The 6th Annual Arab Future Cities Summit highlighted the region's rapid development to become a global leader in smart cities, with Dubai being at the forefront of this transformation. With this growth, the role of digital technologies and smart solutions is ever increasing. According a report by KPMG, the Middle East and Africa's Smart Cities market will double from $1.3 billion in 2018 to $2.7 billion by 2022. Building cities integrated with next-generation technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoTs) and artificial intelligence (AI) begins with making investments that leverage on advanced IT infrastructure. With top industry leaders and market players coming together to support the drive towards smart cities, and in line with Dubai's vision 2021 to transform the emirate into a smart city, this event was a platform to discuss and showcase new technologies, opportunities and trends. On the sidelines of this event, Rémi Pouchucq, Business Development Manager Middle East & Africa, Edge Computing, Small & Medium Data Center commented: "Large investments are going into technologies that enable smart cities, and the UAE has set itself as a benchmark for smart city innovation in the region. With urbanization moving at its current pace, developing solutions that tackle issues in terms of energy, safety, mobility, sustainability and overall wellbeing remain at paramount importance to us at Schneider Electric. Thanks to the numerous government-lead initiatives, businesses and individuals are becoming increasingly aware of new gateways that technology opens for them, helping them identify and respond to the critical need to be planet- and profitability-compatible. We look forward to being part of this move towards building the smart cities of tomorrow." As part of his presentation on the topic of Edge Computing titled "The Rise of Edge Computing: Applications and Benefits", Pouchucq shared insights on new trends in the world of digitization and how it is impacting people's lives, ultimately paving the way towards smart cities. He also shared insights about new technologies, followed by a dive into the growing number of applications available in the market today. The session ended with an exchange of best practices and requirements in innovation and the role that technology plays as a catalyst, accelerating the drive towards a smarter, digital world. Schneider Electric is a leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, offering solutions including edge computing, remote management and power efficiency. — SG
