More than 700 government officials, international organisations, politicians, corporate leaders and entrepreneurs have been gathering for two days in Riyadh for the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) special meeting to address the most important issues of the day and making an economy work for everyone.

One of the topics discussed during the event was transport and shipping at a time when stakeholders are trying to ensure climate issues are not overlooked.

In this special episode of Business Extra, recorded at the WEF, host Cody Combs sits down with Robert Falk, chief executive of Einride, one of the hottest start-ups that makes sustainable and autonomous electric vehicles that can transport lots of goods and services, usually carried by petrol-consuming lorries. Falk participated in the forum to talk about the future of EVs in 2030.

How can environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility come together?

As the world commemorates the 54th Earth Day this week, host Cody Combs leads a discussion centred on the evolving role of an environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework in driving corporate strategies.

Amy Lehoczky, director of ESG at G42, Abu Dhabi's leading artificial intelligence and cloud computing company, joins Combs to talk about this in the context of G42's $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft.

During the conversation, Ms Lehoczky shares her journey into the ESG domain, the multifaceted role of its directors, the opportunities it presents and the potential to drive business growth while fostering a positive societal impact.

The Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi is no stranger to motorsport memories. At the heart of those memories are usually big names such as Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel. But now, a new type of race, without humans behind the wheel, is about to take place.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs delves into the groundbreaking Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, set to take place at the Yas Marina Circuit on April 27. This unconventional race features autonomous vehicles, marking a significant moment in motorsport history and the advancement of autonomous technology.

The host is joined by Thomas McCarthy, executive director of Aspire, the technology transition pillar of Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council, which organised the race. They discuss the unique aspects of the event, including how the UAE's affinity for technological advances led to its creation.

They talk about the vehicles, the technology behind it, the teams and the role of AI in this race. They also touch on the ethical debates surrounding autonomous technology, including potential risks and the balance between innovation and safety.

Start-up Striver, which has football as its focus, is hoping to leave its mark as the world’s first abuse-free social media platform.   In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs sits down with Tim Chase, co-founder of Striver, and Gilberto Silva, a former footballer also and co-founder of the app.   They look at how social media has mirrored the enthusiasm of sport, while also, inadvertently sometimes enabling hostile environments for athletes and fans online.   Mr Silva said that he is optimistic that artificial intelligence can help make social media a more civil place for football fans and players, especially through his company's app.   Striver, which was launched in November at Qatar’s Web Summit, seeks to create a respectful space for football fans and allows photos and videos to be posted, along with interaction with current and former football players who use the platform.

In today's fast-paced world, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, and religious rituals are no different. And in Ramadan, Muslims around the world increase their engagement with faith through fasting, performing prayers at mosques and reading the Quran.

From checking Iftar, Suhoor and daily prayer timings, to recitations, and remembrances, Muslims now depend on many apps to assist them in their rituals and worshipping habits.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs delves into the intersection of technology and spirituality, and explore how Muslims are utilizing various apps to enrich their Ramadan experience. He interviews Nafees Khundker, the group managing director of Bitsmedia, the company that owns Muslim Pro app and Muslim streaming service Qalbox with over 2.1 million downloads in the UAE and 150 million downloads worldwide.

It’s Ramadan, a time of reflection and renewal in all aspects of life. And though it might seem like quite the juxtaposition, the themes of reflection and renewal are not lost on technology – especially in an age of artificial intelligence.

AI is testing our relationship with technology like never before. It’s offering endless possibilities; it’s also creating ample concern, often overshadowing the possibilities.

In this episode, we’re taking a look at the many upsides offered by artificial intelligence, and how those upsides offer an opportunity for renewal and reflection on multiple levels. For health care, education, sustainability and energy, those closest to AI say it can ratchet up solutions.

Host Cody Combs is joined this week by Dr Mohamed Alloghani, senior adviser to the president of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

Ramadan is a time of reflection, solidarity and community. One of the core values of the month for Muslims is to gather with family members for big meals and to stay connected with them.   Yet, for millions of people living in conflict zones in the region, Ramadan is not the same as before and staying connected has become a lifeline.   A few months ago, the eSIM technology emerged as a game-changer in one of the biggest current conflicts in the Middle East; the Israel-Gaza war.   It offered seamless connectivity at times of prolonged communications blackouts that severed telephone and internet connections.   So how has the eSIM business become a driver of connectivity? And how does technology serve humanitarian purposes?   Dina Tsybulskaya, CEO of eSIM Plus, joins Business Extra host Cody Combs this week to talk about the eSIM industry's growth and its impact on conflict zones.

Never before have we had so much computing power so widely available.

We have super computers, we have quantum computers and, yes, we have an unprecedented amount of data.

It is all creating a perfect situation where we now have the ability to potentially make predictions, make progress and improve society like never before. In particular, data and computational sciences could be game changers for health care, energy, sustainability and financial inclusion.

Adia Lab, Abu Dhabi’s independent institute dedicated to research in data and computer sciences, has focused on looking at ways data and computational sciences could positively affect societally important topics such as health care, energy, climate telecoms and financial inclusion.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs speaks to Horst Simon, the lab’s director and a world-renowned expert in computer science, about how Abu Dhabi and the UAE are positioned to be at the centre of all that computational progress.

AI-generated deepfake videos and images often go viral, deceiving millions before the truth comes out, and even then, it keeps on circulating.
In fact, 2023, according to one study, saw a record-setting number of AI incidents.

Can anything be done amid a technological climate where it’s easier than ever to create deepfakes?

The short answer is yes, and as we speak, researchers are finding ways to identify deepfakes faster than ever.

In this episode of Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs sat down with Professor Hao Li, associate professor of computer vision Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence to know more about that and the first of its kind research hub, dedicated to immersive communication, digital content and spatial computing.

Since 2022, the ripple of artificial intelligence has turned into a tidal wave around the world, having an effect on almost all industries and areas of expertise, including finance and investing.

Bloomberg, a leading global platform for business and financial information, has its own AI large language model.

In this Business Extra episode from the World Governments Summit in Dubai, host Cody Combs is joined by two top executives from Bloomberg LP, chief technology officer Shawn Edwards, and head of quant technology strategy Gary Kazantsev.

They dig deep into the hopes, aspirations and possible ramifications of AI in finance and investing, and explore how the technology is driving Bloomberg's investment and business decisions.

Large language models, more commonly known as LLM, are the backbone of what makes artificial intelligence so intelligent.

M42, Abu Dhabi's technology-enabled healthcare company, has designed a clinical generative AI LLM to serve as an assistant to doctors, patients, nursing staff and other health professionals.

Since October 2023, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health has been helping with the eventual implementation of a new clinical generative AI LLM, Med42, across the emirate’s healthcare system.

Host Cody Combs sits down with Shadab Khan, head of AI and applied sciences at M42, to talk about the company's hopes for the large language model and its potential impact on the healthcare industry.