Artificial intelligence (AI) is like the weather; these days, everyone is talking about it. The emergence of generative AI (GenAI), a subset of AI that can produce anything from code and text to photorealistic images, artwork, and music, took the world by storm over the last couple of years and skyrocketed the technology’s popularity.  

Enterprise spending on GenAI solutions across the world is forecasted to reach US $143 billion by 2027. McKinsey research predicts GenAI will add the equivalent of US $2.6 trillion to US $4.4 trillion to the global economy annually. According to estimations, in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) area the overall economic impact of GenAI could reach as much as US $23.5 billion per year by 2030. The UAE and Saudi Arabia stand to benefit the most from GenAI-driven efficiency and effectiveness improvements, with a yearly impact of US $5.3 billion and US $12.2 billion, respectively.

Despite the buzz and the wealth of opportunities that AI and GenAI can unleash for Middle Eastern businesses, the truth is that only a few know how to manage these technologies effectively. For enterprises navigating their digital and AI transformation, the complexity can be overwhelming. But when it comes to AI innovation, being at the forefront is essential. That’s why NVIDIA and Kyndryl, both with deep AI expertise, have recently announced a game-changing collaboration to empower businesses in the Middle East and beyond with their cutting-edge AI and GenAI solutions, ensuring successful adoption and long-term success.

GenAI implementation is challenging for many organizations

While many C-suite executives are prioritizing GenAI projects, the majority are struggling with moving beyond exploring and testing solutions. Even modest progress doesn’t guarantee success. In fact, for most businesses the transition from proof-of-concept to deployment remains elusive. 

Implementing GenAI is often challenging due to the need for high-quality data and the use of Large Language Model Operations (LLMOps) frameworks for achieving data safety and reliability. For example, many businesses are running into issues with their data, from a lack of integration with other systems to warehousing and governance problems. IT leaders find themselves either drowned in a sea of data they cannot really make sense of, or lacking access to critical data for actionable insights. 

Businesses must also manage the impact of GenAI on their entire data and AI systems, which can be a significant undertaking. GenAI risks also include the possibility for bias, the need for accuracy in AI-generated content, and the security of data when using public large language models. These risks must be carefully managed to avoid negative consequences. In addition, McKinsey research reveals that only 35% of companies in the GCC feel adequately equipped with IT infrastructure to support AI initiatives. Legacy systems pose another significant barrier to the seamless integration of modern AI solutions.

Businesses need to adopt a comprehensive approach to data management, know the capabilities and limitations of GenAI, understand how AI models are built and trained, and develop a strategic implementation plan with the help of experienced partners in order to harness its benefits while mitigating possible risks.

How Kyndryl’s new collaboration with NVIDIA rewrites the rules in AI transformation 

Kyndryl is deeply involved in AI, as Kyndryl Bridge uses AI for service delivery and visibility across organizations’ IT environments. Kyndryl then employs AI to collect and analyze data from Kyndryl Bridge’s growing customer base across industries and incorporate that knowledge into the platform’s continuous learning capabilities. This leads to more precise automation with the ability to scale, improve systems management and enhance business outcomes.

By integrating NVIDIA AI into Kyndryl Bridge, Kyndryl enables NVIDIA software to assist its customers in a hybrid cloud environment. That level of integration has been a big challenge for businesses, but Kyndryl can now become their trusted guide in AI adoption thanks to the company’s unmatched technical expertise and business insights from Kyndryl Consult.

What makes this partnership truly special is that Kyndryl is applying its unique mix of end-to-end services and IP, including the Kyndryl Bridge open integration platform, to support the NVIDIA technology stack. By offering a variety of AI-infused consulting and managed services via the Kyndryl Bridge platform, optimizing workload placement and energy efficiency using CloudOps and SustainabilityOps, and using real-time insights from Kyndryl Bridge AIOps to enhance the performance of GenAI applications, Kyndryl enhances the speed and efficiency of AI adoption across industries and drives significant value. This means that organizations can effectively advance from AI testing to deployment to tangible business outcomes. 

As Pieter (Piet) W. Bil, Senior Vice President and Managing Director at Kyndryl MEA, explains, “Kyndryl combines the technologies and the necessary expertise to harness NVIDIA AI for businesses. This collaboration supercharges our ability to integrate AI and GenAI into hybrid cloud environments. For our customers in the region this translates into optimized operations, speedier innovation, and reduced errors and their associated costs.” At a time when everyone wants to partner with NVIDIA, the company’s decision to work with Kyndryl holds its own importance. “We consider NVIDIA’s choice as a vote of confidence in Kyndryl’s capabilities,” Pieter W. Bil added.

Kyndryl Bridge learns continuously, adapting to and serving the diverse needs of Middle Eastern businesses. The functionality of NVIDIA AI complements Kyndryl Bridge, as together they can spot patterns and gather insights (more than 3 million a month) from customer data, and then help organizations use those insights to enhance the way they do business. Ultimately, there is a multiplier effect when combining Kyndryl Bridge, Kyndryl Consult and NVIDIA AI into services delivery that constantly learns, improves, and has the power to drive progress help keep businesses in the region ahead of the competition.