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Forbes
23-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Small Language Models, Big Possibilities: The Future Of AI At The Edge
Iri Trashanski, Chief Strategy Officer at Ceva, is shaping the future of the Smart Edge with extensive experience across tech sectors. The AI landscape is taking a dramatic turn, as small language and multimodal models are approaching the capabilities of larger, cloud-based systems. This acceleration reflects a broader shift toward on-device intelligence. As the industry races toward AI that is local, fast, secure and power-efficient, the future is increasingly unfolding on the smallest, most resource-constrained devices at the very edge of the network. From wearables and smart speakers to industrial sensors and in-vehicle systems, the demand is growing for language-capable AI that can operate independently of the cloud. As small language models (SLMs) continue to improve, they are poised to play a key role in making language AI more accessible across a wide range of embedded applications. The New Edge Imperative Device makers are pushing to reduce latency, strengthen privacy, lower operational costs and design more sustainable products. All of these point to a shift away from cloud-reliant AI toward local processing. However, delivering meaningful AI performance in devices with tight power and memory budgets isn't easy. Traditional approaches fall short, and hardware like the $95,000 "desktop supercomputer," capable of running full large language models (LLMs) offline, while impressive, is cost- and energy-prohibitive for mass deployment. By contrast, SLMs running on ultra-efficient processors offer a practical and sustainable path forward. Breakthroughs like Microsoft's Phi, Google's Gemini Nano and open models like Mistral and Metalama are closing the performance gap rapidly. Some models—like Google's Gemma 3 and TinyLlama—are achieving remarkable results with only around one billion parameters, enabling summarization, translation and command interpretation directly on-device. Optimizations such as pruning, quantization and distillation further shrink their size and energy draw. These models are already running on consumer-grade chipsets, proving that lean, localized intelligence is ready for prime time. Bridging The Gap In Edge AI Deployment As someone working closely with global chipmakers and system designers, I see this trend as a strategic inflection point. The industry is shifting toward AI that is leaner, faster and embedded where decisions happen—where milliseconds matter, and where compute resources are tightly bound. As I attend events like Embedded World 2025, it has become clear that the appetite for intelligent edge solutions is growing faster than the infrastructure needed to support them. Device manufacturers want to bring AI to the edge—but face a fragmented ecosystem of silicon platforms, development tools and AI frameworks. Recent research shows that edge AI adoption is rapidly growing across industries. The global edge AI in smart devices market is forecast to exceed $385 billion by 2034, according to research. The challenge is how to bridge the gap between today's state-of-the-art models and tomorrow's real-world deployment requirements. This means ensuring models not only fit into the tight power and memory budgets of edge devices—but that they can be deployed easily, updated efficiently and scaled cost-effectively. Many device manufacturers are also struggling to bridge the 'last mile' of inference: ensuring models not only run locally but can be maintained, updated and scaled cost-effectively. Building Blocks For The Smart Edge To solve these challenges, organizations across the tech ecosystem—from global chipmakers and tool vendors to consumer device manufacturers—are coalescing around a shared vision: The smarter future of AI lies at the edge. This shift is fueled by increasing demands for real-time responsiveness, privacy-preserving data handling, lower latency and more sustainable compute alternatives—particularly in scenarios like wearables, automotive systems and industrial IoT. Recent surveys show that a majority of enterprises are either deploying edge AI or planning to do so imminently, reflecting how on-device inference has shifted from experimental to strategic realms. This momentum is supported by advancements across multiple fronts: edge-ready NPUs and accelerators embedded into devices, lightweight model formats like TensorFlow Lite and ONNX Runtime and hybrid cloud—edge architectures that offer flexibility and scale. As AI capabilities become leaner and more optimized, the value of real-time, intelligent inference at the device level is accelerating not just across verticals like automotive, consumer electronics and industrial systems, but as a foundational requirement for the next generation of smart, energy-efficient connectivity and interaction. The Real-World Challenges Of Deploying SLMs At The Edge Despite the excitement, several hurdles still need to be addressed before SLMs at the edge can reach mainstream adoption: • Model Compatibility And Scaling: Not all models can be easily pruned or quantized for edge deployment. Choosing the right architecture—and understanding trade-offs between size, latency and accuracy—is critical. • Ecosystem Fragmentation: Many edge hardware platforms are siloed with proprietary software development kits (SDKs). This lack of standardization increases complexity for developers and slows adoption. • Security And Update Infrastructure: Deploying and managing models on edge devices over time—e.g., via over-the-air (OTA) updates—requires robust, secure infrastructure. Democratizing Intelligence—And Sustainability—One Device At A Time Perhaps the most exciting outcome of the SLM revolution is that it levels the playing field. By removing the infrastructure barriers traditionally associated with AI, it allows startups, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and makers to embed meaningful intelligence in nearly any device. With tens of billions of connected devices already in use—spanning everything from thermostats to factory robots—the opportunity is vast. And local inference is more than just responsive—it's dramatically more energy efficient than cloud-based alternatives, supporting greener AI deployment strategies. AI doesn't need to be massive to be meaningful. Sometimes the most powerful intelligence is also the most efficient. As SLMs continue to evolve and hardware support becomes more ubiquitous, the smart edge will move from possibility to default. In the process, we'll unlock new classes of real-time, personalized and sustainable AI experiences—delivered not from distant data centers, but from the device in your hand, pocket or factory floor. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Zawya
22-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
UAE Q2 Real Estate Market Review: UAE's real estate continue to thrive in Q2 2025
Dubai – United Arab Emirates – CBRE Middle East, the global leader in commercial real estate services, released its latest edition of the UAE Real Estate Market Review for the second quarter of 2025, highlighting the resilient performance of the UAE's real estate market. The UAE's economy continues to demonstrate robust growth, with GDP projected to grow 5.1% in 2025, up from 3.8% in 2024. This positive trajectory is fueled by a rebound in oil production, strategic trade initiatives, and a thriving tourism sector, which saw a 7% year-on-year increase in international visitors to Dubai from January to May 2025. Investment in advanced technologies is also bolstering growth. While rising regional geopolitical tensions present potential downside risks, the UAE's market fundamentals remain strong. In a move to further support its residents and to further grow the real estate market, Dubai has launched a First-Time Home Buyer Program, offering incentives like preferential pricing and flexible payment options. This initiative aims to stimulate end-user demand and encourage homeownership. Office Market: Strong Demand, Limited Supply The Dubai office market remains strong, driven by tight supply and sustained demand, particularly from the Banking & Finance and Tech sectors. Average office rentals have increased significantly, rising by more than 20% year-on-year. Abu Dhabi's office market is also flourishing, attracting new international businesses. With near-full occupancy rates and rising rental rates, both markets reflect the strength of demand. Residential Market: Growth and Transformation Dubai's residential market shows continued growth in Q2, with property values rising nearly 14% annually to June 2025. While the market is becoming more segmented, with some communities showing stabilization, others, particularly premium areas, continue to experience significant appreciation, indicating market rebalancing. Abu Dhabi also saw strong performance, with average apartment values up 18% year-on-year and villa prices up nearly 14%. The first half of 2025 saw Dubai's residential sector experience a strong surge in transactional activity. Total transaction volumes surged by 23% year-on-year, supported by strong off-plan sales. The total value of residential sales reached AED 270 billion. The UAE is poised to attract a record number of millionaire migrants in 2025, fueling demand, particularly in the luxury and off-plan sectors. Hospitality & Retail: Thriving Sectors The UAE's tourism sector is a key driver of economic diversification, projected to contribute AED 267.5 billion to GDP in 2025. Dubai leads the way with strong increases in international visitors and hotel performance. The retail market is also demonstrating resilience, with sustained demand and rising rents. New market entrants, like Primark, and the expansion of Dubai's social gaming scene with venues like BrewDog and Kapitol, point to ongoing dynamism. Industrial Market: Resilience and Growth The UAE's industrial market is attracting increasing investments, with a positive outlook for manufacturing and related activities. Strong rental growth and high occupancy rates indicate a landlord-favored market. The growing interest from global investors suggests potential for future development and a more liquid investment market in Grade A logistics assets. Matthew Green, Head of Research MENA comments: 'The diverse nature of the UAE's economy, coupled with its forward-thinking policies, remains a key driver of our real estate market. We anticipate continued growth across multiple sectors through the remainder of the year, as the country continues to attract an increasing number of high-net-worth individuals.". About CBRE Group, Inc. CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world's largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2024 revenue). The company has more than 140,000 employees (including Turner & Townsend employees) serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves a diverse range of clients with an integrated suite of services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at
