS knowledge, enabling it to transcend the capabilities of conventional chatbots. Beyond engaging in conversations, Amazon Q can generate content and take actions based on a profound understanding of systems, data repositories, and operations. This innovation marks a significant leap forward in enhancing user interactions with AWS services, ushering in a new era of AI-powered assistance. Empowering developers AWS unveiled the SageMaker HyperPod, a purpose-built service tailored for training and fine- tuning large language models. This offering features a distributed cluster with accelerated instances optimised for efficient training, expediting the model development process. As natural language processing capabilities continue to be a focal point, AWS empowers developers with tools that streamline the creation and refinement of intricate language models. The rise of image-based applications AWS also introduced the Titan Image Generator, an image generation tool available in preview for AWS customers. This tool has the ability to create new images based on text descriptions or customise existing images, aligning with the growing “We push through the barriers of what people thought is possible” Adam Selipsky, AWS Adam Selipsky, CEO, Amazon Web Services (AWS)edge_january 2024 15 event prominence of image-based applications. AWS solidifies its position as a comprehensive solution provider in the AI and image processing domains, offering tools that cater to the evolving needs of developers and businesses. Enhancing data-intensive applications Addressing the demands of data-intensive applications such as AI and machine learning (ML) training, AWS introduced Amazon S3 Express One Zone. This update to the S3 object storage service introduces a new high-performance and low- latency tier, promising significant improvements in processing efficiency. As organisations strive for faster and more efficient data processing, Amazon S3 Express One Zone emerges as a key player in meeting these demands. Fine-tuning control over language models Recognising the need for fine-tuned control over language models, AWS introduced Guardrails for Amazon Bedrock. This tool empowers companies to define and limit the language used by AI models, ensuring more precise and controlled responses. By setting boundaries on model behaviour, Guardrails for Amazon Bedrock enhances the reliability and relevance of AI-generated content, addressing the imperative of responsible AI development. New AWS-designed AI Chips: Trainium2 and Graviton4 The unveiling of Trainium2 and Graviton4 chips underscores AWS’s dedication to advancing AI hardware. Trainium2 focuses on model training, while Graviton4 is dedicated to inferencing. These chips promise up to 4x better performance and 2x better energy efficiency, pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable in AI model processing. The introduction of these chips reinforces AWS’s commitment to providing cutting-edge hardware solutions that underpin the AI revolution. Getting value out of complex data AWS introduced Neptune Analytics, a cutting- edge tool seamlessly integrating graph and vector databases. This innovation enables customers to analyse existing Neptune graph data or data lakes on S3 storage, leveraging vector search to extract key insights. Neptune Analytics emerges as a game-changer in data analysis and retrieval, offering a holistic approach to extracting valuable information from complex datasets. Balancing innovation and data privacy Addressing growing concerns around data privacy, AWS unveiled Clean Rooms ML. This service allows AWS customers to deploy “lookalike” AI models without sharing proprietary data, extending the capabilities of AWS’s existing Clean Rooms product. Clean Rooms ML facilitates secure collaborations between companies, fostering innovation without compromising sensitive information. This move showcases AWS’s commitment to finding a balance between innovation and protecting user data. Elevating security protocols Expanding on the Amazon One offering, AWS introduced Amazon One Enterprise, a palm- scanning identity service. Originally designed for biometric payments, Amazon One Enterprise takes a step further in enhancing security protocols for physical access. This innovation enables companies to authenticate individuals entering physical premises securely, offering a sophisticated and secure biometric identity solution. Dr Werner Vogels, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Amazon.com Dr Swami Sivasubramanian, Vice President of Data and AI, AWS16 edge_ january 2024 cover story VOICES OF 2024 Tech visionaries explore what lies ahead BUSINESS By Adelle Geronimocover story edge_ january 2024 1718 edge_ january 2024 cover story Fleming Shi, CTO, Barracuda Networks Ranjith Kaippada, Managing Director, Cloud Box Technologies A s we step into the year 2024, visionaries and industry leaders share their predictions and perspectives on the transformative trends that will shape the tech landscape in the region. Whether we’re heading towards a