Artificial intelligence technology on course to cross into the mainstream

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been tipped to have a major impact on global economies over the next few years.

05:49 27 June 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been tipped to have a major impact on global economies over the next few years.

The top ten tech companies are reportedly worth more than $20 trillion and are at the forefront of the push to bring AI into the mainstream.

An estimated $20 billion was invested in AI start-ups in the second quarter of 2024, more than double the investment recorded in the first quarter of the same year.

The gaming industry has been an early adopter of AI, using it to enhance the gameplay experience for players and deliver more personalised marketing content.

Numerous operators of online blackjack platforms have successfully incorporated AI into their businesses and many more have been tipped to jump on the bandwagon.

Intriguingly, AI could help gaming spread its wings into regions where the practice has traditionally been frowned upon due to cultural and religious beliefs.

The Middle East gaming sector is viewed as a market ripe for AI developments, with the tech-savvy population open-minded to the possibilities on offer.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is at the forefront of the push to adopt more liberal attitudes towards gaming having established a regulatory body to oversee the sector.

Operators who use AI will have an advantage over competitors who have yet to take the plunge given its ability to support responsible gaming practices.

AI-driven systems can monitor player behaviour to identify excessive spending. It can deliver real-time interventions such as spending limits and enforced breaks, thus making the sector safer.

Generative AI can also be used by developers to create more engaging and immersive games with individual storylines and challenges, making every experience unique.

Owen Mahoney, the former chief executive officer at Nexon, believes generative AI can play an integral role in increasing customer retention for gaming companies.

“Generative AI can increase efficiency, allowing for either cost savings or reinvestment into improving the game,” Mahoney said.

“Over the past few years, we started exploring how to do AI in new game development. We’ve experimented like crazy, including areas like generative art and script making, but I would say it’s very, very early in that,

“The video game industry has a huge opportunity to embrace technology in a more constructive way and use tools to better operate games to scale them without having to hire tens of thousands of new people as they get bigger.”

While AI is edging towards becoming a mainstream technology, there are numerous challenges to overcome before this happens. 

The Middle East is one of several regions worldwide which must invest resources into creating a robust ecosystem. Investment in education and talent development is a priority.

Governments need to establish AI-focused academic programmes and vocational training centres to produce more qualified talents. 

They could consider partnerships with leading universities and collaborations with technology companies looking for opportunities to broaden the scope of their own operations.

Significant investment needs to go into developing the AI tech infrastructure worldwide. Many nations need to build expansive cloud computing and data centres to facilitate this.

The UAE has unsurprisingly taken the lead mantle, investing significant resources into 5G networks and data hubs that drive AI initiatives. Other nations must follow their example.

Governments must encourage start-ups and entrepreneurs with grants, incubators and less restrictive regulations surrounding the use of AI technology.

They must consider concerns about data privacy and algorithmic bias by establishing clear guidelines and ethical frameworks to build public trust in AI applications. 

Embracing AI will help the Middle East and other regions worldwide to ditch their traditional reliance on revenues generated by natural resources to economies driven by knowledge and technology.