AI, cybersecurity high on Mideast priorities amid global tech rivalry: Tech Mahindra
The Indian tech company's Middle East head, Sahil Dhawan, believes these three forces are reshaping business priorities in the region.
Middle Eastern governments are prioritizing artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digitalization in their economic development plans, according to the regional head of Indian tech consultancy firm Tech Mahindra.
"At the forefront is AI. What began as experimentation has rapidly matured into enterprise-wide deployment," Sahil Dhawan, the company’s president and head for India, Middle East and Africa business, told Al-Monitor. "Equally critical is the continued focus on cybersecurity and digital resilience."
The major Gulf economies — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar — all have national digitalization and AI strategies. They also rank among the highest in cybersecurity infrastructure globally, each scoring 100/100 on the UN Global Cybersecurity Index.
Tech Mahindra is at the intersection of these national digitalization strategies, focusing on AI, cloud solutions and information technology services. Among the companies it has collaborated with in the region is Qatari telecoms giant Ooredoo, as well as United Arab Emirates real estate firm Aldar Properties and Abu Dhabi City Municipality for blockchain-based projects.