future with increased AI security, ground-breaking strides in quantum computing, heightened decarbonisation of IT, or democratised generative AI, we explore the boundless possibilities that lie ahead: BARRACUDA NETWORKS AI-powered cybersecurity For the new year, Barracuda Networks anticipates artificial intelligence (AI) taking centre stage in the cybersecurity arena. Fleming Shi, CTO at Barracuda Networks, underscores the pivotal role of AI, explaining, “AI allows attackers to strike faster, with better accuracy and in greater numbers.” The prediction aligns with the growing sophistication of cyber threats, where generative AI is poised to enhance phishing attacks. Shi emphasises the transformative impact of AI on the cybersecurity landscape, stating, “The widespread implementation of AI will introduce new threat vectors but also new applications and opportunities to help security professionals.” Barracuda Networks, known for its proactive stance, is leveraging AI-based technologies, exemplified by Barracuda AI. This technology creates unique identity graphs for each account, enabling the identification of anomalies in email communications, providing robust defence against spear phishing and other targeted threats. Shi concludes with an optimistic view of AI’s role, recognising its potential as a force for good in businesses. “While it will be a tool wielded by malicious actors, it will also be a force for good in modern businesses,” he states. Barracuda’s commitment to innovation positions them at the forefront of shaping a cybersecurity landscape in 2024 that not only counters evolving threats but also empowers security teams with enhanced efficiency. CLOUD BOX TECHNOLOGIES New gains and opportunities In 2024, Generative AI is poised to revolutionise development processes by automating tasks such as code generation and vulnerability scanning. This shift not only promises cost reduction but also empowers developers to focus on more strategic endeavours, enhancing overall efficiency, according to Ranjith Kaippada, Managing Director, Cloud Box Technologies. Another game-changer that the tech landscape can anticipate is in the security space with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), offering secure remote access without the need for traditional VPNs.edge_ january 2024 19 cover story Chaitanya Peddi, Co-founder, Darwinbox Burcak Soydan, Managing Executive for Middle East, Dimension Data “As remote work becomes more prevalent, ZTNA improves security, simplifies network management, and ensures a seamless user experience,” he says. Kaippada also predicts that quantum computing is poised to disrupt the industry with unprecedented computing power, and machine learning for cybersecurity is expected to have widespread adoption, enhancing threat detection and automating security tasks. Looking at the impact of AI and automation on job roles, Kaippada emphasises a transformative rather than a detrimental effect. “People often worry that AI and automation will result in job losses. However, in our field by 2024, it’s more about transformation and opportunities. Instead of rendering the workforce redundant, it will enhance efficiency. We’re not losing jobs; we’re gaining new ones,” he says. DARWINBOX The year to upskill As we step into 2024, the field of Human Resources Technology (HR Tech) is set to undergo a transformation driven by various factors, including the global adoption of remote work, the pursuit of top-tier talent, and rising employee expectations, according to Chaitanya Peddi, Co-founder, Darwinbox. Peddi highlights a significant evolution in HR Tech with an emphasis on automation, integration, and comprehensive end-to-end solutions to stay competitive. “In 2024, existing and upcoming product offerings will continually evolve to improve employee experience, productivity, and performance,” he explains. This evolution is expected to be hastened by AI-powered technologies, reshaping traditional approaches to recruiting, onboarding, and retaining global talent. Regarding the impact of AI and automation on HR job roles, Peddi notes, “AI in hiring is gaining popularity globally, providing advantages such as efficiency, objectivity, and data-driven, bias- free decision-making.” Referring to a Darwinbox survey, he highlights that 64 percent of UAE organisations plan to embrace robotics and automation for hiring in the next two years, with a strong emphasis on digitising HR systems and redesigning processes. Peddi stresses the importance of professionals in the Middle East focusing on skill enhancement, transparency, flexibility, and well-being. To prepare for the evolving workplace, he advocates for a strategic emphasis on upskilling and reskilling. He states, “By adopting employee-centric digital processes and AI-driven HCM technologies, leaders can implement data-driven decision-making and foster employee skills development.” DIMENSION DATA AI and data skills in high demand Specialised tech skills will be in high demand in 2024, according to Dimension Data’s projections. Next >