050: RECESSION? WHAT RECESSION? How the Middle East is driving technology innovation and spend

This is the first in a series on Technology and Innovation trends in the Middle East. Things have gone quiet in Asia post-pandemic - and the global recession has not helped.  However, the Middle East is thriving.  Hardly a week goes by where there isn't another jaw-dropping announcement related to emerging technologies like AI, autonomous vehicles and the Metaverse in the Middle East - or the massive investment in initiatives like Saudi Arabia's NEOM.  To help us delve deeper into the Middle East's technology innovation landscape, I'm joined by Danial Mausoof. He's based in Abu Dhabi, but covers the Middle East and Africa as part of his job, so we are lucky to have him with us to share his unique insights and perspectives. Show Notes: 02:45 Key market trends in the Middle East 06:30 The Talent Issue: How the Middle East is starting to build a local talent pool to drive and support innovation 08:30 Overview of the three key markets: Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Abu Dhabi 13:00 Why the recession has not derailed tech spend in the Middle East. 16:45 The state of 5G in the Middle East - and why they could lead in 5G monetisation 23:00 Artificial Intelligence: How the combination of investment, education and regulation is making the Middle East a leader in AI 28:00 Smart Cities: How the greenfield Smart Cities like NEOM will drive global innovation 33:00 Autonomous Vehicles: How the Middle East's progressive regulatory environments have ensured they will lead in self-driving taxis and, believe it or not, flying taxis 40:00 Our future forecasts - when will we go beyond the hype on…. 5G 5G monetisation Artificial Intelligence Large Language Models (e.g. ChatGPT) Metaverse Smart Cities Autonomous Vehicles