march 2024 / vol. 2 issue 3 / an ITP Media Group publication Mohannad Alkalash, Founder of CyberX talks about the perfect blend of cybersecurity and psychology The Art of Cyberology THURSDAY 7 TH MARCH 2024 FAIRMONT THE PALM, DUBAI, UAE Where Infrastructure Meets Innovation Step into Middle East Data Centre 360 – an exclusive platform tailored for B2B professionals in the technology and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) sectors, offering an unparalleled exploration of the future of data centres. Be prepared for insightful discussions led by our esteemed speakers, contributing to the crucial dialogue on constructing resilient, efficient, and sustainable data infrastructure. LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER GET IN TOUCH Priyanka Pillai Group Commercial Manager, edge T: +971 4 444 3399 E: priyanka.pillai@itp.com Oliver Osea Senior Commercial Manager, MEP Middle East T: +971 4 444 3129 E: oliver.osea@itp.com ITP.EVENTS/ MIDDLEEASTDATACENTRE360 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCAN TO REGISTER GOLD SPONSORGOLD SPONSORSTRATEGIC DATA CENTRE FINANCING PARTNER HEADLINE SPONSOR – ICT PARTNERedge_march 2024 3 contents march 2024 12 10 14 cover story The Art of Cyberology Mohannad Alkalash, Founder of CyberX talks about the blend of cybersecurity and psychology 14 Mohannad Alkalash, Founder of CyberX4 edge_march 2024 “Pursue your passion, invest in continuous learning, and believe in your potential” From Page 24 24 contents 40 other stories AI’s gendered lens What can be done to build inclusive and neutral generative algorithms 36 Gadget Watch 6 amazing gadgets to keep an eye out for 52 Review Samsung Galaxy A15: 5G 56edge_march 2024 5 editor’s letter PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 (0)4 444 3000 Web: www.itp.com Offi ces in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London, Mumbai, Riyadh & Geneva ITP Media Group CEO Ali Akawi Managing Director Alex Reeve Editorial Group Editor Kate-Lynne Wolmarans +971 4 444 3541 / kate.wolmarans@itp.com Editor Sindhu V Kashyap +971 4 444 3497 / sindhu.varadarayan@itp.com Commercial Editor Arya Devi +971 4 444 3175 / arya.devi@itp.com Art Art Director Amjad Ayche Art Editor Tofi q Memon Contributing Designer Muhammed Nahas Advertising Group Commercial Director Anup Nagpurkar +971 4 444 3573 / anup.nagpurkar@itp.com Group Commercial Manager Priyanka Pillai +971 4 444 3399 / priyanka.pillai@itp.com Client Services Manager Cherylann DAbreo +971 4 444 3404 / cherlyann.dabreo@itp.com Photography Videographer Muhammad Kaleem Senior Video Editor Liju Cheruvathur Social Media & Production Manager Andy Ruedas Production Production Manager Denny Kollannoor Production Coordinator Manoj Mahadevan Senior Image Editor Emmalyn Robles Distribution Circulation Executive Rajesh Pillai Distribution Coordinator Avinash Pereira Marketing Director of Events & Marketing Daniel Fewtrell ITP Group CEO Ali Akawi CFO Toby Jay Spencer-Davies In this issue we celebrate what this month stands for gender equality, while also diving deep into artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications. Thus, while shining a spotlight on the incredible achievements of female leaders in the tech sphere we are also diving headfirst into the captivating world of generative AI (gen AI). As gen AI takes centre stage, we’re not just marvelling at its capabilities but also mulling over the crucial question of how to ensure that it’s fair and unbiased. Generative AI isn’t just about fancy algorithms; it’s about how we can use technology to make our lives better, while keeping things ethical. From streamlining processes to boosting productivity, the potential is immense. But let’s not forget the ethical tightrope we’re walking, with concerns like bias, privacy, and accountability. As we journey through the tech landscape, the possibilities with gen AI are endless, promising to reshape how we interact with the world around us. Check out our feature on making gen AI more inclusive — it’s a must-read for businesses navigating this brave new world. The recently concluded World Governments Summit 2024 in Dubai was a vivid reminder of gen AI’s growing influence. Global leaders weren’t just talking about AI; they were rolling up their sleeves and figuring out how to use it responsibly. In our cover story on page 14, Mohannad Alkalash, Founder of CyberX, unpacks the intriguing intersection of cybersecurity and psychology, showing us that securing our digital world goes beyond just fancy software — it’s a whole mindset shift. And don’t miss our chat with Ahmed Sharif, CTO of Sandsoft on page 20, as he spills the beans on his journey from Meta to Sandsoft and the explosive growth of gaming in the region. Plus, we’ve got gadget reviews and also tips on how to make the most of generative AI. So, as we dive into this exciting world of tech, let’s keep the conversation going. Let’s embrace the opportunities,, while also staying mindful of the responsibilities that come with them. Stay curious, stay connected! To ethical AI and equality Sindhu V Kashyap editor Published by and © 2024 ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.6 edge_march 2024 news Alat announced four partnerships with leading global technology companies The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF)’s company Alat, focussed on creating a manufacturing hub in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has announced four global partnerships with leading technology companies Softbank Group, Carrier Corporation, Dahua Technology, and The Saudi Technology and Security Comprehensive Control Company (Tahakom). The partnerships will focus on delivering sustainable manufacturing to help these companies reduce their emissions and move towards carbon zero manufacturing. The PIF company is looking to invest $100 billion by 2030 to enhance the capabilities in the technological sector in Saudi Arabia. Alat and Softbank will establish a next generation industrial automation