Dubai – The last 12 months have seen monumental strides in the development of AI technologies, particularly the emergence of generative AI (GenAI), leading to accelerated adoption across market-leading organizations. And with International Data Corporation (IDC) forecasting worldwide annual spending on AI-centric systems to top $300 billion by 2026, there is a pressing need for organizations to brace themselves for an 'AI Everywhere' future.
"Embracing an 'AI Everywhere' mindset is no longer a choice but a necessity for organizations aiming to maintain competitive parity," emphasizes Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC's group vice president, and regional managing director for the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa. "Forward-thinking governments and digital-savvy businesses are prioritizing AI to drive digital innovation, enhance customer experiences, and optimize operational efficiencies."
Against this backdrop, IDC is delighted to announce that Kuwait's Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT) will serve as an official Support Partner for the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2024. Taking place in Dubai on February 21-22 under the theme 'The Future of IT: Rethinking Digitalization for an AI Everywhere World', the event will underscore the imperative role of digitalization and AI in setting the stage for previously unimaginable improvements in efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
"The future of every industry lies in digitalization and AI," says Dr. Ammar Alhusaini, acting director general of CAIT. "The AI revolution has already dawned upon today's digital world, emphasizing the critical need for CIOs and IT leaders to embrace these advancements. This transformative shift is inevitable across all sectors, including public and government, aiming to attain efficiency, productivity, and profitability within the swiftly evolving digital landscape. We eagerly anticipate the AI-focused discussions at the upcoming IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2024 — an esteemed platform that, for the past 17 years, has fostered constructive dialogue between the region's leading tech companies and its most influential ICT decision makers.”
IT leaders now find themselves in multidimensional, strategic roles as AI intertwines with services, products, and experiences. AI is set to underpin various aspects of life, including performance, growth, engagement, satisfaction, safety, security, governance, privacy, sustainability, ethics, wellbeing, and payments.
With CAIT's support, the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2024 will explore the evolving role of IT leadership in today's increasingly AI-infused tech landscape. Expert speakers will provide essential guidance on adapting to this new business environment as they share proven best-practice strategies for establishing data-centric platforms, migrating to cloud infrastructure, governing cloud economics, redefining security and digital trust, and investing in skills development.
The Summit will facilitate in-depth discussions around AI's impact on digital innovation and the evolving role of the modern CIO. It will showcase insights into the integration of AI with employee and customer experiences and advise on strategies for building organizational readiness for an 'AI Everywhere' world.