Unlike traditional chatbot systems, Popcorn AI’s platform is designed to redefine eCommerce by creating highly intelligent sales agents that handle entire customer journeys, from personalized product recommendations right through to seamless payment acceptance — all through a conversational experience.

The clever idea was recently tested to great success when one of Popcorn AI’s chatbot agents closed a $400,000 real estate transaction, handling everything from the first inquiry to the final sale. Early adopters have reported a massive 90% reduction in customer acquisition costs, along with a highly impressive 20% improvement in conversion rates, highlighting the platform’s potential to transform customer engagement across dozens of industries.

Josh Rodger, Principal at the Spring Studios fund, expressed enthusiasm for the project, saying, “We are proud to support Popcorn AI’s mission to reshape how businesses connect with their customers. Their innovative approach to conversational commerce has the potential to revolutionize industries and redefine the way customers experience digital transactions”.

Also Read: Top Free AI Chatbots Available In The Middle East

Meanwhile, Popcorn AI founder and CEO Yousef Al Arif declared: “The future of commerce is conversational,” adding, “Today’s consumers want shopping experiences that are instant, personalized, and effortless. We’re not building just another chatbot; we’re crafting intelligent commerce agents that understand context, recall customer preferences, and guide users through the entire shopping process, much like an expert salesperson would”.

Building upon a decade of experience scaling eCommerce and marketplace platforms across the MENA region, Al Arif has now achieved huge success with Popcorn AI, positioning the product at the cutting edge of AI-powered eCommerce. The platform has also made significant impacts in sectors such as real estate, and hospitality, signaling that conversational commerce is emerging as a powerful new model for digital businesses.

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According to Google, the hub has the potential to contribute as much as $71 billion to Saudi Arabia’s economy. The initiative will likely speed up the adoption of AI across industries such as healthcare, retail, and financial services — not only within Saudi Arabia but also throughout the wider MENA region and beyond.

Yasir Al Rumayyan, Governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), highlighted the importance of the project for the Kingdom: “This partnership demonstrates PIF’s dedication to fostering an AI-friendly environment through investments in human capital and technology, upskilling thousands with cutting-edge tools to support our sustainable and innovative infrastructure goals,” he explained. Al Rumayyan also emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s combination of sector knowledge and long-term investment strategies makes it an ideal environment for global technology partnerships.

Also Read: Top Free AI Chatbots Available In The Middle East

A central aim of Google’s initiative is nurturing local talent. The AI hub will offer a range of training, research, and collaboration opportunities for developers, researchers, and entrepreneurs within Saudi Arabia. Google envisions training “millions” of people, helping to create a robust innovation ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship and ensures economic benefits reach all segments of society.

As international technology giants increasingly look to develop solutions tailored to regional needs, Google’s initiative reflects a progressive approach that leverages the strengths of local markets. With the potential to inject billions into the economy and strengthen digital capacities, Saudi Arabia could soon emerge as a prominent center for AI innovation in the Middle East.

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The program is the most extensive AI endeavor in the region and is aimed at expanding access to essential AI skills, research funding, and AI-driven products.

Google.org, the company’s philanthropic division, will allocate $15 million from this year through to 2027 to regional organizations. The funding is intended to broaden AI’s reach, ensuring it supports diverse communities across MENA and includes resources in skill development, research, infrastructure, and product launches in Arabic:

• AI Skill Development: Google is committed to making AI education inclusive and widely available. New educational programs are being launched, focusing on providing an AI Curriculum in Arabic, along with support for underserved communities. In addition, an AI safety education program for young people (ages 11-14) will be funded via a grant to the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
• AI Research & Local Solutions: Since 2005, Google has invested over $400 million globally in research. In the MENA region, Google is supporting local institutions through the startup accelerator startAD to develop AI applications supporting healthcare, education, and climate.
• AI-Powered Tools In Arabic: Google’s Gemini, an AI-powered assistant that understands over 16 Arabic dialects, launched in July 2023. New Arabic features include personalized guidance in learning and career advice, plus language-specific conversational and image-generation tools.
• Infrastructure Investment: Google has reasserted its commitment to cloud infrastructure in MENA, with data regions in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. A partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will support this effort with an AI hub to expand AI research and to boost digital skills for regional job growth.

Also Read: Wa’ed Ventures Pledges $100M For Early-Stage AI Startup Funding

Commenting on the project, Ruth Porat, President of Alphabet and Google, stated, “Google’s long-standing investments in the Middle East and North Africa have helped equip people and organizations with the connectivity, innovation, and skills required to thrive in the global digital economy”.

The post Google Launches Largest AI Initiative In The MENA Region appeared first on Tech Magazine.

To strengthen its investment decisions and deal-sourcing, Wa’ed Ventures has assembled an advisory board of experts with backgrounds from leading institutions such as Meta, Amazon, MIT, and Oxford University. These advisors bring a wealth of experience from sectors such as AI research, policymaking, academia, and entrepreneurship, providing critical insights and support to the fund’s investment strategy.

