Is Wellbeing the New GDP?

If GDP was the creation of the West, then wellness indicators can be the work of the non-West.

Opinion, CultureWisam AmidJuly 23, 2019Happiness, Wellbeing, GDP, UAE, NPHW, National Program for Happiness and Wellbeing

Innovation Through Collaboration: Robots Edition

Companies are preparing for a chain reaction in (human) job growth and robots are the catalysts.

Opinion, Artificial IntelligenceWisam AmidJuly 22, 2019Amazon, robots, robotics, artificial intelligence, Souq, Souq.com

Facing up to Challenges in Facial Recognition

How can we use this powerful technology for good while ensuring it is not abused by opportunistic companies?

Opinion, Artificial IntelligenceWisam AmidJuly 21, 2019Amazon, Oakland, OkCupid, Facial recognition, AI, artificial intelligence, regulation, data privacy, data

Issue 16: Is Wellbeing the New GDP?

Healthy and happy citizens are the best economic foundation

BackstoryWisam AmidJuly 17, 2019AI, artificial intelligence, chatbot, Smart Cities, aerofarms, UAE, wellness, GDP, Amazon, Alan Turing

Meet the New Future Farmers

Technology is disrupting argiculture, too. With agtech on the rise, the UAE is positioned to lead a new crop of food pioneers.

Opinion, Climate TechnologyWisam AmidJuly 14, 2019Agriculture, agtech, vertical farming, UAE, aerofarms, beyond meat, ADIO, Abu Dhabi, artificial intelligence

What Makes a Moon Shot?

In an increasingly connected world, new moon shots are emerging from unexpected corners.

Opinion, CultureWisam AmidJuly 12, 2019UAE, UAE Space Programme, moonshot, collaboration, innovation, Kigali

Issue 15: Human Chatbots

Do you want to talk to someone?

BackstoryWisam AmidJuly 10, 2019AI, artificial intelligence, chatbot, travel, data, data science, Smart Cities, beyond meat, Abu Dhabi, aerofarms, UAE

Smart Cities Index 2019

We set out to determine which cities are the best at adapting technology and highlighting the human experience; where collaboration thrives; and which cities remain true to their roots.

Opinion, Smart CitiesWisam AmidJuly 9, 2019Smart Cities, Dubai, Singapore, Chicago, Istanbul, America, Hyderabad, Montevideo, Abu Dhabi, Kigali, Helsinki

When Data is Good to Us

Fueled by our data addiction, we have entered an era of bespoke everything. That’s a good thing.

Opinion, DataWisam AmidJuly 6, 2019data, personalisation, hyperpersonalised, bespoke, customer experience, customer service, Retail, beauty, fitness

Issue 14: A Fresh Take on Smart Cities

Time to take stock of urban innovation

BackstoryWisam AmidJuly 4, 2019Facebook, Libra, Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, Trade, Remittences, Payments, Jordan, Apple, Jony Ive, AI, artificial intelligence, Smart cities, UAE

Looking to the Future of AI

Our future rests in the hands of the companies and governments developing the next generation of AI, for better and worse.

Opinion, Artificial IntelligenceWisam AmidJuly 1, 2019AI, artificial intelligence, regulation, regulations, governance, data, sothebys

The Libra Wake-Up Call

The global remittance market is ripe for disruption and Facebook is jockeying for position. Now is the time for regional players to make a move.

Opinion, BlockchainWisam AmidJune 28, 2019Libra, Facebook, Blockchian, Remittences, UAE, Africa, Asia, Payments, Digital, Government, Finance, Fintech

Issue 13: Libra is a Wake-Up Call

Facebook’s Libra is about more than cryptocurrency

BackstoryWisam AmidJune 26, 2019Facebook, Libra, Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, Trade, Remittences, UAE, Dig, Digital wellbeing, screen time, Africa, Payments

Issue 12: Our Bespoke Future

Data collection has transformed how we live, eat, and shop.

BackstoryWisam AmidJune 19, 2019data privacy, customer experience, e-Estonia, Estonia, e-residency, Africa, UAE, investment, payments, BASIC, antitrust, Apple, Google, Amazon, Facebook

Practice Digital Wellbeing for a Healthier You

It’s a slippery slope from information overload to digital burnout – and we pay the price with our health.

Opinion, CultureWisam AmidJune 18, 2019Digital wellbeing, UAE, NPHW, Wellbeing, Cal Newport, Digital Detox, 30 day challenge

What Antitrust Regulations Can't Do

The US has opened new antitrust cases against Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon. But can old laws answer today’s challenges?

Opinion, DataWisam AmidJune 17, 2019USA, US, Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, regulation, regulations, antitrust, China, EU, GDPR

Is Africa the New Engine of Innovation?

To keep growing its technology sector, the UAE must look beyond its own borders. Africa is the best place to start.

Opinion, Industry 4.0Wisam AmidJune 16, 2019Africa, Ramadan, Retail, e-commerce, Souq, Amazon, Alibaba, investment, Dubai, UAE, Knowledge economy

Issue 11: Wellbeing in the Digital Age

We need a new approach to happiness in the smartphone epoch.

BackstoryWisam AmidJune 12, 2019Digital wellbeing, Cal Newport, National Strategy for Wellbeing, UAE, Baltimore, Eternal Blue, Smart Cities, smart city, GDPR, Beirut, ArabNet, iTunes

GDPR One Year Later

One year ago, GDPR sent digital businesses scurrying to hire lawyers and update their privacy policies. In many ways, the digital privacy movement has only just begun.

Opinion, DataWisam AmidJune 7, 2019smart city, smart cities, GDPR, regulation, regulations, Canada, America, EU, European Union, China, data privacy, data

The Eternal Challenge to Smart Cities

From their earliest manifestations, defence has been at heart of the relationship between cities and citizens. Today’s smart cities must take steps to continue to honor that agreement.

Opinion, Smart CitiesWisam AmidJune 6, 2019smart city, smart cities, Baltimore, Eternal Blue, Cyber Security

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