Mubasher: Fewer companies in the UAE as well as Saudi Arabia believe that legacy technology poses a barrier to digitalisation at this time compared to 2022 while companies are currently reaping the benefits associated with AI and machine learning (ML) to advance their digitalisation efforts, according to a recent report by Eaton.

Upon a survey for digital transformation leaders from the data centre, utilities, buildings and manufacturing sectors in the Middle East and other global markets, the findings of the study show that digitalisation strategies are being developed quickly in these sectors.

Fewer than one-in-four companies (23%) surveyed said that legacy technology poses a barrier to digitalisation compared with one-in-three (33%) who were asked the same question in 2022.

Newly emerging AI and ML applications, which show huge potential to transform businesses, are credited with this 10% shift in sentiment over a period of less than 24 months.

Managing Director at Eaton Middle East, Qasem Noureddin, said: “Businesses in the UAE and KSA are accelerating their efforts towards digital transformation.”

Noureddin added: “This report emphasises the pivotal role of digital technologies in driving business objectives and shows how urgently businesses want to implement technologies that incorporate AI and ML. It shows that demand for data centres has increased, driven by artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.”

He concluded: “Other B2B sectors in the UAE and KSA like manufacturing, utilities, and building/facilities management continue to advance their digitalisation efforts to achieve their digital transformation and sustainability goals, aligning with national objectives.”

Top Findings in Each Sector

Data centres are scaling up to meet growing demand and are focusing on facility upgrades (42.30%); expanding capacity (38.60%); and improving IT asset performance utilisation (32.80%).

Utilities are under pressure because while 55% point to outdated infrastructure as their biggest problem, they expect grid capacity requirements to rise significantly over the next 10 years, with 40% predicting extra capacity requirements of up to 49%.

Manufacturers believe AI could facilitate decarbonisation and boost their environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) scores (66%), as well as improve electrical energy monitoring and optimisation (55%) and enhance digital twin (68%) and predictive maintenance applications (64%).

Building operators are focusing on digital transformation to help them achieve sustainability targets (upwards of 46%), with most large building owners (54%) planning to install building management systems within the next year to help them optimize energy use, and many seeing AI as a future tool to help them predict space utilization (66%).

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