Cover Story

AMD’s Strategic Engagement and Innovation in the Middle East

Published

2 years ago

July 8, 2024

Integrator Media had an exclusive interview with Zaid Ghattas, Senior Regional Manager at AMD, who discussed the company’s extensive engagement with the Middle East market, emphasizing their collaborations with local businesses, educational institutions, and government bodies to advance technology and foster skill development.

He highlighted AMD’s customized approach in sectors like banking, where their technologies have seen notable adoption, and emphasized the importance of user feedback from the region in shaping AMD’s product development and enhancements. This strategic focus aims to meet the specific needs of Middle Eastern users while driving innovation in the industry.

What innovative solutions is AMD offering in the Middle East market to enhance user experience?

AMD stands as a key driver of next-generation compute power. Our reach extends across various components within the computing landscape. We are a leading force behind some of the world’s most powerful and efficient supercomputers. Our leadership extends to server CPUs with our EPYC line, and GPUs with both consumer-focused Radeon and commercially oriented Instinct offerings.

Our portfolio extends to the embedded segment with offerings like the AECG product line, including the Xidax series. Our product suite spans the entire spectrum of computing, from edge devices to the cloud. Furthermore, it incorporates the highly successful Ryzen processors, including Ryzen AI variants. Our collaborative approach with customers prioritizes providing silicon solutions that empower the next generation of computing experiences across the entire edge-to-cloud landscape.

How will the rapid growth in cloud computing impact product development, market strategies, and partnerships in the region?

AMD fosters a collaborative environment within the industry ecosystem. We actively partner with leading cloud service providers like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, alongside established in-country service providers. This strategic approach ensures that our high-performance CPUs and GPUs are readily available within the Middle East market. As cloud adoption accelerates, concerns regarding operational expenditure (OPEX) are rising. By providing efficient hardware solutions, AMD positions itself as a trusted partner capable of optimizing overall OPEX and delivering a superior operational expense experience.

4th Gen EPYC CPUs offer enhanced performance, and lower energy consumption. This ties into AMD’s sustainability focus, condensing data center infrastructure by offering CPUs with high performance at lower power.

How do you address the growth of data centers in the Middle East and related sustainability efforts?

The UAE and Saudi Arabia, especially, are experiencing explosive data center growth. Aligning with the UAE’s focus on sustainability, exemplified by last year’s COP28 conference, AMD offers solutions across various sectors to address this growth.

AMD actively supports public sector clients in education, aviation, transportation, and beyond. Our primary focus is equipping them with the high-performance silicon solutions critical for success in today’s era of exponential AI growth. AI is a top priority for both public and private entities in the UAE. We are working collaboratively to identify use cases, and some truly innovative applications are being developed locally.

AMD prioritizes delivering exceptional performance across CPUs, GPUs, and embedded systems. This commitment extends to lowering power consumption, resulting in superior performance compared to competitors. Our ongoing design advancements ensure this leadership in efficient computing.

How does AMD collaborate with local businesses, educational institutions, and government bodies in the Middle East?

AMD actively collaborates with leading tier-one customers across the region. We engage with diverse verticals including oil and gas, research, education, and banking. This close collaboration allows us to gather invaluable customer feedback that fuels our product development and ensures we deliver solutions that meet their evolving needs. A prime example is our successful partnership with Emirates National Bank of Dubai (Emirates NBD).

Do you think AI is significantly exploring the banking sector, and is this development beneficial for the industry overall?

AI is a dominant trend across industries, with CIOs and AI managers actively exploring its potential. Banking is a prime example, where AI enhances customer experience and optimizes internal productivity. The ability of AI to deliver these benefits makes it a valuable tool across various sectors, from education to infrastructure. AI is rapidly integrating into our daily lives, impacting both business (B2B) and consumer (B2C) experiences. AMD actively collaborates with creators and the gaming community to harness AI’s potential in B2C applications. From AI-powered gaming experiences on PS5 to AI-integrated laptops, AI is undeniably shaping the future. The Middle East is experiencing a surge in AI adoption, fueled by customer demand and government initiatives.

Have AMD technologies seen notable adoption in specific industries? If so, how does AMD customize its products to meet the unique requirements of these industries?

AMD actively collaborates across numerous sectors, including banking, education, healthcare, and public services. Our successful partnership with Emirates NBD in banking exemplifies the benefits we offer. We leverage extensive customer feedback, encompassing performance, sustainability, and power efficiency, to guide our product development and deliver solutions tailored to their specific needs.

Sustainability is a key concern for CIOs, with environmental friendliness and power efficiency becoming crucial factors in technology decisions. AMD prioritizes customer feedback in product development, ensuring our solutions balance performance with sustainability to meet both performance and cost (OPEX/CAPEX) objectives. This focus on energy efficiency establishes AMD as a leader in providing environmentally friendly computing solutions.

