Smart robots set to test management skills

Published in MEED 30 SEPTEMBER 2018 11:58 AM In the second part of our series on managing intelligent machines, Aiowala’s Kai Chan looks at the challenges faced in creating a thriving AI ecosystem in the Gulf. Link to article (requires subscription). Click here for full article. © MEED MEDIA FZ LLC Company number 18693 (Dubai Creative Clusters Authority) Registered address: C/O GlobalData Plc., John Carpenter House, 7 Carmelite Street, London, EC4Y 0BS, UK  

TRENDS magazine interview: Uncertainty reigns

UNCERTAINTY REIGNS Published: Jan 26, 2017 [caption id="attachment_2347" align="alignleft" width="300"] Dr Kai L Chan, Economist and Distinguished Fellow at INSEAD, and advisor to the UAE government on competitiveness and statistics[/caption] Kai L Chan, economist and distinguished fellow at INSEAD, and advisor to the UAE government on statistics and competitiveness, says the big story in 2017 and beyond will be how China will engage with the international community as it economic power continues to rise. Q: 2016 has been a tough year for many oil-rich Gulf countries, especially due to dwindling oil prices. What are your expectations for 2017? A: Oil prices are expected to make a moderate recovery, but most forecasts peg the long-term price to still be well below the peak price of the early half of the decade (above $100). In fact, recent moves by OPEC have already given the price a small boost. In 2017, the price is expected to recover toward $60. Although much higher than the low experienced in 2015 (below $30), this is still less than the (pre-drop) break-even price for most countries in the region. So this means countries in the region will need to adjust their spending behavior, though less so in…

Qatar Today article: “Trading with our neighbours”

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014 Trading with our neighbours by Qatar TodayBy Aparna Shivpuri,"Why has the profile of intra-GCC trade remained almost constant (in proportion to total trade) over the years? We go behind the scenes to find out what’s holding back the bloc."The issue of boosting intra-regional trade within the GCC has been in existence since the Council was established in May 1981. The six GCC countries – Bahrain, UAE, KSA, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait – have implemented numerous measures to push this agenda forward. Even though trade flow within the Council has gone up, it hasn’t achieved the desired results. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in 1980 trade flows among the GCC countries were at approximately $8 billion (QR29 billion), which was about 4% of the region’s total trade with the rest of the world. By 2008, it had reached $67 billion (QR244 billion), which was equal to 6% of the total trade. According to data from the Bahrain Ministry of Industry and Commerce, at the end of 2012 intra-GCC trade was close to $100 billion (QR364 billion).According to a report by Booz & Company, the European Union’s common market generated 2.75 million jobs over a 15-year period…