Technology & IT | Saturday 14 December, 2019 3:38 am |

With digital transformation being a major area of focus for businesses and government across Saudi Arabia, Dell Technologies has reinforced its commitment to advancing the country’s ICT agenda. The Dell Technologies Forum 2019 that was held in Riyadh, brought together business leaders and industry experts to share their insights and expertise on how emerging technologies can help shape the future success of businesses in the Kingdom. 

 

Tom O’Reilly, CTO EMEA – Hybrid Cloud, HCI & CI Dell Technologies was the opening keynote speaker and shared insights on how technology can drive human progress. He highlighted the importance of the role of data in fueling the success of digital transformation initiatives and how emerging technologies will turn data into value, giving organizations a competitive advantage to succeed in a digital era.

 

In fact in October 2019, Dell Technologies revealed the Future of Connected Living research study that explores how emerging technologies will transform how we live by the year 2030. The research, conducted in partnership with  Institute for the Future (IFTF) and Vanson Bourne, surveyed 4,600 business leaders from over 40 countries that included Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The study found that many businesses in both countries are already preparing for the shifts being brought on by emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT). For example, the survey found that among the business leaders surveyed in KSA and UAE: 

• 83% expect they will restructure the way they spend their time by automating more tasks. 
• More than half of businesses surveyed indicated that they anticipate Networked Reality to become commonplace
• 53% say they would welcome day-to-day immersion in virtual and augmented realities
• 70% say they would welcome people being fitted with technology that controls computers with their mind (brain computer interfaces) 
• 76% believe they will travel in a self-driving car by 2030

 

The event also provided a blueprint for digital success and insights into how ICT transformation initiatives can enable organizations from various sectors, to lay the foundations for their digital future. This in turn is in line with ‘Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030’, an ambitious reform agenda, that aims to transform the Kingdom into a digitally-enabled, innovation and investment hub. 

 

Another key aspect of Dell Technologies Forum, Riyadh was its focus on how technology is driving positive societal impact. As part of its ‘Progress Made Real Vision 2030’ social impact framework, Dell Technologies is committed to harnessing the power of technology to drive chance across four key pillars: advancing sustainability, cultivating inclusion, transforming lives with technology and upholding ethics and data privacy. The forum included a panel discussion on ‘Women in Technology’ that saw vibrant and thought-provoking discussions from senior female leaders around core issues relevant to the experience of women in the ICT sector in Saudi Arabia.