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EDITOR ’ S NOTE
Greetings to the readers of Intelligent CIO Middle East . AI is more than a buzzword in the Middle East ; it is a strategic imperative that is receiving boardroom attention . CEOs are not just adopting AI but are strategically deploying it to unlock a new frontier of possibilities .
The CEO Global Insights Study for 2024 by Arthur D Little , with close to 300 global CEOs participating , sheds light on the ambitious plans and diverse strategies of the world ’ s largest companies , with the Middle East playing a pivotal role in shaping a technology-infused economic future .
The commitment to integrating AI across business operations is seen as crucial to growth and echoes globally , with 54 % of Middle East CEOs expressing a strategic vision towards a holistic , company-wide AI deployment while 96 % of global CEOS have already deployed AI in some form .
While regionally 31 % confirm the implementation of AI strategies across several departments , an ambitious 13 % have already realised a compelling , enterprisewide AI strategy .
Since 2023 , AI usage has accelerated dramatically . In many ways , progress has been swift , 96 % of executives claim to have implemented an AI strategy within at least one department of their organisation , with 47 % having a strategic view toward AI .
However , just 13 % have adopted a comprehensive company-wide AI strategy , demonstrating that they are still on a transformation path to fully understand the impact of AI and integrate it across the organisation . Fully benefiting from AI requires enormous structural and workforce change , which is achievable only with time . There are major challenges to moving from a strategic view to a strategy and then implementing it .
In the Middle East , the fintech sector will be of primary importance for the future 3 – 5 years . Telecom , travel and transportation CEOs focus shifted from workforce transformation and e-commerce to AI and digital transformation while automotives and energy and utilities leaders see ESG outpacing AI .
Turn these pages to read more about trends and use cases around AI and its adoption in the Middle East region .
As regional enterprises progress through their digital transformation journeys , they inevitably hit the multicloud decision fork . What are the operational benefits and challenges in adopting a multi-cloud platform approach , is this month ’ s Editor ’ s Question ? Top executives from Mindware , ManageEngine , Pure Storage , respond .
Arun Shankar Managing Editor arun @ lynchpinmedia . com
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