The global pandemic has not slowed down Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s digital innovation drive, experts noted during a live online forum hosted yesterday by the Embassy of Italy to the UAE as part of InnovItalyUAEinitiative.

A recent report conducted by IT market research firm 6Wresearch has found that the UAE is leading an innovative strategic shift in using CCTV from citizen security to Smart City quality of life services. Public and private sector organizations have installed thousands of CCTV cameras.

The UAE’s Minister for AI Omar Sultan Al Olama has openly expressed his belief that EXPO 2020 will be the greatest exhibition in its decorated and storied history. EXPO 2020 is expected to have a $30bn ripple effect if it is as successful as being projected.

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has launched a first-of-its-kind advanced digital platform for pharmaceutical public and private facilities as well as health practitioners to store their data.

The UAE has maintained its overall global position, ranking ninth in the top 10 most competitive countries in the world in the World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) 2021 published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

A first-of-its-kind solution opens up in the UAE where merchants can simply provide their WhatsApp-enabled numbers to customers, allowing an easy, convenient, and secure payment process.

The UAE ranked first in the Arab world and 31st globally in a recent report about the best countries for remote working.

The UAE was ranked 37th in the 2023 edition of the United Nations' Technology and Innovation Report titled “Opening Green Windows: Technological Opportunities for a Low-Carbon World.” The report ranks countries according to their readiness to use, adopt and adapt a range of frontier advanced technologies with a focus on green innovation.

UAE ride-hailing services company Careem has invested $500,000 in a start-up entity which focuses on connecting commuters with private buses in the Egyptian capital city of Cairo. Careem, which is seen as Middle East rival to global ride-hailing colossus Uber, acquired the minority stake in SWVL after weeks of negotiations. It has also been disclosed that in addition to the investment, CEO and co-founder of Careem, Magnus Olsson will also join the board of SWVL.

The UAE is among the world's top countries in using e-government services to drive economic competitiveness and citizen happiness, experts announced ahead of the World Government Summit.

Already the UAE is making strong progress in its information management, ranking in the Top 30 in the world in e-government effectiveness, and the top in the Middle East and Africa in online service delivery, according to a recent report by the United Nations.

The UAE has been ranked the top country in the Arab world for its preparedness for the future by the Future Readiness Economic Index report, produced by Washington-based Portulans Institute and Google. It placed UAE in the third position among 27 emerging global economies and 27th out of 123 other countries, according to a news report.

The UAE Space Agency has discussed means of joint cooperation with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment during a meeting between high-level Space Agency delegates and the Minister of Climate Change and Environment. Discussions included the possibility of providing data on local and international environmental issues, as well as exchanging knowledge and expertise in relevant fields, in order to help combat the effects of climate change.

Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, have launched the Mars Science City project.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) partnered with Visa to introduce the UAE’s first biometric authentication solution for e-commerce transactions. This solution leverages the Visa Consumer Authentication Service (VCAS) to deliver an improved customer experience and boost data security.

Dubai-based company Location Solutions made an exclusive partnership with Slovenian hi-tech companies AV Living Lab and Nervtech in bringing the first artificial intelligence (AI) driver evaluation hub to the UAE in June 2021.

The World Economic Forum announced on January 23 an international expansion of its Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. New affiliate centers will open in India, Japan and the United Arab Emirates, creating an international network dedicated to maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risks of emerging technology.

Global technology company SAP announced that the UAE and Middle East’s government-led digital transformation ranks as the top technology trend of 2021.

According to the latest findings revealed by Dell Technologies on its ‘Digital Transformation Index 2020,’ the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia are ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to accelerating digital transformation and embracing cutting-edge technologies.

Sanitizexperts, the Dubai-based professionals in home, office and industrial air sanitization introduce the Automated UVC Robot, the latest intelligence in the UAE in the fight against Covid-19.

Government and private entities signed a number of MoUs to implement and activate the UAE Pass, during a forum organized by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) and Smart Dubai.