UAE should adopt new technologies

Dubai: The UAE needs to adapt to new technologies in industries indigenous to the region in order to progress to its next level of evolution, according to Jonathan Murray, Worldwide Technology Officer for Public Sector, Microsoft Corp.

Addressing Master of Public Administration (MPA) students at the Dubai School of Government (DSG), Murray highlighted the key drivers of technology growth, its adoption and its impact on society.

"We are likely to see a new wave of technology transformation in the near future, with technology platforms such as 'cloud computing' which will drastically change the way information is stored, accessed and shared, and will lead to the automation of many formerly manual processes," Murray said.

"These technologies offer an opportunity for a major transformation of both the global and local economies, but come with a number of social and ethical challenges which will need to be addressed," he aded.

Murray highlighted the move toward a greater service economy worldwide, especially in the developing world.

"In the IT sector, not only is the processing capacity of computer chips doubling roughly every 18 months, but the storage capacity is also increasing rapidly," he said.