Dubai telecom operator du is expecting the GPUs-as-a-service market to gain traction in the UAE, as companies look for more cost-effective ways to integrate artificial intelligence capabilities into their operations, a senior company executive has said.
GPU-as-a-service is a cloud-based model where high-performance graphics processing units, the workhorse of the AI boom, most notably brought to the spotlight by Nvidia, are rented to users.
Du, which launched GPU-as-a-service in May, has been “overwhelmed” with requests for this, signalling a maturing market in the UAE, chief information and communications technology officer Jasim Al Awadi told The National.
The rate of adoption in the Emirates is “so quick … and market maturity will become better when it comes to its usage”, he said on the sidelines of du's Envision conference in Dubai on Tuesday.
“The issue is not with the demand; the issue is how you can get the GPUs and how many GPUs you can have,” he added.
Du is also open to deploying large language models on a bigger scale when the “right” opportunities arrive, Mr Al Awadi said.
LLMs are the algorithms that use deep learning to analyse large amounts of data to create content. The company recently announced a partnership with Microsoft, Nokia, Khalifa University and the UN's International Telecommunication Union to launch what it said is the first Arabic AI model to provide its customer services.
That is an internal du service, and a bigger LLM roll-out is a step it will make “if it makes sense”, Mr Al Awadi said.
“We are accelerating our infrastructure because [data centres] are one of our core strengths. We do have LLMs internally, but on a very small scale,” he added.
“But once we see that those LLMs can materialise, of course we'll push on full force.”
Mr Al Awadi, however, did not elaborate if such a move would be made in its consumer services portfolio, which has been increasing as the UAE's economy has grown and its population increase.
Du is seeking aggressive expansion and has boosted its operations and services over the past year as market dynamics change with emerging technologies, including AI, the cloud and big data.
Last October, du unveiled du Tech and du Infra – in a major shake-up to its business-to-business operations aimed at addressing growing demand for digital transformation services in the UAE.
The introduction of the sub-brands will allow the company to dedicate more resources to business segments and is the next step in the company's transformation and expansion, chief executive Fahad Al Hassawi told The National at the time.
Du is also open to expanding its noncore portfolio outside the UAE, including data centres, financial technology and other information and communications technology segments.
Du is continuing to increase its investments across its portfolio, Mr Al Awadi said, without providing figures.
Du said it is also on track to beat its record 2024 income after it reported a more than 25 per cent annual jump in its second-quarter profit and revenue for the period rose 8.6 per cent.
This week, it launched a secondary share sale offer that could raise up to Dh3.39 billion, as one of its main investors reduces its holding.
Mamoura Diversified Global Holding, a unit of Mubadala Investment Company, is selling 342 million shares, representing 7.55 per cent of du’s share capital and 75 per cent of Mamoura’s stake in the company.
The price range has been set between Dh9 and Dh9.90 a share, with the final offer price to be announced on September 15.
Need to know
Unlike other mobile wallets and payment apps, a unique feature of eWallet is that there is no need to have a bank account, credit or debit card to do digital payments.
Customers only need a valid Emirates ID and a working UAE mobile number to register for eWallet account.
more from Janine di Giovanni
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
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Brief scores:
Toss: Northern Warriors, elected to field first
Bengal Tigers 130-1 (10 ov)
Roy 60 not out, Rutherford 47 not out
Northern Warriors 94-7 (10 ov)
Simmons 44; Yamin 4-4
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450
Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000
Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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WEST ASIA RUGBY 2017/18 SEASON ROLL OF HONOUR
Western Clubs Champions League
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
ASHES SCHEDULE
First Test
November 23-27 (The Gabba, Brisbane)
Second Test
December 2-6 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Third Test
December 14-18 (Waca Ground, Perth)
Fourth Test
December 26-30 (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne)
Fifth Test
January 4-8, 2018 (Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney)
