Watch: Digital Dubai launches AI-powered 'Emirati Family', unveils first member
Designed as an interactive digital interface, the AI-powered family represents Emirati society and reflects its values and aspirations. It also supports Dubai's vision of a smarter, more sustainable future.
Digital Dubai introduced the project with the unveiling of the first member of the virtual family, 'The Girl', who made her debut in a short video shared across social media platforms. Dressed in traditional Emirati attire with a modern twist, the character is designed to be warm and approachable, especially for children and families, encouraging dialogue around technology, AI, and digital services.
As part of efforts to encourage community participation, the character invited the public to help select her name from three options: 'Dubai', 'Mira', or 'Latifa'. The project will soon introduce additional members of the virtual family, including the father, mother, and brother, forming a complete digital representation of an Emirati household.
Digital Dubai launches the first virtual Emirati family built using AI, that represents our identity, speaks various languages, and connects with all segments of society across ages and cultures. It�s a step toward building a more community-centered and impactful approach towards� pic.twitter.com/srHWGoLh7E
— Digital Dubai دبÙ� اÙ�رÙ�Ù�Ù�Ø© (@DigitalDubai) July 31, 2025
Powered by AI and advanced data technologies, the family will deliver engaging and educational messages about Dubai's digital services in a light and relatable manner for all segments of society.
The initiative seeks to raise awareness of Dubai's advanced digital services by promoting the concept of digital life through an interactive, human-centred approach. It is designed to engage people of all ages, cultures, nationalities, and languages, through virtual characters inspired by Emirati identity and cultural values.
Aligned with Digital Dubai's vision, the initiative supports the development of modern, AI-powered communication tools that reflect Emirati values while engaging new generations in their preferred digital language and style.
Digital Dubai envisions these virtual characters as a relatable voice and an engaging bridge to raise awareness of digital services in an amusing, interactive, and meaningful way.
The initiative supports Digital Dubai's broader goals of building a future where digital innovation enhances quality of life, promotes human well-being, and reinforces Dubai's position as a global leader in all aspects of digital living — including innovative methods of community engagement. Through this effort, Digital Dubai seeks to harness the power of AI to create a more resilient and people-centric digital future.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
12 minutes ago
- Zawya
Europe's old power plants to get digital makeover driven by AI boom
PARIS - Some of Europe's ageing coal and gas fired power plants can look forward to a more high-tech future as big tech players, such as Microsoft and Amazon, seek to repurpose them as data centres, with ready-made access to power and water. Companies such as France's Engie, Germany's RWE, and Italy's Enel are looking to benefit from a surge in AI-driven energy demand by converting old power sites into data centres and securing lucrative long-term power supply deals with their operators. The data centre option offers the utilities a way to offset the hefty costs of shutting down ageing power plants as well as potentially underwriting future renewable developments. Tech companies see these sites as a quick way to secure power grid connections and water cooling facilities, two big bottlenecks in the AI industry. "You have all the pieces that come together like ... water infrastructure and heat recovery," said Bobby Hollis, vice president for energy at Microsoft. Lindsay McQuade, EMEA energy director at Amazon , said she expected permitting for data centres to move faster at old sites, where a big chunk of infrastructure was already in place. Utilities can either lease the land or build and operate the centres themselves, securing long-term power contracts with tech firms, he said. The deals offer much more than just the sale of unused land as they include opportunities for stable, high-margin revenue, said Simon Stanton, head of Global Partnerships and Transactions at RWE. "It's more about the long-term relationship, the business relationship that you get over time that enables you to de-risk and underwrite your infrastructure investments," Stanton said. Most of EU's and Britain's 153 hard coal and lignite plants are set to close by 2038 to meet climate targets, joining the 190 plants that have closed since 2005, based on data from NGO Beyond Fossil Fuels, which campaigns to accelerate closure of coal-fired power stations. NEW REVENUE STREAMS The economics of data centre deals can be compelling for the utilities, which can negotiate a long-term power supply contract to underwrite future renewable developments. Tech firms are paying premiums of up to 20 euros per megawatt-hour for low-carbon power, said Gregory LeBourg, environmental program director at French data centre operator OVH. Data centre power demands can be anywhere from a couple hundred megawatts to a gigawatt or more. So the annual 'green premium' - the extra price paid for low-carbon electricity - on top of a base market price could potentially translate into a long-term contract worth hundreds of millions or even billions of euros, based on Reuters' calculations. One long-term option is to build an "energy park" and connect the data centre to a new renewable development, relying on the grid for emergencies, but this is a relatively new concept, industry sources said. Engie wants to double its installed renewable energy by 2030 from the current 46 GW. The group has identified 40 sites globally that it is marketing to data centre developers, including coal and gas plants that could be converted, said Sebastien Arbola, who runs the company's data centre business. One is the Hazelwood coal plant in Australia, which closed in 2017. He declined to disclose details of other sites, saying they are mostly in Europe. Other utilities, including Portugal's EDP, EDF, and Enel said they are also marketing old gas and coal sites for new data centre development. "It's business model diversification," said Michael Kruse, managing partner at consultancy Arthur D. Little. Utilities are creating a new type of business and also new revenue streams, he said. 