Latest news with #digital economy
Zawya
14 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Jordan, Syria discuss cooperation in telecommunications, digital economy
AMMAN — Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Sami Smairat on Monday met with a Syrian delegation headed by Minister of Communications and Technology Abdel Salam Haykal, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation in the digital and telecommunications sectors. The visit included a tour of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), where the Syrian delegation was briefed on Jordan's regulatory experience in the telecommunications and postal sectors, with the aim of drawing on the Kingdom's expertise. Smairat said the visit reflects the deep-rooted ties between Jordan and Syria and underscores the commitment of both countries to expanding cooperation across a range of sectors, according to a statement from the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship. 'This meeting aims to highlight Jordan's experience in developing its telecommunications sector and advancing digital transformation. It also provides an opportunity to review relevant regulatory frameworks and legislation, and to explore avenues for cooperation and knowledge exchange between both sides,' Smairat said. He also stressed the importance of continued coordination with Syria, and of strengthening partnerships between regulatory bodies and telecommunications companies in both countries to improve services and expand opportunities for regional digital cooperation. Chairman of the TRC Board of Commissioners Bassam Sarhan reiterated Jordan's readiness to share its accumulated expertise in telecom regulation, to support Syria's efforts to modernise its telecommunications infrastructure in line with global standards. Sarhan commended Syria's efforts to foster cooperation in telecommunications, IT, and postal services, and highlighted the TRC's role in promoting market competition, encouraging investment, and introducing new technologies to drive sectoral development, support the national economy, and enhance service quality. The Syrian delegation also held meetings with executives and representatives of mobile network operators, fibre-optic service providers, and a representative from the GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association) at the TRC headquarters. Discussions focused on available investment opportunities in the Syrian telecommunications market and emphasised the importance of leveraging Syria's emerging investment environment, particularly in light of government efforts to develop the sector and attract regional and international investment.
Malay Mail
15 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
13MP: Malaysia sets path to lead SE Asia in digital economy and green tech
KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — Malaysia has set a clear direction to emerge as a leader in the digital economy and green technology in the Southeast Asian region by 2030, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said generative AI is now within reach and the country is seizing the opportunity by charting a clear course to drive the AI ecosystem through the implementation of the National Artificial Intelligence Action Plan 2030. He said emphasis would be given to the adoption of local technological innovations to spur economic growth through the development of strategic digital assets such as AI, data analytics and government digital systems, alongside the enhancement of research, development, commercialisation and innovation (RDCI) activities based on the 'Made by Malaysia' approach. 'This effort is crucial to strengthen the nation's economic competitiveness, while developing a more sustainable and high-impact industry in line with the aspiration of becoming an AI-driven nation,' he said when tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) in the Dewan Rakyat today. The 13MP, themed 'Melakar Semula Pembangunan' (Redesigning Development), outlines Malaysia's five-year development strategy for the 2026–2030 period. Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the government is committed to enhancing digital infrastructure to create new economic opportunities and attract strategic investments in the data centre sector. He said this effort will also enable broader access to online digital services across various sectors, including education, e-commerce and smart applications. To accelerate AI adoption across sectors, the government is targeting 5G coverage expansion to 98 per cent in populated and industrial areas, including rural regions, by 2030. This is in line with the commitment to nurture at least 5,000 new digital entrepreneurs. At the same time, to safeguard the digital ecosystem, a digital trust and national data security strategy will be introduced. This includes exploring quantum communication technologies and strengthening regulations through the establishment of a Data Commission and implementation of a national data bank. Key policies and strategies, such as the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Policy, and the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint, will be prioritised with a focus on effective execution that benefits the people and industries directly, Anwar said. The Prime Minister also said Malaysia will introduce a Business Digital Identity system and promote the use of 'digital twin' to enhance the competitiveness and innovation of industry players. To build a strong foundation, he said AI literacy programmes will be introduced at the primary school level, alongside efforts to expand local intellectual property, increase strategic funding, and encourage cross-sector collaboration between industry players, research institutions, universities and the country's young innovators. 'This approach will ensure the country's innovation ecosystem grows comprehensively and delivers long-term returns to the economy and the people,' he said. — Bernama
Mail & Guardian
18 hours ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Copper will determine South Africa's digital economy success
South Africa's digital economy is being undermined by local beneficiation for copper, which has become an essential mineral in the age of artificial intelligence — from data centres, electricity cables and battery storage. (Flickr) The economy is expected to create a jobs boom if the country can fix its electricity grid and meet the increasing demand for local copper beneficiation This content is restricted to subscribers only . Join the M&G Community Our commitment at the Mail & Guardian is to ensure every reader enjoys the finest experience. Join the M&G community and support us in delivering in-depth news to you consistently. Subscription enables: - M&G community membership - independent journalism - access to all premium articles & features - a digital version of the weekly newspaper - invites to subscriber-only events - the opportunity to test new online features first Already a subscriber?
