Future tech will drive Dubai’s growth

Twenty years ago Dubai jumped on the digital bandwagon when the first version of the World Wide Web took the world by storm and fueled the Dotcom boom. Today, the Web has evolved into Web3 with the Metaverse, blockchain, crypto and AI often spoken about in the same breath.

Dubai is in step with these changes that could soon transform our lives and the communities we live in. The city has kept pace with these innovations in the digital space even as it built modern wonders and people kept coming to these shores in search of work and opportunity as businesses thrived.

The city has grown, matured and become a hub of trade and commerce in just two decades. It’s one of the leading lights in aviation and shipping and is emerging as a tech powerhouse post the pandemic while setting a new paradigm in urban living.

The city is now looking at emerging tech to drive the next phase of growth as the Fourth Industrial Revolution takes root and the UAE diversifies its economy.

Dubai started the journey in 1999 with the first version of the Web. Back then, the city announced its ICT strategy. This was followed by Dubai Internet City, Dubai e-government, Dubai Smart Government and the Dubai Smart City.

“Dubai’s digital transformation was initiated in 1999 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Today, we continue to strive to achieve his vision,” tweeted Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, who heads the new committee that has been tasked to “design policies for new technologies like the metaverse, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, Web3, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), data centres and cloud computing”.

These technologies are expected to drive every sector of the economy in the future and Dubai wants to stay ahead of the pack and consolidate its position as the modern Silicon Valley.