The UAE’s tech economy is entering a defining chapter. As we focus this edition on “The Tech Economy,” we spotlight how the nation’s digital ambitions are powering a new era of growth, resilience, and global influence. Our cover story, “Beyond Oil: How Gulf Nations Are Winning the AI Arms Race,” explores the region’s strategic pivot from hydrocarbons to high-impact digital innovation-revealing how AI, cloud, and next-gen infrastructure are now as critical to the UAE’s future as oil once was.
This issue delivers a panoramic view of the UAE’s tech-driven transformation. We unpack how open banking APIs are fueling SME growth, how AI is reshaping real estate, and how blockchain is streamlining supply chains. FinTech’s evolution takes center stage through features on personalized financial solutions and the future of payments, while cybersecurity experts weigh in on defending the digital economy. Our Launch Express reviews the Nintendo Switch 2, Drive to the Future spotlights the 2028 Polestar 6, and Tech Unwind puts the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC to the test.
Across these pages, you’ll find the UAE’s innovation story in full: predictive finance, EdTech’s smart classrooms, HR tech transforming workforce management, and sustainable tech leading the green transition. We examine how HealthTech is revolutionizing care and how renewable energy is energizing economies. As the UAE’s tech sector is set to surge by $3.8 billion in 2025, this edition captures the people, platforms, and policies driving the region’s ascent as a global technology powerhouse.