Fast Company Middle East

01/08/2025

A recent study led by researchers at the American University of Sharjah, in collaboration with international institutions and published in the July 2024 issue of Science, reveals that microbial communities deep in arid soils could play a transformative role in advancing sustainable agriculture in desert climates.

Dr. John Klironomos, Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Innovation at AUS, said this marks a paradigm shift in how soil is understood, managed, and harnessed for sustainable agriculture, particularly in challenging climatic conditions.

“Microbial life represents an underutilised resource,” said co-author Dr.Junling Zhang of China Agricultural University. When we understand and enhance its mechanisms, we can bring about a major transformation in agriculture, making it more aligned with natural ecosystems.”

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The study also supports integrating traditional practices—such as crop rotation and reduced tillage

01/08/2025

As security threats become more complex and the lines between transparency and anonymity blur, platforms are turning to AI not just as a tool, but as the nervous system of modern financial intelligence.

“You need a forward-thinking vision, one that means being at the bleeding edge of new technology while pushing boundaries without compromising principles,” says Nils Andersen-Röed, Global Financial Intelligence Unit at Binance.

This forward-thinking mindset is becoming essential. As of June 2025, only 40 out of 138 countries were found to be largely compliant with global cryptocurrency standards, according to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

In 2025, over 65% of exchanges are using AI to power predictive analytics and fraud detection, and the use of AI in crypto compliance has grown more than 150% since 2021. In 2023 alone, AI-driven detection systems helped prevent over $1.2 billion in illicit crypto transactions.

Binance fields over 64,800 law enforcement requests annually and works with more than 14,800 registered officers across 80 countries. In 2024, the exchange hosted over 100 anti-cybercrime workshops, training more than 1,300 investigators worldwide.

In the AI-accelerated era of finance, it’s no longer just about moving fast, it’s about building trust that lasts.

Read more: https://fastcompanyme.com/fastco-work/with-over-2-billion-lost-to-hacks-ai-and-blockchain-analytics-are-cryptos-new-defense/

01/08/2025

In the current climate of economic volatility, changing workforce expectations, and ongoing systemic talent scarcity, the employer–talent dynamic faces new challenges. But the latest data tells a different story: not of breakdown, but of opportunity.

Workers across generations and industries aren’t walking away from the table; rather, they’re renegotiating what matters. Many are willing to reconsider previously hard-won benefits, such as remote work, if it means gaining more long-term value in return, like upskilling opportunities, time autonomy, and roles that align with their values. It’s about reshaping the deal to reflect what talent sees as sustainable and future-proof.

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And why this is a turning point for business leaders.

01/08/2025

While AI will change filmmaking economics and could greenlight more experimental projects by reducing production costs, it also threatens jobs, intellectual property, and creative integrity, potentially cheapening the art form.

Google, having developed cutting-edge AI tools spanning script development to text-to-video generation, is positioned as a key player in AI-assisted filmmaking. At the center of Google’s cinema ambitions is Mira Lane, the company’s vice president of tech and society and its point person on Hollywood studio partnerships.

She tells us more about Google’s role as a creative partner to the film industry, current Hollywood collaborations, and how artists are embracing tools like Google’s generative video editing suite Flow for preproduction, previsualization, and prototyping. ​​

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Mira Lane, who runs Google’s Envisioning Studio, talks about how artists are embracing tools like Google’s Flow for preproduction, previsualization, and prototyping.

01/08/2025

While is driving dramatic advances in healthcare, education, banking, and everything in between, there’s just one thing to address: more women’s participation in AI.

A 2025 report by the World Economic Forum and LinkedIn found that AI is exacerbating the gender gap. It showed that women currently have fewer roles augmented by AI and more in those disrupted by the technology.

“Under the UAE’s National Strategy for AI 2031 as AI continues to be embedded across sectors like healthcare, logistics, finance, and sustainability, women will be at the forefront, not just as users or analysts, but as creators, strategists, and thought leaders,” says Aarti Mohan, Vice President of Business Applications, ECEMEA region at Oracle.