'SPEED TO POWER' The appeal for tech companies is speed. Grid connection delays in Europe can stretch over a decade, while repurposed plants potentially offer speedier access to power and water. "You actually have the opportunity to move faster," said Hollis at Microsoft. Data centre capacity in Europe is much lower than the United States and Asia due to longer grid connection times and slower permitting, data from Synergy Research Group showed. The data centre operators can choose to buy the renewable power they need directly from the utilities in the form of long-term contracts or purchase from the power market. Real estate firm JLL is working on several conversions, including a 2.5 GW data centre at a former German coal plant and four sites in Britain for a major tech client, said Tom Glover, who works on data centre transactions at JLL. Developers do not often disclose more detail about data centre projects, including their clients, for security reasons. Britain's Drax is also seeking a partner to develop unused parts of an old coal site in Yorkshire, now partially converted to biomass. It offers access to unused water cooling equipment, said Richard Gwilliam, Drax's carbon programme director. Drax is offering a "behind-the-meter" deal where the power plant will provide direct power to the data centre and it can pull from the grid if necessary. EDF has also chosen developers for two sites at gas power plants in central and eastern France. Tech companies are willing to pay more for projects that can start up sooner as they vie for market share in a rapidly growing industry, said Sam Huntington, director of research at S&P Global Commodity Insights. "Speed to power is just the phrase we keep hearing over and over again," he said. (Reporting by Forrest Crellin in Paris; additional reporting by Leo Marchandon in Gdansk, Francesca Landini in Milan; editing by Nina Chestney, Dominique Patton and Jane Merriman)
The National
42 minutes ago
- The National
Filipino boy band SB19 to return to Dubai in October
Top Filipino boy band SB19 will return for a show at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena on October 11. The five-member group, comprising Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken and Justin, last performed in the city in April last year at The Agenda. Known for their high-energy shows and slick choreography, SB19 are currently one of the most popular acts to emerge from Southeast Asia. Trailblazers of P-Pop or Pinoy Pop, their blend of modern pop, hip-hop and electronic music, infused with Filipino identity, has earned them fans worldwide. Formed in 2016, the group released their first single in 2018 but found fame after their 2019 track Go Up went viral. In 2021, they became the first Filipino act to be nominated for a Billboard Music Award, and their hit single Bazinga spent seven weeks at No 1 on Billboard's Hot Trending Songs chart. The song surpassed BTS's hit single Butter, which previously held the record at six weeks. Speaking to The National last year, group member Pablo explained why their music strikes an emotional chord with their fan base. 'I don't think there is any real difference between Pinoy Pop, K-pop and pop music in general. But I think that it has a personal and emotional quality to it because we travel the world and play to many Filipinos,' he said. 'They know, even more than us, what it means to be away from home and missing your family. So when we perform these universal songs, some of them happy and others sad, they connect because they relate to us.' In 2023, SB19 broke away from their label, ShowBT, and founded their own label, 1Z Entertainment, telling The National they hope to have more creative freedom over their music but also to help other musicians in the country be successful, too. 'Our main goal is to contribute to the Philippine music industry and help make Filipino music more recognised globally,' member Ken said. 'Also, to uplift and inspire people. We established 1Z Entertainment for these reasons.' Most recently, they released the EP, Simula at Wakas, whose lead single Dam debuted at No 1 on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart. Presale tickets will be available from Thursday at 12pm UAE time with the general sale starting on Friday at 12pm on Coca-Cola Arena's website.
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Zain KSA publishes 2024 sustainability report
Riyadh: Zain KSA, leading telecom and digital services provider, continues to chart a path toward a brighter future for all. The Company has published its 2024 sustainability report under the theme 'Toward a Wonderful Sustainable Tomorrow,' capturing a year of environmental and social initiatives and achievements. The report echoes Zain KSA's commitment to embedding sustainability across all aspects of its operations, from network infrastructure and digital solutions to human capability development and community engagement. The report reflects a holistic approach that balances economic growth, innovative thinking, responsible environmental stewardship, and effective governance. The 2024 report underscores the full alignment of Zain KSA's sustainability strategy with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also highlights the company's achievements across the four strategic pillars of its corporate sustainability framework: Climate Change, Operating Responsibly, Inclusion, and Generation Youth. Zain KSA CEO Eng. Saad bin Abdulrahman AlSadhan commented, 'Sustainability is not just a commitment, it is the vision that guides everything we do. We bring this vision to life through innovative digital solutions that create meaningful value for our communities, our environment, and our economy. Our approach is grounded in the firm belief that inclusive growth is vital to building a vibrant, resilient society. And this is why people remain the focus of all our efforts and our commitment to creating a lasting impact, uplifting lives, fostering prosperity, and fulfilling our role in advancing the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. The 2024 report represents a pivotal step forward in our sustainability journey, anchored in sustaining innovation and in a comprehensive strategy that embeds environmental and social responsibility into our business model. This vision drives us to deliver real, tangible benefits in every aspect of our operations. The initiatives and programs we have implemented reflect our deep conviction that sustainability is an ongoing journey and a way of work that harnesses innovation to serve humanity and protect our planet. Looking forward, we remain firmly committed to this mission and to fulfilling our part in shaping a strong, inclusive digital future for all.' To view the full Sustainability Impact Report, click here:
