Kuwait City, May 11: Zain announced the continuation of its Strategic Partnership with the Arab Media Forum, which came this year in its 19th edition at the Four Seasons Hotel titled, Future Intelligence. The event came under the patronage of H.H. the Prime Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah and featured some of the Arab World’s top media personalities and executives.

The opening ceremony was attended by the representative of the event’s patron, H.E. Minister of Information and Culture Abdulrahman Al Mutairi, Zain Kuwait CEO Nawaf Algharabally, Arab Media Forum Secretary General Madhi Al Khamees, along with ministers, diplomats, media personalities, and business executives.

The Forum featured a special panel discussion titled Media and Technology, which was joined by Zain Kuwait CEO Nawaf Algharabally, Regional General Manager at Google Ghassan Kosta, and Digital Economy Center Chairman Hani Al Ghufaili from KSA. The session was moderated by Omani media personality Yousef Al Hoti.

During the panel, Algharabally spoke about innovations like 5G and artificial intelligence, and how they are set to spearhead the future of technology. He said that future generations will look back at the era we live in today as a time of great change, as the world transformed from one that relies on machines, to one that relies on data. 

The CEO noted how innovations like 5G/5.5G, AI, Machine Learning, Big Data, FinTech, drones, and more have reshaped the world around us. He pointed out that Zain has invested in building a robust infrastructure that leverages on the huge potential of such innovations to lead Kuwait’s digital transformation journey.

Algharabally also said that, in essence, AI combines automation with the capacity to learn from data and experiences, then adapt its behavior accordingly. Ultimately, this will make the applications and machines we rely on today much more intelligent within the next few years, something that many people anticipate with fear. In the end, technology impacts everything around us, including our jobs, businesses, and even the media.

On the other hand, Algharabally explained that others dispel such fears, reasoning that AI is merely a tool that can manage and produce results to improve upon human action. When properly used, AI is a supporting tool that employers can utilize to stimulate efficiency and create a more productive workplace environment. 

He also said that technology played a significant role in shaping today’s media ecosystem, where huge amounts of information flow easier than ever before and with unprecedented access at the hands of everyone. This, naturally, necessitated that media organizations implement radical changes in the forms and methods of publishing content.

Zain’s strategic partnership with the Arab Media Forum extends throughout the past 11 years to further reflect the company’s strong belief in the significant role media plays within the community. By supporting the event, Zain strives to contribute to shouldering the local and regional media industries.

This year, the Arab Media Forum featured 13 insightful panel discussions joined by high-profile guests from across the Arab world, including media and information ministers, owners and executives of Arab media institutions, media personalities, journalists, authors, and more.