AMD’s single- and dual-socket server solutions deliver exceptional performance with a reduced footprint, addressing sustainability concerns for CIOs. This focus on efficiency, coupled with high performance, positions AMD as the ideal choice for diverse industries seeking environmentally friendly computing power.

How does AMD actively engage with users in the Middle East to get feedback? How does this input influence the company’s product development and enhancement?

Our recently launched Instinct MI300X excels in AI applications and is available through major OEMs like Dell and HP. Additionally, AMD has upcoming solutions for end-user and edge devices, building on the momentum from our CES announcements.

Beyond data centers, AMD is bringing AI to the edge with our Ryzen AI capabilities, announced at CES. This on-device AI processing empowers users with new possibilities, enabling applications like object detection and HR tasks at the edge, reducing reliance on data center processing.

AMD stands out as a leader in equipping edge devices with AI capabilities through our Ryzen AI technology. A diverse portfolio of Ryzen AI-powered products from our partners is now available across the region. Furthermore, we empower software developers by providing tools that facilitate the creation of innovative use cases leveraging Ryzen AI’s potential.

Automotive

Goodyear continues support for Team De Rooy in the 2025 Dakar Rally

Published

2 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

Integrator Web-Editor

Goodyear continues its partnership with Team De Rooy for the upcoming Dakar Rally 2025. As the official tire supplier, Goodyear will equip the Dutch team with its high-performance Goodyear OFFROAD tires and advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), helping to ensure reliable performance throughout the rally’s demanding stages. This collaboration highlights Goodyear’s dedication to truck motorsport, combining innovation with proven durability on some of the world’s toughest terrains.

Dakar 2025: new challenges await

The 2025 Dakar Rally, running from January 3 to January 17, will cover nearly 8,000 kilometers, including over 5,000 kilometers of competitive stages, starting in Bisha and finishing in Shubaytah. This edition ramps up the difficulty, featuring an early 48-hour chrono stage that flows into the marathon stage, setting a challenging pace from the outset. In the second week, competitors will tackle the demanding dunes of the Empty Quarter, with over 45% of the course on separate tracks for different vehicle classes, enhancing safety while complicating navigation.

Goodyear OFFROAD tires and TPMS: performance in challenging conditions

Team De Rooy relies on Goodyear OFFROAD tires for their durability and reliable traction across different conditions. Designed to handle heat and challenging surfaces, these tires help reduce heat buildup at high speeds and provide consistent performance on sand, rocks, and steep slopes.

Goodyear’s TPMS offers real-time monitoring of tire pressure and temperature, helping the team make quick adjustments and avoid potential issues. This advanced system helps to minimize downtime and supports better strategic decisions—crucial for maintaining momentum during the rally.

A Legacy of motorsport excellence

Goodyear’s continued support of Team De Rooy highlights its long-standing commitment to truck motorsport. As the title sponsor of the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship (ETRC), Goodyear uses motorsport as a proving ground for tire technology advancements. The partnership with Team De Rooy reflects this commitment, driving innovation and performance in demanding environments.

Maciej Szymański, Marketing Director Commercial EMEA at Goodyear, commented:

“Our continued collaboration with Team De Rooy for Dakar 2025 underscores our commitment to supporting motorsport teams in extreme conditions. With Goodyear OFFROAD tires and TPMS, we aim to provide the reliability needed to tackle the rally’s challenges. We wish Team De Rooy all the best and look forward to another exciting competition at this iconic rally”.

Cover Story

PLAUD Note Pro: This Tiny AI Recorder Might Be the Smartest Life Upgrade You Make!

Published

2 weeks ago

December 31, 2025

Integrator Web-Editor

By Srijith KN

I’ve been using the Plaud Note Pro for over three months now, and this is a device that has quietly earned a permanent place in my daily life now. Let me walk you through what it does—and why I say that so?

Well at first I thought this wasn’t going to do much with my life, and by the looks of it Plaud Note Pro looks like a tiny, card-sized gadget—minimal, unobtrusive to carry it around.

With a single press of the top button, it starts recording meetings, classes, interviews, or discussions. Once you end your session, the audio is seamlessly transferred to the Plaud app on your phone, where it’s transformed into structured outputs—summaries, action lists, mind maps, and more.

In essence, it’s a capture device that takes care of one part of your work so you can concentrate on the bigger game.

Design-wise, the device feels premium, it features a small display that shows battery level, recording status, and transfer progress—just enough information without distraction. The ripple-textured finish looks elegant and feels solid, paired with a clean, responsive button. It also comes with a magnetic case that snaps securely onto the back of your phone, sitting flush and tight, making it easy to carry around without thinking twice.

Battery life is another standout. On a full charge, the Plaud Note Pro can last up to 60 days, even with frequent, long recording sessions. Charging anxiety simply doesn’t exist here.

