Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 99 | Page 52

FEATURE : CLOUD COMPUTING
Haidar Aziz , Managing Director Middle East ,
Turkey and Africa , VAST Data ( L ) and Ahmad Saad , Country Manager UAE and
Qatar , Liferay
Wael Al Aaraj , CTO Bespin Global MEA ( L ) and
Refat AL-Karmi , Senior Consultant , Mist , Juniper
Networks META
“ Enterprises stand to gain significant business benefits from cloud based innovations , including consolidated customer insights , efficiency in customer support , optimised business outcomes with AI ,” says Ahmad Saad , Country Manager UAE and Qatar , Liferay .
“ While AI cannot exist without the cloud , AI integration into the cloud has further allowed companies to streamline efficient operations , gain unparalleled insights , and innovate at an unprecedented pace . From optimising supply chain management through predictive analytics to revolutionising customer service with AI-powered chatbots , businesses are harnessing AI to automate routine tasks , says Wael Al Aaraj , CTO Bespin Global MEA .
On-going challenges
The challenges can vary from integration complexity with existing infrastructure , addressing skill gaps for specialised technologies , managing costs and budget constraints , ensuring robust security measures , achieving scalability to meet business growth , overcoming user resistance to change , optimising performance , complying with regulatory
requirements to maintaining effective vendor relationships and measuring and demonstrating a clear return on investment .
“ These challenges collectively underscore the complicated balance required for successful implementation and realisation of value in the everevolving technology landscape ,” says Refat AL-Karmi , Senior Consultant , Mist ( Juniper Networks ) META .
Data plays a pivotal role in enterprises , yet ensuring it steers the organisation in the right direction is a complex task . The challenge involves collecting , aggregating , and making sense of vast and diverse data sources , often scattered across the edge , cloud , and enterprise .
The exponential growth of unstructured data , reaching petabyte scales , also poses a hurdle for businesses aiming to extract meaningful insights from their data .
A successful cloud journey demands a fusion of IT proficiency and business acumen . IT teams need expertise in cloud platforms , data security , and automation , while business leaders require a strategic
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