GITEX GLOBAL 2024, the largest technology and startup event in the world, welcomed the Middle East’s largest data centre gathering on Thursday, hosted at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). This event underscored the region’s ambition to become a global leader in the fast-growing data centre market, essential for supporting the surge in AI demand and innovation.
The conference programme highlighted the critical role of artificial intelligence (AI) in driving data infrastructure advancements. With AI emerging as a key catalyst, the global data centre market is poised for explosive growth. By the end of this year, the market is projected to reach USD $256 billion, with estimates indicating it will soar to USD $775 billion by 2034.
At the heart of GITEX GLOBAL, the discussions centred around the need for scalable, flexible data centre solutions, particularly in hyperscale, modular, and edge infrastructure, to meet the increasing demands of the AI ecosystem. The event has become a vital platform for industry leaders to explore the future of data centres, as businesses worldwide seek to harness AI-driven technology for global competitiveness.
Driving Employment and Societal Benefits
The Data Centres Universe session delved into how the expansion of hyperscale, edge, and modular data centres is not only propelling industry growth but also driving employment opportunities and societal benefits. Major players, including Khazna, Legrand, Vertiv, Alibaba Cloud, AWS, DELL, Google Cloud, IBM, and Lenovo, shared their visions on how data centres will shape the future of digital transformation.
Hassan Al Naqbi, CEO of Khazna Data Centers, the MENA region’s largest hyperscale wholesale data centre provider, noted the significant impact of data centres on the economy and job creation: “A lot of people think that data centres are not a job creation machine. However, data centres are vital for economies and have different roles involved. If you look at all the hyperscales, their data centres are having a huge impact on the economy as people can secure jobs, which are vital for the day-to-day operations,” he explained.
As the conversation turned to the future of data centres, speakers stressed the importance of sustainability in infrastructure development. Marc Marazzi, Vice President of Legrand Data Center Solutions, emphasised that while the industry is advancing rapidly, careful planning is essential to ensure the environmental responsibility of future data centre developments: “It’s great to see many taking the green initiative very seriously and looking at the way they are building and cooling data centres. Today, they are bigger than ever before and being built faster, but we must not lose sight of the importance of how we manufacture, what we are installing, and how they are managed,” Marazzi said.
Looking Ahead: Futuristic Technologies and Innovations
With GITEX GLOBAL 2024 concluding on Friday, the ‘Futuristic Friday’ event promises to showcase breakthrough technologies such as quantum computing, advanced robotics, and space technology, all poised to redefine the future of tech. This year’s event marks a record-breaking 44th edition, attracting over 6,500 exhibitors, 1,800 startups, and 1,200 investors from more than 180 countries.
GITEX GLOBAL continues to connect the world’s largest network of tech events, with GITEX EUROPE in Berlin, GITEX ASIA in Singapore, GITEX AFRICA in Morocco, and GITEX NIGERIA driving collaboration and innovation across the globe, shaping the future of technology.
For further details, visit www.gitex.com.
