GITEX Global 2025: The Pulse of Tech in Dubai

The 45th edition of GITEX Global, running from October 13 to 17 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (with auxiliary venues), is in full swing.

This year’s show is breaking records: around 6,800 exhibitors from over 180 countries, with massive crowds filling the halls and conference stages. The energy is palpable — and the UAE is clearly staking its position as a global tech hub.

Here’s what’s happening on the ground today.

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Key Themes & Highlights

1. AI, Sovereign Tech & National Scale Infrastructure

Artificial Intelligence is dominating nearly every conversation. From sovereign AI frameworks to compute infrastructure, the discussion is no longer about if but how fast and with what governance.

On Day 2, “nation-scale AI & computing power” was a central motif.

2. Smart Mobility, Autonomous Systems & Robotics

Dubai RTA is revealing projects including an AI-powered “trackless tram” and other smart mobility innovations.

A standout demonstration: the Tensor Robocar, touted as a Level-4 autonomous vehicle for personal use.

Robots are walking among visitors — humanoid assistants, climbing machines, and interactive automation are common sights.

3. Public Safety, Surveillance & Smart Governance

Dubai Police and security bodies are unveiling AI-powered patrol cars and Smart Police Stations that operate with reduced human intervention.

New systems to detect visa or residency violations in real time via AI are being introduced.

The city also launched a fully autonomous Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) that uses live video and AI to identify traffic violations without human operators.

These spotlight how the UAE is applying advanced tech in public sectors — which raises important questions about privacy, regulation, ethics, and societal trade-offs.

4. Cybersecurity, Trust & Digital Threats

With all this tech, security is front and center.

The Cyber Valley zone is one of the biggest draws, tackling themes of cybersecurity in the AI era.

Companies like Sophos are showcasing AI-driven MDR (Managed Detection & Response) solutions.

OPSWAT is unveiling interactive cyber labs and red team capabilities to illustrate real-world vulnerabilities.

Help AG is positioning itself as a global cyber force, aligning with UAE’s national AI and security ambitions.

5. Startups, Nations, and Global Participation

The Kerala IT Pavilion (India) launched with 28 firms across data, AI, DevOps, ERP, cloud tech.

Pakistan is using the event to spotlight a 20% year-on-year jump in IT exports, and to present itself as an emerging tech player.

Sharjah is showing its digital vision with state-level participation.

Big brands like Huawei are also deeply present, promoting their AI-driven solutions and next-generation systems.

Alibaba Cloud is launching a second data center in Dubai—a show of faith in the region’s digital ambitions.

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On-the-Ground Impressions & Challenges

Walking through the halls today, some observations stand out:

Scale & scope: The sheer size can be overwhelming. Multiple halls, many parallel tracks, and a mixture of national pavilions, startup zones, government tech, and enterprise showcases.

Contrast of ambition vs. maturity: Many concepts are futuristic or at prototype stage, so the gulf between vision and deployment is visible.

Crowd management & logistics: With such volumes, navigation, transport, and session scheduling require careful planning.

Ethical, regulatory gaps: As governments showcase surveillance, AI in law enforcement, autonomously operating systems, etc., there's palpable tension around data protection, accountability, oversight.

Opportunity and risk: For regional innovators, GITEX offers visibility, partnerships, and access to capital. But the field is highly competitive — differentiation matters.

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What to Watch for Next

1. Major announcements / deals — whether governments or large enterprises commit to AI infrastructure, data centers, or smart city programs.

2. Real deployments vs. demos — which technologies move from showcase to real-world scale in the UAE (or region).

3. Regulatory & governance frameworks — as more nations roll out surveillance, AI policing, and autonomous systems, legal guardrails will be critical.

4. Startups breaking out — which small companies attract funding or partnership as standouts in the crowd.

5. Cross-border collaboration & competition — how global tech powers (US, China, Europe) compete or cooperate with Gulf / UAE ambitions.