business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that will manufacture groundbreaking industrial robots. The partnership will invest $150 million. Carrier Corporation, a global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions, in collaboration with Alat will develop a manufacturing and R&D facility in the Kingdom aimed at decarbonising emissions in buildings, and increase their energy efficiency. The aim is to create over 5000 local jobs. Dahua Technologies in partnership with Alat will start manufacturing technology products in the region. The joint venture will produce and market solutions for safety and surveillance use that are applicable in intelligent cities, as well as intelligent buildings and enterprise applications. With an investment of $200 million, it will establish Alat AIVisio Technology Co. Ltd., and a manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Technology and Security Comprehensive Control Company (Tahakom), which already develops Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Artificial Intelligence (Al) and safety solutions, in partnership with Alat will combine their resources and capabilities to advance smart mobility and intelligent cities solutions, in alignment with Saudi Arabia Vision 2030. news bytes Stay in the loop with the latest news and trends from the tech scene BUSINESSedge_march 2024 7 news AI Public Investment Fund (PIF) governor believes the kingdom is naturally poised to be a hub for developing new technologies Saudi Arabia natural hub for developing AI – PIF, Governor Yassir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) said the kingdom is poised to be an Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub, at the Miami FII event. He added that while the world today is talking and looking closely at AI, the core source that ensures the development of this technology energy is in abundance in Saudi. Al-Rumayyan said, AI would consume a lot of energy and the kingdom is already the leader in fossil fuel and renewable energy, making it a natural hub for developing AI. This comes as no surprise as Saudi Arabia is already making significant strides to establish itself as a technology hub. Saudi Arabia has been working closely with several global corporations to strengthen its position as a global technology leader. It is working to build strong partnerships to create local jobs, bring in investment, and also increase the manufacturing capacity in the kingdom. The region is also working to invest in several tech companies across different parts of Asia, and China. Most of these efforts done are currently towards making Saudi Arabia a global technology, sustainability, and manufacturing hub. The tech giant aims to build a comprehensive portfolio of AI-solutions for the Kingdom Latest cloud innovation that is geared to help Saudi Arabia accelerate its artificial intelligence (AI) powered economy will be on display at Oracle’s state-of-the-art exhibit at LEAP 2024. Oracle will this year present a comprehensive portfolio of AI solutions including an AI cloud infrastructure and generative AI innovations. “Our $1.5 billion investment in Saudi Arabia will play a vital role in expanding local cloud capacity, which will act as the foundation for local organisations to unlock the full potential of latest digital technologies like AI”, said Reham AlMusa, vice president – Business Applications, and Saudi Arabia Country Leader, Oracle. “AI is seeing incredible adoption in the Kingdom, as businesses look to innovate. PwC estimates that is set to contribute $135 billion to the Saudi economy in 2030, making Saudi Arabia the biggest beneficiary of the technology in the Middle East. Oracle is well positioned to help Saudi organisations leverage this AI opportunity, and LEAP 2024 will be an opportunity for us to demonstrate how our latest AI innovation can help address business challenges.” LEAP 2024: Oracle to focus on Saudi Arabia’s AI economy goals AI8 edge_march 2024 news CYBERSECURITY AFRIPOL signs MoU with Group-IB to focus on cybersecurity To enhance and combat cybercrime, AFRIPOL and Group-IB, a cybersecurity company headquartered in Singapore have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). AFRIPOL is an institution of the African Union tasked with enhancing the collaboration among police forces of AU member states to prevent and combat trans-national organised crime, terrorism, and cybercrime. The MoU signed by Jalel Chelba, Ag Executive Director, AFRIPIL and Dmitry Volvok, Founder and CEO, Group-IB, focusses on fostering collaboration between Group-IB and AFRIPOL towards fighting cybercrime in Africa. This collaboration with Group IB will lead to the development and execution of shared initiatives by Group-IB and AFRIPOL, focusing on the surveillance of cyber threats, the prevention of scam and phishing activities, the tracking of compromised payment details, the enhancement of cyber threat awareness, and, apprehension efforts— all aimed at a singular objective: combating cybercrime. They will work together by exchanging intelligence on threats, share insights on cybercrime and criminals, collaborative investigations and operations against cybercrime within Africa. Group-IB will share its specialised technological knowledge in reverse engineering, incident management, and cyber investigations with AFRIPOL’s personnel throughout Africa’s member states. Currently, AFRIPOL has initiated partnerships with global, regional, and local law enforcement bodies to assist the African police forces in addressing cybercrimes, organised crime, and even terrorism. “AFRIPOL and Interpol jointly conducted the Africa Cyber Surge operation, arrested 10 individuals linked to scam and fraud activities worth $800,000” AFRIPOL has initiated global partnerships to combat cybercrime in African countries ACCELERATING TRANSFORMATION IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY ECOSYSTEM REGISTER NOW 21 - 23 MAY 2024 ADNEC CENTRE ABU DHABI, UAE Organised byStrategic PartnerIn association with www.isnrabudhabi.comNext >