Well, my impressions about the device changed once I had an audio captured. I tested this in a busy press conference setting—eight to ten journalists around me, multiple voices, ambient noise—and the recording came out sharp and clear. Thanks to its four-microphone array, it captures voices clearly from up to four to five meters away, isolating speech with precision and keeping voices naturally forward. This directly translates into cleaner transcripts. It supports 120 languages, and yes, I even tested transcription into Malayalam—it worked remarkably well, condensed the entire convo-interview that I had during an automotive racing show that I was into.

Real meetings or interviews are rarely happens in a neat environment, and that’s where I found the Plaud Note Pro working for me. It captures nuances and details I often miss in the moment. As a journalist, that’s invaluable. The app also allows you to add photos during recordings, enriching your notes with context and visuals.

I tested transferring files over 20 minutes long, and the process was smooth and quick. Accessing the recordings on my PC via the browser was equally intuitive—everything is easy to navigate and well laid out.

Now to what is inside this tiny recorder. Well, the core of the experience is Plaud Intelligence, the AI engine powering all Plaud note-takers. It dynamically routes tasks across OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google’s latest LLMs to deliver professional-grade results. With over 3,000 templates, AI Suggestions, and features like Ask Plaud, the system turns raw conversations into organized, searchable, and actionable insights. These capabilities are available across the Plaud App (iOS and Android) and Plaud Web.

Privacy is what I happen to see them look at seriously. All data is protected under strict compliance standards, including SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and EN18031, ensuring enterprise-grade security.

What makes the AI experience truly effective is the quality of input. Unlike a phone recorder—where notifications, distractions, and inconsistent mic pickup interfere—the Plaud Note Pro does one job and does it exceptionally well. It records cleanly, consistently, and without interruption, delivering what is easily one of the smoothest recording and transcription experiences I’ve used so far.

I’m genuinely curious to see how Plaud evolves this product further. If this is where they are today, the next version should be very interesting indeed.

“The Plaud Note Pro isn’t just a recorder; it’s a pocket-sized thinking partner that captures the details so you can think bigger, clearer, and faster.”

Plaud Note Pro is now available for pre-order at https://uae.plaud.ai/pages/plaud-note-pro
Plaud Note and NotePin are available at https://uae.plaud.ai

Cover Story

ICT CHAMPION AWARDS – 18TH EDITION

Published

2 weeks ago

December 30, 2025

Integrator Web-Editor

The ICT Champion Awards return with their 18th edition, continuing a long-standing tradition of recognising excellence across the Middle East’s ICT landscape. The awards bring together industry leaders, technology innovators, and decision-makers for an evening dedicated to celebrating impact, leadership, and progress across the region’s digital ecosystem.

ABOUT ICT CHAMPIONS AWARDS

This programme is designed to highlight and honour exceptional achievements across the Middle East’s ICT ecosystem, celebrating organisations that continue to demonstrate excellence in innovation, growth, resilience, and leadership. The ICT Champion Awards aim to inspire progress while recognising sustained contributions that have shaped the region’s technology landscape over time.

Integrator Media proudly presents the ICT Champion Awards – 18th Edition, recognising distinguished technology organisations across enterprise solutions, critical and public infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. More than an awards platform, the ICT Champion Awards represent a long-standing commitment to acknowledging industry leadership and real-world impact. The programme serves as a trusted stage to honour innovation, reliability, and the organisations addressing the evolving demands of today’s interconnected and security-driven digital environment.

AIM OF ICT CHAMPIONS AWARD

HONOR INNOVATION: Mark major milestones in the Middle East in the technology domain.

BENCHMARK SUCCESS: Highlight significant technology innovations and achievements in the Middle East landscape.

ACKNOWLEDGE KEY CONTRIBUTIONS: Honor and value key contributions made by leading technology organizations in the Middle East.

AWARD EXCELLENCE: Acknowledge and award accomplishments made by organizations to address the increasing demand in the technology domain.

PROMOTE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Establish a platform for the technology community to unite, celebrate successes, and inspire future accomplishments.

WHY SHOULD YOU PARTICIPATE?

STATEGIC NETWORKING: Connect with top experts and decision-makers in the ICT industry. This is your chance to build valuable relationships and expand your professional network.

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE: Aligned with INTERSEC 2026, the event ensure unparalleled exposure as the entire ICT community gathers in one place. Your brand will be in the spotlight, drawing high impact from the audience that are aligned with security, technology, and enterprise transformation industry.

CHANNEL & PARTNER ENGAGEMENT: Promote your brand directly to prospective partners and clients. This platform provides a unique opportunity to discuss your offerings and build new connections.

BRAND AMPLIFICATION: Participate and leverage multi-level branding opportunities through our extensive print, digital, and social media coverage.

HIGH-PROFILE BRANDING: Gain high-profile branding before, during, and after the event across multiple mediums, including print and online platforms.

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: 28^th January 2026
Venue: Shangri – La Dubai Hotel, Al Nojoom Ballroom, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. (nearest landmark: Near Financial Metro Station)
Time: 6:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Map Location: HERE
Event Registration Link: HERE
Event Agenda: HERE