In the UAE, women are steadily stepping into pivotal research and development roles and making critical decisions impacting AI’s accountability, accuracy, and societal implications.

“At MBZUAI, around 31% of our student body is female, and we’re seeing rising momentum among early-career women who are driving research and innovation in AI,” says Prof. Elizabeth Churchill, Department Head of Human-Computer Interaction at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

Neha Sengupta, Principal Applied Scientist at G42, whose focus is on Arabic NLP and LLMs, has been central to developing Jais, a series of Arabic-centric bilingual LLMs.

Umaima R., who recently earned her Ph.D. in Computer Vision from MBZUAI and is a researcher in medical imaging, says, “I want to leverage AI to solve real-world healthcare challenges with innovation that is inclusive, equitable, and clinically meaningful.”

“Amplifying women’s voices means ensuring they are leading on research agendas, policies, and real-world applications,” says Daniya Najiha Abdul Kareem, a computer vision research professional, adding that she aims to contribute through “cutting-edge research, strategic mentorship, and active advocacy by developing ethical, inclusive AI technologies.”

Taking a cue, the government and leading businesses in the country are not only enhancing access to AI but, most importantly, accelerating gender inclusion into leadership positions and technical jobs.

Dr. Najwa A., CEO at Technology Innovation Institute, Dena Almansoori, Group Chief AI and Data Officer at e&, Xi Liang as Head of Artificial Intelligence at Mashreq and Moza Omar Al Futtaim, Chief AI Officer of Al-Futtaim Group, are some of the key players leading AI adoption in the UAE.

“At Al-Futtaim, this is a strategic priority aligned with the UAE’s agenda to empower women, guided by We the UAE 2031 and the UAE Gender Balance Council,” says David Henderson, Chief Human Resources Officer, Al-Futtaim.

Gender disparity in AI isn’t just a pipeline problem; women everywhere need to start using AI tools in their daily lives and work. In a race where every competitive edge counts, this is significant.

Read more: https://fastcompanyme.com/technology/can-ai-level-the-playing-field-for-women-yes-the-uae-is-leading-the-way/

31/07/2025

: The UAE Media Council has introduced a new Advertiser Permit for individuals publishing promotional content on social media platforms, whether paid or unpaid.

The permit, set to take effect in three months, aims to regulate digital activity, improve content quality, and strengthen the country’s position as a regional hub for and content creation.

Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary-General of the UAE Media Council, said the new permit is a key step in modernizing media governance and promoting responsible advertising, with clear standards to build public trust among , advertisers, and audiences.

Maitha Majed AlSuwaidi, CEO of Strategy and Media Policy, said the permit is mandatory for anyone in digital advertising and will be free for the first three years. Current valid permits remain effective until expiry and are renewable.

31/07/2025

Egypt’s General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) reported a 38% year-on-year increase in revenue for the 2024/25 fiscal year, reaching $234 million, according to a Cabinet statement.

The authority also recorded a surplus of EGP 8.49 billion during the same period, SCZONE Chairman Walid Gamal El-Din told Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in a meeting to review the zone’s performance and investment outlook.

The strong growth comes despite a 54.1% drop in Suez Canal revenues to $2.6 billion between July 2024 and March 2025, driven by ongoing Red Sea tensions and a 44.8% decline in vessel transits.

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The growth is due to 297 secured project contracts worth $8.6 billion across the industrial, service, logistics, and seaport sectors.

31/07/2025

The UAE Media Council has introduced a new Advertiser Permit for individuals publishing promotional content on social media platforms, whether paid or unpaid.

The permit, set to take effect in three months, aims to regulate digital advertising activity, improve content quality, and strengthen the country’s position as a regional hub for media and content creation.

Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary-General of the UAE Media Council, said the new permit is a key step in modernizing media governance and promoting responsible advertising, with clear standards to build public trust among creators, advertisers, and audiences.

Maitha Majed AlSuwaidi, CEO of Strategy and Media Policy, said the permit is mandatory for anyone in digital advertising and will be free for the first three years. Current valid permits remain effective until expiry and are renewable.

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Only council-licensed creators can be contracted by companies, while visiting influencers must obtain a three-month renewable permit.

31/07/2025

Successful innovation, especially breakthrough innovation that drives sustainable, long-term growth, requires getting a lot of things right along the whole innovation journey, from concept development to commercial launch.

Some of the key steps along this path are well understood and generate lots of attention, among them understanding and building product/market fit, soliciting customer feedback early, and gauging customer willingness to pay.

But even the best companies and the most innovation-minded, C-suites can get innovation wrong.

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A guide to steering clear of the most common, and consequential, mistakes.

31/07/2025

Google is indexing conversations with ChatGPT that users have sent to friends, families, or colleagues, turning private exchanges intended for small groups into search results visible to millions.

“I’m just shocked,” says Carissa Véliz, an AI ethicist at the University of Oxford. “As a privacy scholar, I’m very aware that that data is not private, but of course, ‘not private’ can mean many things, and that Google is logging in these extremely sensitive conversations is just astonishing.”

“People expect they can use tools like ChatGPT completely privately,” says Rachel Tobac, a cybersecurity analyst and CEO of SocialProof Security, “but the reality is that many users aren’t fully grasping that these platforms have features that could unintentionally leak their most private questions, stories, and fears.”

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Thousands of shared ChatGPT chats are now appearing in Google search results.

31/07/2025

According to the Braze Customer Engagement Review, 97% of marketers report difficulties in building emotional connections with consumers, particularly when it comes to crafting resonant messaging.

From global giants like Nike, aramco, and Al-Futtaim to local names such as The Giving Movement and Earthly, ethical branding is taking center stage, so much so that it begs the question: Is brand image beginning to outweigh product quality in importance?

Camilla d'Abo, Executive Vice President, Comms and Content, BPG Group UAE, says ethics and political correctness have evolved from a checklist to a core component of how brands are evaluated. “In the Middle East, companies are expected to navigate religious values, cultural sensitivities, and heightened scrutiny from a more informed and vocal public.”

Global and regional statistics, such as the 2025 DHL Online Shopping Trends Report, show that 42% of online shoppers in the UAE abandon purchases when sustainable shipping options are not available.

Samar Humaid, Social Media and Digital Marketing Expert at Elite Group Holding, says that in her industry, ethics and political correctness have become central to automotive branding. “It’s pushing companies to embed sustainability, inclusivity, and social responsibility into both product development and marketing,” she explains.

Priyanka Jaswani, Portfolio Marketing Manager at GBM, says “Consumers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are increasingly value driven, they notice not just what a brand sells, but what it stands for.”

As customer literacy evolves and audiences become more discerning and less tolerant of vague promises or unverified claims, the brands that thrive will be those that view ethics and quality not as trade-offs, but as complementary drivers of growth.

Read more: https://fastcompanyme.com/impact/what-happens-when-brands-fall-short-on-their-promises-the-risks-of-ethical-branding/

30/07/2025

In a world of endless pings, scrolls, and streams, digital burnout has become a modern malaise. Particularly for Gen Z, whose lives have played out almost entirely online, there’s now a growing hunger for something more grounded. In fact, 69% of 18–24-year-olds now shop in-store weekly, a striking shift back to the physical, the real, the tangible.

This isn’t a rejection of tech, but a rebalancing. For brands it’s a fundamental recalibration of what connection really means. It’s both a challenge and a golden opportunity to deliver a life-led response to digital fatigue, and to become facilitators of meaningful moments in people’s lives.

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Smart strategies to turn screen fatigue into a business advantage.