Anas Algahtani, Acting CEO of Wa’ed Ventures, shared: “Our strategic decision to allocate funds to AI investments is rooted in a deep understanding of the Kingdom’s growing ecosystem. By fostering innovation and supporting AI startups, we aim to accelerate the development of cutting-edge technologies that will drive economic growth, improve quality of life, and position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in Artificial Intelligence”.

As part of its active portfolio development, Wa’ed Ventures has made recent investments in Rebellions, a South Korean company specializing in AI chips, and AiXplain, a California-based provider of infrastructure for accelerated AI development. These investments reflect Wa’ed’s commitment to advancing AI applications and supporting companies that can enhance Saudi Arabia’s AI capabilities.

Also Read: Top Free AI Chatbots Available In The Middle East

Wa’ed Ventures’ AI-focused initiative not only targets the growth of local entrepreneurship but also aims to localize international AI talent and technologies, fostering a robust ecosystem that aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 goals.

A recent PwC report highlights the potential economic impact of AI on Saudi Arabia, projecting that by 2030, the country could generate $135 billion from AI-related activities, accounting for approximately 12% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This puts Saudi Arabia in a favorable position within the Middle East to capitalize on the transformative power of AI.

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GITEX GLOBAL 2024 also brought together many influential voices from global enterprises and organizations, including Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology & Information Officer at e&, Wang Hui, President of NCE Data Communication Domain at Huawei, and Thomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary General at the ITU. Also participating were Roque Lozano from Nokia, Kazuhiro Gomi of NTT Research, and SG Chung from SK Telecom.

The event showcased a wide array of advanced technologies from major exhibitors such as Huawei, e&, Nokia, China Telecom, Ericsson, Cisco, and Beyon. These companies demonstrated next-generation 5G applications, highlighting the event’s role as a key platform for exploring connectivity’s future and digital transformation.

5G And AI: Catalyzing The Future Of Telecommunications

Khalid Murshed of e&, one of the largest telecommunications companies in the Middle East and North Africa, spoke about the transformative power of 5G and AI. According to him, “5G and 5G advanced serve as a platform for everyone to come in to innovate,” driving the demand for further advancements in network capabilities.

He added that their focus is not merely on technological leadership but on building networks that enable new use cases. “We’re not just building a network for the sake of technology leadership […] we have live networks and private 5G,” Murshed explained, underscoring the significance of innovation in enhancing networks and AI integration.

The Role Of 5G In Autonomous Vehicles

A key highlight was the impact of 5G on mobility, particularly autonomous vehicles: Siyuan Liu, Head of IoT Partnership & Strategy at China Unicom Global, emphasized that 5G is central to developing autonomous driving, which promises to revolutionize transportation by improving efficiency and safety through real-time decision-making.

Large Language Models (LLMs) are also making waves across industries, including telecommunications. Wang Hui of Huawei discussed how AI applications are being utilized in China for autonomous vehicles and healthcare, showcasing the broad potential of these new technologies.

Revealing Disruptive Innovations

Thousands of visitors explored some of the most revolutionary products powered by 5G. Notably, e& announced a partnership with Vodafone Business IoT to deliver in-vehicle connectivity for Mercedes-Benz in the UAE, set to launch in early 2025.

e& also displayed the Nissan Hyper-Force, an all-electric supercar connected through their 5G network, and introduced their new AI-powered digital advisors tailored to local cultural needs. Meanwhile, Avaya exhibited its “superpower agents,” AI-driven tools designed to help businesses make scalable decisions.

The post GITEX Showcases 5G And AI As Pillars Of Future Connectivity appeared first on Tech Magazine.

Flowwow’s CEO and Co-founder, Slava Bogdan, explained: “From our roots as a flower delivery service, Flowwow has evolved into a marketplace for gifts and emotions in over 30 countries. [Our] strategic vision has become the cornerstone of our rebranding. Flowwow remains the platform that blends the best of both worlds: the personal touch of local entrepreneurs and the convenience of cutting-edge technology. We’ve redefined the gifting experience, making it effortless, enjoyable, and truly personal”.

The company has utilized AI to break away from conventional design limitations, resulting in a more dynamic and engaging brand presence. By leveraging Midjourney’s neural networks, Flowwow generated thousands of images to assist designers in ideating the new identity, accelerating the creative process by up to 20%.

As part of its rebranding, Flowwow aims to expand into a full-service global gifting platform, offering both innovation and convenience. Recognizing the potential of e-gifting in the MENA region, Flowwow is planning to onboard additional local vendors while expanding product lines to over 25 categories to suit regional preferences, including pastries, indoor plants, fragrances, hamper boxes, and home decor.

Also Read: Adobe Releases Firefly Generative AI Video Tools In Beta

The company is also committed to supporting local businesses, working with SMEs to drive economic growth in the MENA region’s burgeoning e-commerce sector. Research indicates that the UAE’s gifting market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.7% through 2029, while the overall e-commerce market will rise by 8.63% annually, reaching $10.56 billion by the same year.

Flowwow aims to capitalize on this growth by expanding further into the MENA region and further afield by 2024-2025.

