Due to its strategic location, the GCC region has an excellent ability to connect the East to the West, and the implications of this in light of current market situations was discussed heavily on stage in 2024. This is including more countries than ever before, with Iraq coming specifically into focus and many other markets contributing to the improvement in Middle Eastern digital infrastructure, and the potential of areas such as gaming, sustainable operations, and an unstoppable data centre boom all got lots of airtime.

How will generative AI alter the tech industry? 

A fireside chat on this topic occupied prime position on the agenda -but the topic of generative AI was never far away from being brought up across the three days. The general attitude to GenAI, particularly LLMs, was multifaceted - clear-headedness on the requirement to build out DC and transport capacity for the new data flows, excitement about the revenue potential, and also optimism on how AI can work with network automation to turn operators into leaner, more efficient, and more profitable organisations.

Is current route diversity redrawing the Middle East cable map? 

The short answer to this question, the title of a keynote panel discussion at Capacity Middle East 2024, is 'yes and no'. The Red Sea and Suez route is still a vital part of global connectivity and that is not going to change any time soon, but delegates heard about new cable projects across multiple new routes, including to and through Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan and others.