logo
Capgemini plans to launch AI CoE in Egypt

Capgemini plans to launch AI CoE in Egypt

Zawya07-04-2025

Arab Finance: Capgemini, a global leader in technology services, will develop an AI Center of Excellence (CoE) in Egypt to accelerate AI-driven innovation for global clients, as per an emailed press release.
The new hub will enable Capgemini to invest in research and development, team up with local academic institutions, and leverage technology partnerships to enhance client adoption of AI-based tools.
The global company affirmed its commitment to driving growth and innovation in Egypt, announcing plans to double the number of employees in the country to nearly 1,200 by the end of 2025.
With implementation starting in May 2025, the new center will include a diverse team of architects, data scientists, product engineers, and project managers, experts in delivering transformative projects.
Aiman Ezzat, CEO of Capgemini, commented: 'The AI Center of Excellence in this strategic location allows us to support our clients in scaling AI within their own businesses, ensuring they remain at the forefront of innovation.'
'Our clients will benefit from enhanced service delivery, industry-specific solutions, and the unique advantages of being supported from Egypt,' Ezzat added.
Hossam Seifeldin, CEO of Capgemini in Egypt, said: 'Doubling our workforce and establishing this new AI Center of Excellence will not only drive cutting-edge innovation but also create valuable opportunities for local talent to thrive in a global arena.'
© 2020-2023 Arab Finance For Information Technology. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pet‑food pinch forces Nigeria's middle class to ration
Pet‑food pinch forces Nigeria's middle class to ration

Arabian Post

time34 minutes ago

  • Arabian Post

Pet‑food pinch forces Nigeria's middle class to ration

Dog owners across Nigeria are trimming meals and turning to homemade alternatives as soaring inflation and currency devaluation drive imported pet‑food costs up to levels equivalent to the national minimum wage. A crisis in livestock staples has now reached the country's urban pet economy. Inflation in Nigeria has surged since May 2023, when the government removed a long-standing fuel subsidy and devalued the naira. General inflation hit nearly 35% last December—the highest in 30 years—with a softer but still elevated annual rate of 23.7% observed by April 2025. Staple food prices are the main driver, pushing many households to adapt their diets; now the strain of elevated costs has extended to household pets. Pet‑food inflation has hit dog owners hard. A 15‑kilogram bag of imported kibble now commands up to 70,000 naira—equivalent to the monthly minimum wage—up from about 40,000 naira six months ago. For many urban middle‑class families, cooking for themselves is difficult enough; feeding a dog on top of that is emerging as an unsustainable luxury. ADVERTISEMENT Pet owners in cities like Lagos and Ibadan are increasingly replacing branded kibble with home‑cooked alternatives. Student Peter Anthony, based in Ibadan, described how his family now gives their German Shepherd, Flora, smaller rations of noodles and mixes of fish or egg to compensate for the inflated prices. Even amidst personal hardship, Anthony maintains healthcare for Flora, including vet visits—a reflection of the importance attached to companion animals across Nigeria's growing urban middle class. Pet‑food scarcity is already reshaping the business landscape. Importers and breeders are scaling back operations. Lagos‑based importer Sarah Mokelu reduced her trips to Russia from bi‑monthly to once every three months, limiting shipments to roughly six dogs per visit, citing limited breeder demand and high feeding costs. Akindele Olunloyo, CEO of Pet Lovers Nigeria, reports that all associated costs—permit fees, transport, food—have escalated, prompting a shift in his business model toward catering exclusively to high‑net‑worth clients who can afford both pets and imported feed. Some feed manufacturers are reaping the benefits of this shift. Local producers, once overshadowed by imported brands, are attracting a growing customer base. Theresa Iwhewhe, owner of a pet hospital and food‑production firm in Ibadan, says that demand for locally made pet food has surged as foreign‑manufactured kibble becomes unaffordable. Projections from research firm ReportLinker estimate that Nigeria's dog‑food imports could fall from about 1.3 million kg in 2023 to around 769,000 kg by 2028, signalling both shrinking foreign supply and a structural shift in the market. The ripple effects of economic strain extend beyond nutrition to animal welfare. Social‑media posts and NGO reports note a worrying uptick in pet abandonment or forced rehoming. Heart‑wrenching scenes of surrendered dogs in shelters are becoming more common. The financial stress of inflation is compelling individuals and families—already coping with steep food and fuel price rises—to make untenable choices. Government statistics highlight the systemic issues at play. Over 30% of Nigeria's more than 200 million population live under the international extreme poverty line of $2.15 a day. Food and non‑alcoholic beverages remain the largest contributor to headline inflation, with food‑price inflation in April hovering around 21.3% year‑on‑year. Following the withdrawal of subsidies and currency realignment, the cost of living has escalated sharply, underscoring how even relatively affluent urban households are struggling to meet basic needs. ADVERTISEMENT Experts warn that what started as human hardship is now threatening the nascent pet sector. The once‑lucrative market for dogs and pet services is faltering as feeding them becomes a financial burden. 'Feeding has humbled a lot of people,' lamented breeder Sarah Mokelu, reflecting a broader sentiment among pet owners. Those maintaining dogs now face a grim choice: ration nutrition, opt for cheaper—and often nutritionally deficient—alternatives, or relinquish pets altogether. Industry stakeholders are calling for a more sustainable, locally based pet‑food industry. The rise in demand for domestically produced kibble opens an opportunity for investment and innovation in this sector. Nutritionists emphasise that homemade diets must still address canine nutritional needs, or risk health issues. Discussions are underway among veterinary professionals and pet‑food entrepreneurs to develop balanced, affordable local feed formulations. Policymakers, however, are preoccupied with broader economic reforms and headline inflation rather than pet‑food affordability. Even so, the plight of pet owners illuminates the pervasiveness of the crisis. When middle‑class households must ration household pets, it signals a societal strain affecting all facets of domestic life. Local entrepreneurs — from breeders to vet‑clinics and feed‑manufacturers — are adapting rapidly. Some are blending local ingredients with supplements to mimic nutritional profiles of imported kibble. Others are offering smaller bag sizes to help owners manage costs without sacrificing quality. These efforts, though nascent, demonstrate resilience in facing economic adversity. The evolving pet‑food landscape underlines how inflation in Nigeria has far exceeded typical spending thresholds. When breadwinners ration meals, families reduce discretionary spending on pets too. As economic pressures persist, the nation's pet‑food consumers and providers must navigate a new normal: where companionship comes at a rising cost, and adaptability is key.

Autograph Collection by Marriott set to rise on Al Reem Island
Autograph Collection by Marriott set to rise on Al Reem Island

Al Etihad

time2 hours ago

  • Al Etihad

Autograph Collection by Marriott set to rise on Al Reem Island

10 June 2025 23:44 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Autograph Collection by Marriott, a branded residential development, is all set to come up on Al Reem Island in Abu project, valued at Dh1.6 billion, is being developed through a partnership between Royal Development Holding — a subsidiary of Emirates Stallions Group (ESG) — and UAE-based luxury developer SAAS waterfront development marks the debut of Autograph Collection Residences in the UAE capital, as well as Royal Development Holding's inaugural foray into the branded residential market. Positioned as a high-end lifestyle address, the project aims to deliver a curated living experience in one of Abu Dhabi's most desirable locations.'We're proud to tie up with the leading name in the luxury real estate sector, SAAS Properties for the development of Abu Dhabi's first Autograph Collection Residence,' said Tariq Nazzal, General Manager of Royal Development Holding.'Our new venture with Marriott is just the beginning of a series of luxury developments that will showcase our innovation, creativity, and craftsmanship in evolving spaces and elevating lives.'For SAAS Properties, the partnership reinforces its reputation for design-driven, high-quality developments. 'This marks our second partnership with Marriott, reflecting a shared vision for excellence in branded residences and curated living experiences,' said Ahmed Al Qassimi, Chief Executive Officer of SAAS Properties.'Through this development, we aim to enrich Abu Dhabi's evolving skyline and deliver a distinctive lifestyle offering that embodies our signature approach to luxury, design excellence, and purposeful living.' Commenting on the significance of the brand's entry into the Abu Dhabi market, Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East and Luxury, Europe, Middle East and Africa, at Marriott International, said: 'Autograph Collection Residences are known for their creative vision, heartfelt design and authenticity — and this property is no exception. With a unique spirit, it is reflective of the original, careful craftsmanship of each handpicked residential property within the growing Autograph Collection portfolio.' Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi

Meta creating new AI lab to pursue ‘superintelligence'
Meta creating new AI lab to pursue ‘superintelligence'

Al Etihad

time2 hours ago

  • Al Etihad

Meta creating new AI lab to pursue ‘superintelligence'

10 June 2025 23:12 SAN FRANCISCO (THE NEW YORK TIMES NEW SERVICE)Meta is preparing to unveil a new artificial intelligence research lab dedicated to pursuing "superintelligence,' a hypothetical AI system that exceeds the powers of the human brain, as the tech giant jockeys to stay competitive in the technology has tapped Alexandr Wang, 28, the founder and CEO of AI startup Scale AI, to join the new lab, sources said, and has been in talks to invest billions of dollars in his company as part of a deal that would also bring other Scale AI employees to the has reportedly offered seven- to nine-figure compensation packages to dozens of researchers from leading AI companies such as OpenAI and Google, with some agreeing to join, sources new lab is part of a larger reorganisation of Meta's AI Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, has invested billions of dollars into turning his company, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, into an AI OpenAI released the ChatGPT chatbot in 2022, the tech industry has raced to build increasingly powerful AI. Zuckerberg has pushed his company to incorporate AI across its products, including in its smart glasses and a recently released app, Meta in the race is crucial for Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft, with the technology likely to be the future for the industry. The giants have pumped money into startups and their own AI has invested more than $13 billion in OpenAI, while Amazon has plowed $8 billion into AI startup behemoths have also spent billions to hire employees from high-profile startups and license their technology. Last year, Google agreed to pay $3 billion to license technology and hire technologists and executives from a startup that builds chatbots for personal February, Zuckerberg, 41, called AI "potentially one of the most important innovations in history.' He added, "This year is going to set the course for the future.'Meta and Scale AI declined to comment. Bloomberg earlier reported that Wang was joining the new Meta is regarded by leading researchers to be a futuristic goal of AI Google and others have said their immediate aim is to build "artificial general intelligence,' or AGI, shorthand for a machine that can do anything the human brain can do, which is an ambition with no clear path to success. Superintelligence, if it can be developed, would go beyond AGI in its has invested in AI for more than a decade. Zuckerberg created the company's first dedicated AI lab in 2013, after losing out to Google in trying to acquire a seminal startup called DeepMind. DeepMind is now the core of Google's AI then, Meta's research efforts have been overseen by its chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, who is also a New York University professor. LeCun is a pioneer of neural networks, the technology that drives ChatGPT and similar ChatGPT caused an explosion of interest in AI, Meta deployed additional resources to pursue the technology. One of Meta's strategies for gaining ground in AI has been to "open source' its software, essentially giving away its AI code freely so that developers and others adopt its tools. The company released an open-source AI model, Llama, and its chatbot product, Meta AI was incorporated across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as in its Ray-Ban smart glasses. In May, Zuckerberg said more than 1 billion people used Meta AI every month.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store