The post Flowwow Reveals AI-Powered Rebrand, Blending Tech With Emotion appeared first on Tech Magazine.

One of the standout features, known as Generative Extend, was first previewed earlier this year within Adobe Premiere Pro. The tool enables editors to add AI-generated footage or audio to either the start or end of a clip, which can be particularly helpful when a necessary shot is missing, or the transition feels incomplete.

In September, Adobe also showcased additional tools, including a text-to-video feature similar to those from OpenAI and Meta, as well as image-to-video capabilities. Both of these tools are now available in beta within the Firefly web app — though access may require joining a waitlist.

Like other Firefly models, the Firefly Video Model and its associated features are designed with commercial safety in mind. Content Credentials watermarks are automatically applied to any AI-generated content.

On the Photoshop front, Adobe has also rolled out features that were previewed earlier this year. The latest Firefly Image Model powers Generative Fill and Generative Expand, which Adobe says can create images up to four times faster than before. There’s also the new Generate Similar tool, which allows users to create alternate versions of an object in a photo until they find the ideal match.

Also Read: Best Video Streaming Services In The Middle East

Additionally, Photoshop’s Remove tool has been enhanced with a feature called Distraction Removal. This new option lets users quickly erase certain elements, such as wires, cables, or even people, from images — similar to Google’s Magic Eraser.

Finally, Frame.io V4 has launched, marking the largest update to Adobe’s collaborative platform since its debut nearly a decade ago. With a full redesign aimed at enhancing workflows and improving the video player, the update also introduces support for Canon, Nikon, and Leica’s Camera to Cloud (C2C) feature, meaning most major manufacturers now support direct uploads of photos and videos to Frame.io.

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Gemini Live is Google’s approach to “free-flowing, natural conversations” in the world of generative AI. You can use it for tasks like brainstorming event ideas, exploring new learning paths, or preparing for job interviews with real-time feedback. While Google describes the chatbot as being like talking with a friend, how many people would truly use it that way remains to be seen.

The update also enables users to switch between two languages on the same device. This feature will be integrated across other Google services such as Calendar, Tasks, Keep, and Utilities. You can set your language preferences within the Android app by navigating to Settings > Google Assistant > Languages, where you can select your primary and secondary languages.

Also Read: Getting Started With Google Gemini: A Beginner’s Guide

As of now, Gemini Live is only available on Android devices, with no immediate plans for an iPhone release. It seems that for now, Google is using its flagship features to encourage users to stick with its own platform.

The post Google’s Gemini Live Will Soon Offer Support For 40+ Languages appeared first on Tech Magazine.

Canvas provides a dedicated virtual space for writing and coding projects, allowing users to collaborate more efficiently with ChatGPT. It opens a separate window next to the chat interface, where users can place writing or code and select specific sections for the model to review. OpenAI describes it as functioning like a “copy editor or code reviewer”.

For writing tasks, ChatGPT can offer suggestions for edits, change text length, or adjust reading levels. It can even add relevant emojis for emphasis and color. Coders benefit from inline recommendations, debugging help, and the ability to translate code into various programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, or C++.

Also Read: Top Free AI Chatbots Available In The Middle East

With the introduction of Canvas, OpenAI has aligned ChatGPT with similar AI tools, such as Anthropic’s Artifacts and Cursor, which focus on project-specific workspaces.

The post OpenAI Adds New Canvas Feature To Its ChatGPT Interface appeared first on Tech Magazine.

Earlier this year, the company launched a new inferencing platform — Compass Version 2.0 — integrating Qualcomm Cloud AI 100 Ultra inference accelerators, allowing users to leverage a suite of pre-optimized Generative AI, Embeddings, Natural Language Processing AI models, Computer Vision, and APIs.

The latest update enables developers to analyze their usage on the platform and also includes a Stable Diffusion text-to-image model for high-quality image generation, typography, and prompt responses to queries.

“The Compass platform is a testament to Core42’s pursuit of excellence and innovation in AI infrastructure. The additions of the revamped Compass platform, as well as the introduction of the Compass Chat mobile app, will redefine how businesses interact with AI and provide even greater flexibility and efficiency in today’s digital era,” announced Raghu Chakravarthi, EVP of Engineering, Core42.

Compass Chat — available on Android and iOS — is designed to boost productivity and integrates with Entra ID to enhance security and streamline onboarding. Meanwhile, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) technology improves data reliability and accuracy. The app features a unified interface, consolidating work and search histories while enabling a more efficient user experience.

Also Read: Can LLMs Ever Be Completely Safe From Prompt Injection?

“Compass Chat provides access to leading AI models like GPT-4o and JAIS 30B, ensuring advanced language processing capabilities. It also supports both Arabic and English and offers seamless, synchronized chats across devices, allowing users to maintain productivity at their desks or on the move,” added Chakravarthi.

With the latest update of its Compass platform, Core42 continues to strengthen its product offering and offers yet more proof that the UAE is rapidly becoming a global hub for AI innovation.

The post Core42 Announces Overhaul Of Compass Platform & Chat App appeared first on Tech Magazine.