Microsoft is hosting its inaugural AI Hackfest for the Gulf Region, giving customers the opportunity to work with Microsoft experts to solve real-world problems using artificial intelligence tools.

Taking place at the Address Boulevard hotel, downtown in Dubai, the Hackfest falls in line with UAE’s strategy for Artificial intelligence and the Gulf region’s aim to use an integrated smart digital system that can overcome challenges and provide quick efficient solutions.  

The event will demonstrate the power of AI technologies to leading IT decision makers and give them an opportunity to experience capabilities such as machine-learning, advanced analytics, and natural-language processing - all hosted by Microsoft Azure cloud platform. During the event, attendees will present business problems and challenges to Microsoft’s experts, who will collaborate with the delegates on solutions that use a combination of cloud-based AI tools.

“The intelligent cloud is full of possibilities, because of advancements in artificial intelligence,” said Sayed Hashish, general manager, Microsoft Gulf. “Many companies, from multiple industries, and several governments, including those here in the GCC, have begun reaping the rewards.”

“This Hackfest is our way of demonstrating the potential of AI to solve real world problems - to the extent that we are bringing our best engineers to collaborate with the regional tech community and solve their business challenges with real solutions. This is our ‘AI challenge’; bring us your most daunting digital transformation issues and watch the intelligent cloud show you how to achieve more: engage customers, empower employees, optimise operations and revitalise business models,” he added.
 
A recent Microsoft survey of large Gulf enterprises discovered that more than half of them (51 per cent) were planning to migrate to the cloud. Many others expressed interest in adopting various forms of AI, including business intelligence (41 per cent), Internet of Things (37 per cent), automated workflow (25 per cent), predictive analytics (21 per cent) and robotics and machine automation (14 per cent).

Hackfest 2018 is designed around two tracks. The first track focuses on attendees who have presented problems best solved by AI and Machine learning, while the other track engages with customers who would like to learn more about developing cognitive applications.

Organisations attending the Microsoft AI Hackfest include Dubai Municipality, DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre), MBC Group, The United Arab Emirates University, du – from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, Al Jaber Engineering & Contracting (ALEC) and the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, Masdar.

The hackfest concludes on February 28. - TradeArabia News Service