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Why infrastructure, not apps, will define the next digital economy
It's no longer about who builds the best app. It's about who builds and governs the infrastructure on which those apps rely. The next chapter of the digital economy will not be driven by viral trends or breakthrough platforms. It will be shaped by the systems beneath them. One of the most important – yet least visible – is 10G broadband. For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app. While 5G grabs headlines for mobile connectivity, 10G delivers symmetrical speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second to homes and businesses. This is more than just a technical upgrade. It provides the rock-solid speed and capacity needed for the next generation of data-heavy technologies: AI, immersive learning, quantum computing, and beyond. We are witnessing this shift unfold in real time. Mobile networks still dominate public conversation, but fixed broadband infrastructure like 10G is becoming critical. Sectors such as education, healthcare, and manufacturing increasingly depend on the reliability and speed that only robust fixed networks can deliver. However, progress is uneven. Some countries are advancing swiftly, while others still rely on 3G. Without a coordinated and inclusive rollout, 10G risks reinforcing digital inequality rather than addressing it. There is also a wider geopolitical context. The United States is investing heavily in cloud infrastructure and AI. China is exporting fiber networks and digital hardware to countries across the Global South. The European Union is anchoring its digital strategy in privacy, user rights, and interoperability. Meanwhile, countries like Japan, Germany, and South Korea are prioritizing broadband and satellite internet to enhance national autonomy. These aren't just different technologies. They reflect different governance models, and the greater the divergence, the higher the risk of fragmentation. Emerging economies may find themselves caught between incompatible standards, suppliers, and systems. That limits their ability to build independent, resilient digital economies. To support more informed infrastructure decisions, the Digital Cooperation Organization's Digital Economy Navigator was designed to provide governments with a diagnostic tool to assess the maturity of their digital economy and pinpoint infrastructure and policy gaps. One of the most persistent barriers it identifies is inadequate digital connectivity – a foundational barrier to meaningful digital participation. Without targeted investment, especially in underserved regions, these gaps will only grow, widening the global digital divide. Infrastructure decisions also carry long-term consequences. One is environmental. 10G and the data centers that support it are energy-intensive. Without a commitment to green design, renewable energy, and circular systems, we risk undermining the very sustainability goals this infrastructure is meant to support. Another is affordability. If 10G is limited to urban centers, rural schools, clinics and businesses will be left behind. Digital investment must be inclusive, or it risks reinforcing the very divides it claims to fix. We need a shared approach. Governments, private companies, and international organizations must align around open technical standards, strong regulatory frameworks, environmental safeguards, and data protections. This is not about charity. It's about long-term digital resilience. 10G has the potential to power the most transformative technologies of our time. But speed alone does not guarantee progress. The infrastructure must be designed with inclusion and sustainability in mind. Otherwise, we risk replicating the same inequalities and inefficiencies we set out to solve. Digital infrastructure has moved from the background to the foreground. The decisions we make now, about how and where we build, will shape the digital economy for years to come. We have a narrow window get this right. Let's make it work for everyone.
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Post-AI Workforce Will Be Paid Digitally
Nikhil Jathar, CTO & Co-founder at expert in SaaS, XR, & AI, shaping tech in space and digital realms. While today's leaders are fixated on how artificial intelligence will automate routine tasks, most are missing the far more profound story: how AI will fundamentally redefine the nature of human work and value. The true disruption isn't just about the jobs we will lose, but about the new economy we will create. As AI handles the predictable, a new workforce is emerging—one that thrives on creativity, community and personality. And this digitally native economy will ultimately be built on a digitally native currency. The Great Shift: From Routine Tasks To Creative Careers For decades, we've built our careers around predictable, process-oriented work. That era is rapidly coming to a close. AI's primary economic function is to master and automate these very tasks—from data analysis and administrative support to customer service and logistics. This isn't a threat to be feared, but a liberation of human capital from the drudgery of the routine. The real question is, what will people do with this newfound freedom? They will do what AI cannot: create, inspire, entertain and build communities. We are already witnessing the dawn of this shift. The 'creator economy,' once considered a niche, is exploding into a formidable economic force. It's the independent Substack writer delivering unique analysis, the TikTok creator building a global audience from their bedroom, the expert podcaster and the artist designing immersive goods for virtual worlds. This isn't a fleeting trend; it is the logical and necessary evolution of work in a post-AI world, placing a premium on the very things that make us human. The Economic Mismatch: Why Old Money Fails The New Economy The problem is that this 21st-century digital workforce is being forced to rely on 20th-century financial infrastructure. The existing system of bank transfers, credit card processors and centralized payment apps is fundamentally ill-suited for the creator economy, creating friction that stifles growth and innovation. The first major hurdle is the inefficiency of microtransactions. In a world where showing appreciation might mean tipping a creator $0.50 for a brilliant idea, traditional transaction fees can consume a crippling percentage of the payment, making direct support impractical. Second is the immense platform risk. Creators are held captive by the centralized giants—YouTube, Meta, Twitch—that control their access to their audience and their ability to monetize. With the stroke of a key, a platform can change its algorithm, demonetize a channel or increase its revenue share, leaving creators powerless. They build their empires on rented land. Finally, the system lacks true ownership. A creator's digital work, from a viral video to a custom virtual asset, cannot be verifiably owned or sold in a peer-to-peer fashion. It exists only within the walled garden of the platform it was created on, limiting its economic potential. The Digital Solution: A Native Financial Layer For Creators This is where the often-misunderstood world of digital assets becomes not just relevant, but essential. Digital assets and Web3 technologies provide the missing financial and ownership rails that this new economy desperately needs. It's not about speculation; it's about utility. For micropayments, some digital assets offer a solution. Imagine instantly and globally sending a podcaster a dollar for their work, with the creator receiving nearly the entire amount. This fosters a direct and more equitable relationship between creators and their supporters. For ownership, NFTs provide the breakthrough. Far beyond digital art, an NFT acts as an unbreakable, verifiable certificate of ownership for any digital asset. A musician can sell a limited-edition version of a song directly to a fan. A designer can sell custom furniture for an apartment in a virtual world, with the owner's rights recorded permanently on a blockchain. This transforms digital content from a licensable good into a true asset. Most importantly, these tools provide a path to independence. Social tokens, for example, allow creators to build their own sovereign economies, transforming their audience from passive followers into vested stakeholders who hold a direct interest in the creator's success. This is the ultimate answer to platform risk. Acknowledging The Hurdles On The Path To Adoption The path to this future is not without its challenges. The volatility of digital assets is a valid concern for anyone relying on them for income, which is why stablecoins will be the crucial bridge for everyday transactions. Furthermore, the user experience of many applications remains too complex for mass adoption. This, however, represents a massive business opportunity for SaaS and fintech companies to build intuitive wallets, payment gateways and creator platforms that abstract away complexity, making transactions as simple as using Apple Pay. Regulation, too, remains a developing landscape, but its progression is a sign of the industry's maturation—a necessary step toward building the trust required for a global system. The Mandate For Today's Leaders The seismic shift toward a creator-centric economy, accelerated by AI, is inevitable. The only open question is whether we will shackle it to an archaic financial system or empower it with digitally native tools. Leaders must look past the market noise and understand the fundamental economic utility being forged. The challenge is no longer about debating digital asset validity, but about architecting its integration into the future of work. The businesses and innovators who build the platforms, tools and financial products for this emerging world won't just be leading the next wave of tech—they will be building the foundations of our post-AI economy. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
