june 2024 / vol. 2 issue 6 / an ITP Media Group publication AI fuels Middle Eastern gaming boomwww.draytek.com sales@draytek.com VigorAP 962C 2.5G WiFi 6 Ceiling-mount AP Ax3000 Dual-Band Wall/Ceiling Mount Powered by DC/PoE 2.5G Portedge_ june 2024 3 contents june 2024 12 10 22 cover story Game Changers AI fuels Middle Eastern gaming boom 224 edge_ june 2024 From Page 30 30 contents 32 other stories Social engineering seige What can organisations do to protect their employees? 32 Gadget Watch 6 amazing gadgets to keep an eye out for 44 Review iPhone 15 Pro Max 48 How Fuze is changing financial infrastructure in the UAEedge_ june 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 ITP Group CEO Ali Akawi CFO Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Welcome to this exciting edition of edge/, where we dive into the convergence of AI and gaming in the Middle East. Our cover story explores how artificial intelligence (AI) revolutionises the gaming landscape, transforms user experiences, and drives regional innovation. From immersive environments to intelligent NPCs, AI is set to redefine how we interact with games, offering unprecedented opportunities for developers and players alike. As online gaming continues to gain popularity, your role in ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience is crucial. Our tips on safe online gaming provide essential guidance for gamers of all ages, empowering you to navigate potential risks and protect your personal information. In the world of fintech, we spotlight Fuze, a startup shaking up the industry. Discover how social engineering remains a critical threat in our increasingly digital world. Our in-depth article on this topic uncovers cybercriminals’ tactics and offers practical advice on how to safeguard against these manipulative attacks. We are thrilled to feature an exclusive profile on the CEO of Chainalysis, a blockchain analysis and cybersecurity leader. Gain insights into his vision, leadership, and the company’s mission to bring transparency and security to the blockchain space. Finally, we delve into the fascinating realm of artificial general intelligence (AGI). Our piece examines the implications of AGI for the future, exploring its potential and the ethical considerations of such transformative technology. As always, we aim to provide compelling stories and valuable insights. We hope you find this edition both informative and inspiring. Stay curious, stay connected! AI & Gaming: The future of entertainment in the Middle East 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_ june 2024 news Microsoft and G42 announce $1 B digital ecosystem in Kenya To accelerate digital transformation in Kenya and East Africa, Microsoft and G42 have announced a comprehensive package of digital investments. This initiative, undertaken in collaboration with the Republic of Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, is a milestone in the region’s technological advancement. The collaboration will invest an initial $1 billion to support different components of the initiative. Among the top priorities is the construction of a green data centre. This facility, to be built by G42 and its partners, will host Microsoft Azure services in a new East Africa Cloud Region, driving the digital ecosystem forward. The initiative encompasses five main pillars, each aimed at fostering local technological growth and innovation: developing local- language AI models, establishing an East Africa Innovation Lab with comprehensive AI skills training, enhancing international and local connectivity, collaborating with the Kenyan government for secure cloud services, and building a sustainable data centre infrastructure. The data centre, powered by renewable geothermal energy, is set to become operational within 24 months. Microsoft and G42 will collaborate with the Kenyan government to ensure the new cloud region operates as a “trusted data zone,” adhering to global digital safety, privacy, and security standards. This will enable Kenya to adopt a “cloud-first” policy, accelerating digital transformation for governmental and citizen services. news bytes Stay in the loop with the latest news and trends from the tech scene The companies have formed a comprehensive package of digital investments BUSINESSedge_ june 2024 7 news SOFTWARE The partnership with Pasqal will bring high-performance information processing to Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia: Aramco to welcome its first 200-qubit quantum computer Saudi Arabia’s first quantum computer is set to be installed after energy giant Aramco signed an agreement with French computing firm, Pasqal. Under the deal, Pasqal will install, maintain, and operate a 200-qubit device scheduled for deployment in the second half of next year. The quantum computer will use qubits to run multidimensional algorithms, enabling these machines to solve complex problems faster than traditional computers. Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, executive vice president of technology and innovation at Aramco, stated that the partnership with Pasqal is expected to bring high-performance information processing to Saudi Arabia. Al-Khowaiter said that they believe it is crucial to seize opportunities presented by new, impactful technologies. The aim is to pioneer the use of quantum computing in the energy sector. The agreement with Pasqal allows Aramco to harness the expertise of a leading player in this field as they continue to build state-of-the-art solutions into the business. Initially, the quantum computer installed in Saudi Arabia will use an approach called “analog mode.” Within the following year, the system will be upgraded to a more advanced hybrid “analog-digital mode.” It is an integrated set of artificial intelligence (AI) and business intelligence (BI) capabilities with an industry-focused data platform Epicor, the industry-specific enterprise software company, has unveiled the Epicor Grow portfolio, an integrated set of artificial intelligence (AI) and business intelligence (BI) capabilities with an industry-focused data platform explicitly tuned for the requirements of the make, move, and sell industries. The new portfolio re-examines how AI-powered ERP software can transform the supply chain industry. Guided by the company’s cognitive ERP vision to transform traditional ERP from a system of record to a system of action, the Epicor Grow portfolio leverages many types of AI — generative, machine learning, natural language processing, predictive analytics and more — to deliver more than 200 highly specific industry use cases that adapt to workers in their contextual environment or workflow, giving them the insights and efficiencies they need to drive more value. By design, ERP technology sits at an organisation’s core, coordinating and managing mission-critical processes across business functions. Epicor announces AI capabilities for the supply chain industry AI8 edge_ june 2024 news AI Palo Alto Networks will acquire IBM’s QRadar SaaS assets as part of this collaboration Palo Alto Networks and IBM have unveiled a board- reaching partnership to deliver AI-powered security solutions. As part of this collaboration, Palo Alto Networks will acquire IBM’s QRadar SaaS assets, including QRadar’s intellectual property rights, pending customary closing conditions. Following this acquisition, Palo Alto Networks and IBM will assist QRadar SaaS clients in migrating to Cortex XSIAM, a leading next- generation security operations (SOC) platform offering advanced AI-driven threat protection with over 3,000 pre-built detectors. IBM and Palo Alto Networks join forces to enhance AI- driven security operations On-premise QRadar clients wishing to continue using QRadar will still receive IBM features and support, including security updates, usability enhancements, critical bug fixes, and updates to existing connectors. For those opting to migrate to Cortex XSIAM, Palo Alto Networks and IBM, along with their ecosystem of business partners, will provide no-cost migration services to qualified customers. IBM will receive incremental payments from Palo Alto Networks for on-prem QRadar clients who migrate to the Cortex XSIAM platform.edge_ june 2024 9 news Endava report highlights key technologies 2024- AI, data, and IoT dominate business priorities Unsurprisingly, artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (GenAI) are top organisational priorities in the Endava Emerging Tech Unpacked 2024 report. What stood out was that big data, predictive analysis, and IoT were also top priorities. While organisations are open to newer technologies, the market and economic conditions push them to look at technologies with immediate benefits and potential future expansion. Endava’s research underscores the critical role of robust data practices in paving the way for the adoption of advanced technology. The latest edition of Emerging Tech Unpacked highlights the buzz around AI and generative AI (genAI) and emphasises other vital priorities like predictive analytics and IoT. “Data serves as the foundation: it’s used in training AI models, is crucial for accurate predictive data and is exchanged among IoT devices to empower decision-making. While organisations have different choices for what to invest in, many efforts will start with prioritising data infrastructure and management,” stated the report. The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a leading global scientific research centre and the applied research pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), recently launched Falcon 2, the second iteration of its renowned large language model (LLM). This series introduces two versions: Falcon 2 11B and Falcon 2 11B VLM. The former is a more efficient and accessible LLM, trained on 5.5 trillion tokens with 11 billion parameters, while the latter, distinguished by its vision-to-language model (VLM) capabilities, enables seamless conversion of visual inputs into textual outputs. Falcon 2 11B VLM stands out as TII’s first multimodal model and the only one in the top-tier market with image-to-text conversion capability, marking a significant advancement in AI innovation. H.E. Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary General of ATRC and Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs Advisor to the UAE President, stated in a note, “With the release of Falcon 2 11B, we’ve introduced the first model in the Falcon 2 series. While Falcon 2 11B has demonstrated outstanding performance, we reaffirm our commitment to the open-source movement and the Falcon Foundation. With other multimodal models soon coming to the market in various sizes, we aim to ensure that developers and entities that value their privacy can access one of the best AI models.” TECHNOLOGY The report showcases the critical technological priorities for organisations across different sectors AI The LLMs feature the efficient Falcon 2 11B and the Falcon 2 11B VLM with vision-to-language capabilities Falcon 2: UAE’s large language model answer to Microsoft, Google, and AppleNext >