Microsoft, GMIS to fast-track digital manufacturing


The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) and Microsoft have partnered to help digitally transform the manufacturing sector by harnessing the power of AI, cloud technologies, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) and Microsoft have partnered to help digitally transform the manufacturing sector by harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud technologies, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
 
The partnership will explore end-to-end manufacturing solutions in the digital era, including capabilities that seamlessly connect people, assets, workflow, and business processes, empowering organisations to be more resilient. It will also highlight security, as investments are increasingly being made in building risk management and compliance solutions.
 
As a strategic partner to the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, Microsoft will participate in the fourth edition of the Summit (#GMIS2021) to share best practices as a global leader in digital transformation and cloud computing to support organisations in upgrading their businesses, increasing their productivity, driving innovation, and evolving ecosystems.
 
Sayed Hashish, General Manager of Microsoft UAE, said: “The rapid transition to remote work caused a spike in adoption of cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools. Manufacturing companies have been gradually moving toward data-driven automation, IoT, machine learning and AI, and 2020 has shown just how critical those capabilities are. At Microsoft, we are fully committed to empowering manufacturers in making these transitions to digital, through cutting edge offerings such as Microsoft Cloud for Manufacturing as well as our focus on research through initiatives such as Manufacturing Core, which focuses on innovative ideas and technological solutions to make manufacturing more efficient and competitive.”
 
Following the launch of its data centres in June 2019, Microsoft has accelerated digital transformation in numerous ways in the UAE. The availability of local cloud regions has enabled every organisation to address data residency and governance requirements, while cloud regions, based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, have accelerated the UAE’s digital agendas by enabling job creation, entrepreneurship and economic growth across the country and the wider region. The spread of cloud computing would not be possible without data centres, which store and connect vast amounts of data points around the globe.
 
A pre-pandemic study by PwC has revealed that 91% of industrial companies are investing in digital factories, but only 6% of all respondents describe their factories as “fully digitised”. 
 
However, the potential opportunity is immense, with an expected annual growth rate of 17.9%, the cloud computing market is projected to reach $791.48 billion by 2028. As companies around the world continue to transition from remote work to hybrid solutions, security remains a number one concern that can be addressed through a comprehensive cloud security strategy before transitioning to cloud services.
 
#GMIS2021 will explore the significance of digital transformation as a springboard to prosperity, as well as industrialisation in a post-pandemic world and the role of digital technologies amid the challenges and opportunities within the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 
 
The Summit will organise a special session on digital mobility, with a focus on the shift from working from home to working from anywhere.  
 
Badr Al-Olama, Head of the GMIS Organising Committee said: “Cloud storage and file-sharing services are increasingly offering tremendous value to enterprises as they bring flexibility, scalability and cost savings. In an ever-changing digital landscape, such technological advancements are crucial. We are delighted to welcome Microsoft as a partner and look forward to jointly highlight solutions and opportunities in the field for businesses to continue to grow in a safe and digitally-savvy environment.”
 
#GMIS2021 was part of the six-day GMIS Week that runs from November 22 to 27. The GMIS Week includes the Global Prosperity Conference and the Green Chain Conference exploring alternative and renewable energy on 24 November, and country-focused conferences in partnership with the UK, Australia, and Italy on  November 24 and 25. Throughout the week, the Summit is also running an exhibition to highlight the UAE government’s ‘Make it in the Emirates’ campaign, a first-of-its-kind initiative to encourage local and international investors, developers and innovators to benefit from the facilities and incentives offered by the country’s industrial sector.--TradeArabia News Service