Bayanat and Yahsat to merge on October 1 to form Space42
Technology
Artificial intelligence
Google CEO Sundar Pichai announces $120mn ‘Global AI Opportunity Fund’ at UN Summit
The fund will be provided to make artificial intelligence (AI) education and training available in communities around the world
Apple
iPhone 16, AirPods 4 and Apple Watch 10 delivered to your door in under an hour in the UAE
Dubai and Abu Dhabi residents can now get the iPhone 16 delivered direct to their door in just one hour
astra tech
Astra Tech launches ‘Send Now Pay Later’ remittance service on BOTIM in UAE
Through this strategic move, Astra Tech aims to capture a significant share of the UAE’s multi-billion-dirham remittance market
Bitget
Bitget, Foresight Ventures to invest $30mn in TON blockchain to spur growth of Telegram-based projects
This investment will be allocated through the acquisition of TON tokens, and is expected to further accelerate the adoption of Tap-to-Earn, GameFi, and new emerging trends within the TON ecosystem
Bitget
Bitget strikes multi-million-dollar pact with celebrated football league La Liga to amalgamate crypto and sports
La Liga has a storied history of producing and attracting legendary football talents, with star players like Mbappé, Vinícius Jr, and Lewandowski currently gracing their fields
HR technology
Revealed: UAE, Saudi Arabia seeing influx of new-age HR ventures amidst slew of labour law changes, surge in expat employees
The move is attracting a number of international investors to the Gulf region to cash in on the business potential
career advice
Is TikTok the new LinkedIn for Gen Z workers? UAE career experts weigh in
Gen Z is increasingly turning to TikTok for career advice and job searching, challenging LinkedIn’s dominance as a professional networking platform – but is it a wise choice?
Instagram
Instagram announces ‘Teen Accounts’ with built-in safety features for young users
The new Teen Accounts will automatically implement a range of protective measures designed to limit contact from strangers, filter sensitive content, and promote healthier usage habits among younger users
Blockchain
Credit intelligence platform Synnax unveils new Tap2Earn Telegram mini app
The newly launched mini app allows users to earn points by answering engaging questions
Cyberattack
Analysis: Hezbollah pager explosions signal shift to ‘unrestricted, asymmetric warfare’ – experts
Lebanon-Israel tensions enter a “new era” after Tuesday’s deadly Hezbollah pager explosions killed 9 and injured thousands
AI
UAE residents seek education, entertainment and home support from AI assistants; Yango Yasmina offers Arabic language service
UAE residents turn to Yango’s Yasmina to access Arabic education and music
Amazon
Amazon announces return to full-time office work by 2025
In an internal memo to employees, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy outlined plans to reduce management layers and return to full-time office work
Cryptocurrency
Trump rolls out his new cryptocurrency business, a day after alleged assassination attempt
The business venture launch raised many eyebrows in political and business circles, as it’s unusual for a presidential candidate to embark on a new business just weeks before election day
Blockchain
Gaming industry poised for big churn with new breed of developers shifting to ‘play-generate value-earn’ model to boost user engagement
The new set of game developers is using Blockchain as a tool to enhance the gaming experience for users, rather than deploying the technology to add more complexity to games
Artificial intelligence
Microsoft announces share buyback plan of up to $60 billion
Under pressure from investors to show results of its huge investments into AI, it also increases the quarterly dividend by 10 percent
AI
UAE, Saudi corporates leverage AI-based HR tech for international expansion
In the GCC – mainly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia – 6 out of 10 CHROs plan to invest significantly in HR tech in 2024, with 37% focusing on AI technologies to address talent shortages and skill development