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Participants experience virtual reality at Gitex Technology Week last year. The Gitex Technology Week is expected to have a range of features and conferences to enhance visitor experience. Image Credit: Ahmed Ramzan/ Gulf News

Dubai: The 37th Gitex Technology Week will run under the theme “Re-Imagining Realities: Discover, Transform and Innovate.” The overarching vision of “Gitex is Everything Tech” will showcase 17 specialist technologies, including blockchain, artificial intelligence, drones, robotics, 3D printing, and the Internet of Things.

The major emphasis this year will be on how emerging technologies can solve practical problems — for example, how autonomous vehicles can ease traffic, how artificial intelligence can enable predictive government services, and how virtual reality can enhance surgery and education, all ultimately resulting in happier and smarter experiences.

The technology investment market opportunity is strong, as evidenced by the Digital Transformation economy’s growth projection of 60 per cent from 2016 to $2.2 trillion (Dh8 trillion) by 2019, according to an IDC research report. Innovations such as artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, and digital platforms such as 5G and the Internet of Things, will make the biggest business impact, according to research firm Gartner.

The conference will host eight Power Conferences tackling the categories of smart cities, health care, digital marketing, finance, retail, transport and logistics, tech leaders, and education.

The Gitex Technology Week will feature a range of features and conferences to enhance the integrated visitor experience.

Global ICT solutions provider Huawei will inaugurate its second Huawei Middle East Innovation Day. During the event, hundreds of industry experts, scholars, analysts, and policymakers will come together to discuss the future of technology’s impact on daily lives and businesses.

Video on demand

Gitex Power Conferences will kick off on Sunday, 8 October with Patrick Grove, Co-founder & Group CEO of Catcha Group/co-founder & Chairman of iflix, will be speaking on “The 5 Ps to building a great disruptive business”.

Patrick Grove is a Financial Review “Richlister” whose company, iflix has overtaken Netflix in Asia. Following will be a fireside chat with Daniela Rus, the first female director of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and an Accenture case study.

Highlighted verticals will be Retail, Health care, and Smart Cities on Monday, October 9; Finance, Tech Leaders, and Smart Cities on Tuesday, October 10; Transport & Logistics and Digital Marketing on Wednesday, October 11; and Education on Thursday, October 12. The Education Day will be free and open to the public, and leading schools and universities will be invited to attend.

One of the key speakers will be digital health evangelist John Nosta, Member of the Google Health Advisory Board, Faculty Member at Singularity University, and President of Nostalab, a health care think tank, who will present on “Health and Wellness: The Next Habitat for Tech-Humanity”.

Gitex Technology Week 2017 will run from October 8-12 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.