A global market sell-off kicked off the week, marking the biggest sell-off in decades. Japan’s Nikkei started things off, dropping 12 per cent, which was the index’s worst day since the Black Monday crash of 1987. Following this, the rest of the world followed suit. The Dow Jones dropped more than 1000 points, causing even the most casual of observers take notice. The world's 500 wealthiest people lost a combined $134 billion. So, what does this mean for investors and businesses large and small,...
Aug 07, 2024•14 min•Ep. 376
The Olympics have always been a stage for showcasing human excellence in sports. But this year, technology and artificial intelligence play a pivotal role in enhancing the experience for everyone involved. By integrating AI into various aspects of the Olympics, the event hopes to become more efficient, engaging, and inclusive. In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs is joined by Sarah Vickers, head of Intel’s Olympic and Paralympic Programmes for Paris 2024 to look at how ...
Jul 31, 2024•14 min•Ep. 375
Last week more than 8.5 million computers stopped working. The post-industrial and very much digital world in which we live, much of it anyway, came to a halt as well. Airlines couldn’t check in travellers. Hospitals had to find new ways to help patients, and restaurants resorted to pen and paper to take reservations. Cyber security company CrowdStrike inadvertently caused the chaos with a faulty update to its Falcon Sensor software. That software is supposed to detect cyber attacks, and prevent...
Jul 25, 2024•16 min•Ep. 374
Amid the war in Gaza, some communities, especially Arab ones, have decided to support the Palestinian cause by boycotting certain international brands. To fill the void, new business endeavours have taken hold, such as local Arab brands. Palestine Cola was born out of a desire to provide a meaningful alternative to global giants such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Three brothers from Malmo, Sweden, along with Mohamed Kiswani, saw an opportunity to create a brand that resonated with their heritage and s...
Jul 17, 2024•16 min•Ep. 373
There is more to sport than wins and losses, the sports business comprises many factors, including the athletes, their training methods, their agents, franchises, media coverage and the team owners as well. So what’s the future of sports media coverage, the business of athletics, and what does the future hold for the fans for whom sport is so important? In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs is joined by Adam White, founder and chief executive of Front Office Sports to discuss this e...
Jul 10, 2024•23 min•Ep. 372
Founded in California in 2002, LinkedIn’s growth has been at a methodical pace. Slowly but surely, the CV-based, aspirational job platform gained momentum and now has more than one billion members around the world. Its journey started from simply a place to look for jobs and post CVs, to become a knowledge bank where people can learn, write articles, take classes and even play games to keep the mind sharp. In this episode of the social media edition of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs...
Jul 04, 2024•23 min•Ep. 371
In the rapidly evolving world of social media, many new, innovative platforms are still trying to challenge the dominance of industry giants by promising better experience and – in some cases – better monetisation tools. In this episode of Business Extra’s series looking at social media platforms, host Cody Combs is joined by Dave Catudal, founder of Lyvely, a UAE-based social media app that aims to revolutionise both user engagement and monetisation. They discuss the potential for new social me...
Jun 26, 2024•20 min•Ep. 370
In 2011, amid the Arab uprisings, other protests around the world and the rise of social media, Snapchat emerged with a unique concept. The app pioneered by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown allowed images shared to disappear after a certain time. This innovation reshaped the social media landscape. Snapchat quickly became a pioneer in the concept of augmented reality by introducing the feature of “filters” that add real-time effects and animations to photos and videos. The same conce...
Jun 19, 2024•27 min•Ep. 369
At a pivotal time when social media platforms are undergoing significant shifts, Business Extra host Cody Combs sat down with influential businessman Gary Vaynerchuk – known to millions as Gary Vee – who is chairman of communications company VaynerX and chief executive of its subsidiary VaynerMedia. Starting out as a wine critic, Mr Vaynerchuk leveraged his knack for content creation and a deep understanding of social media to build a powerful personal brand with more than 44 million followers a...
Jun 12, 2024•16 min•Ep. 368
In this introductory episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs delves into the evolution of the internet from its early days, the rise of social media and future prospects of platforms. For younger generations, the internet before the advent of social media is almost unimaginable. In contrast, older generations reminisce about the simpler times of the World Wide Web before the emergence of continuing debates around data privacy and the impact of social media on society. This episode...
Jun 05, 2024•10 min•Ep. 367
As the saying goes, life isn’t all fun and games, or is it? That’s part of the idea behind Endless Studios, a youth-focused game-making studio and learning hub, which is also on a mission to empower students all over the world by enhancing access to technology and education. Endless also provides, devices, technology tools and even special operating systems to help children learn. On this episode, host Cody Combs speaks to the founder of Endless, Matt Dalio, who is on a mission to improve how ch...
May 22, 2024•25 min•Ep. 366
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, re...
Apr 29, 2024•16 min•Ep. 365
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. D...
Apr 24, 2024•17 min•Ep. 364
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 auto...
Apr 17, 2024•22 min•Ep. 363
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 optim...
Apr 03, 2024•22 min•Ep. 362
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 Com...
Mar 27, 2024•24 min•Ep. 361
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 inte...
Mar 22, 2024•18 min•Ep. 360
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 c...
Mar 13, 2024•27 min•Ep. 359
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 inst...
Feb 28, 2024•20 min•Ep. 358
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 ...
Feb 22, 2024•18 min•Ep. 357
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...
Feb 13, 2024•18 min•Ep. 356
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. ...
Feb 07, 2024•22 min•Ep. 355
What do you do with a critical mass of talent yearning to make an entrepreneurial mark in the Middle East? That is the task faced by the UAE’s northern emirate of Sharjah. In particular, that is the task of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre, or Sheraa, a government-backed organisation launched with a mandate to build the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the emirate. On this episode, host Cody Combs spoke with Sheraa’s chief executive Najla Al Midfa about the accomplishments, goals and evolving roa...
Jan 31, 2024•24 min•Ep. 354
Does the world need another social network? Ayman Hariri, co-founder of Vero and son of former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri, thinks so. Host Cody Combs talked to the co-founder of the ad-free, algorithm-free alternative to Facebook, TikTok and Twitter at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. They discussed the big plans for the platform this year and the tech start-up culture in the Mena region.
Jan 24, 2024•21 min•Ep. 353
AI isn't going away, the metaverse is still showing signs of life, and cybersecurity concerns remain abundant. Just when you thought it was safe to enter 2024 on a clean technology slate, similar themes and a cast of technology characters are re-emerging from the previous year. Yet, not everything is the same. There are some early hints of what to expect, and some clues from tech products that offer a glimpse at how our lives and businesses will change in the weeks and months ahead. Will deepfak...
Jan 17, 2024•13 min•Ep. 352
A new year is around the corner, and that particular time is always a great opportunity to look back and reflect. However, it's also essential to look ahead as well and understand the forces that will shape the coming year. 2024 promises to be a pivotal year, with major shifts in technology, political economy, and evolving factors. Host Cody Combs sits down with Sam Blatteis, co-founder and chief executive of The MENA Catalysts, to talk about what breakthroughs we can expect in 2024, and how wil...
Dec 27, 2023•25 min•Ep. 351
The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy will be moving into one of Masdar City’s net-zero buildings by the end of 2024, which shows the commitment to energy transition and a net-zero economy by 2050. Masdar City’s director of growth Steve Severance told Business Extra host Cody Combs on the sidelines of the Cop28 climate summit that city aims to be the world’s largest collection of net-zero buildings. Mr Severance also talked about how Masdar City has become a model for urban development, as well as ...
Dec 13, 2023•34 min•Ep. 350
Manhat, an Emirati-founded start-up launched in 2019, wants to be among the first to introduce a new technology to generate fresh water from the ocean without using electricity. Emirati founder Saeed Alhassan told Business Extra host Cody Combs on the sidelines of the Cop28 climate summit that the start-up is using proprietary natural water distillation technology to speed up and capture the evaporation of ocean water on the surface. Mr Alhassan added that wants to harness his invention to build...
Dec 11, 2023•22 min•Ep. 349
Participants at Cop28 in Dubai are more adamant about cutting emissions this time, chief executive of Dynamic Planet Kristin Rechberger told Business Extra host Cody Combs in an interview on the sidelines of the climate summit. Ms Rechberger said there was a greater presence of nature-preserving pavilions at this Cop than at any previous climate summit. She also talked about green finance, blue finance and the importance of climate funds. She said her transition from being an executive at Nation...
Dec 08, 2023•19 min•Ep. 348
Climate talks often conjure up images of smokestacks, car exhaust, and even aviation contrails. There’s also the mental image of endless climate meetings hosted by prominent politicians and policymakers. But what about Big Tech? What about the companies that paved the way for post-industrial prosperity around the world? What about the companies that many consider the new power brokers. On this climate edition of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs talks to Kate Brandt, chief sustainabili...
Dec 07, 2023•16 min•Ep. 347
