WIRED Middle East

As WIRED Middle East turns 5, we reflect on an intense, emotional, and transformative journey. In a region tackling immense challenges, we celebrate incredible strides in technology and innovation. This milestone issue is a testament to the region's ingenuity, featuring surreal moments like teaming up with Ameca, one of the world’s most advanced humanoids, to bake a cake for us (yes, really!). We’ve explored how Saudi Arabia is leading the charge in tech and healthcare, with groundbreaking robotic surgeries and advancements like immersive VR enabling virtual Hajj journeys—technology shaping lives in unprecedented ways. From AI assistants seamlessly integrating into modern life to the booming food tech scene, the future is unfolding right before our eyes. Here’s to five years of storytelling, and to the limitless potential of this remarkable region. Join us as we continue exploring and celebrating its groundbreaking ingenuity. Click to read more. https://lnkd.in/gVfvkxwx

Add 2 cups of almond flour, 1 cup of diced dates… Can a humanoid bake a cake? This month, WIRED Middle East challenged humanoid Ameca to create a recipe and bake a cake rooted in the Middle East. The result? A recipe that blends regional flavors—think dates and camel’s milk—with WIRED’s innovative spirit. Watch as tech meets taste in WAIYS lab in Germany and check out how Ameca creates a recipe using a combination of large language models. Press play!

This month, after developing a cake recipe with ingredients native to the Middle East and baking it, Ameca also created a special song with key words based on Wired’s mission. Dr. Jens Struckmeier, the cofounder of WAIYS’S, the company behind the humanoid, breaks down the process: “Ameca interacts with the user, gathering insights about their interests or preferences for the song. This information is then summarized and sent to the SUNO song generator via the internet. SUNO creates the song in real-time and sends it back to Ameca and our AI system.” He adds, “The AI we developed for Ameca separates the vocal performance and converts it into synchronized mouth movements and voice output, while the instrumental music is directed to the stage loudspeakers. That’s why the voice appears to come from Ameca.” The result? A mesmerizing, tech-powered performance!

Meet Ameca, the humanoid robot created by Engineered Arts and programmed by the AI solution provider WAIYS. This one-of-a-kind humanoid drew crowds at GITEX Dubai with its realistic expressions and real-time voice interactions. Collaborating with WAIYS in Germany, WIRED Middle East asked Ameca to create a cake recipe that blends regional flavors with WIRED’s innovative style. Ameca didn’t fail us—it created a delicious cake while singing a customized birthday song to celebrate our fifth anniversary. Learn about how Ameca did it at the 🔗 below. https://lnkd.in/gRp8xeAN

WIRED Middle East turns 5! As we reach our fifth anniversary, we find ourselves reflecting on what has been an intense, emotional, and transformative time. Because a real celebration deserves a proper cake, we asked Ameca, one of the world’s most advanced humanoids presented at this year’s Gitex Dubai, to create the recipe (camel milk and dates included), and bake our birthday anniversary cake, diving into the widespread adoption of AI assistants in our modern life. In this special issue, we delve into how Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of innovation, performing the world’s first-ever robotic heart surgery. We also look into how VR is enabling virtual Hajj journeys, allowing access to pilgrims without the need for physical presence. Here’s to five years of storytelling and the boundless potential of this remarkable region. Join us as we continue to explore and celebrate its groundbreaking ingenuity. Tap the 🔗 in bio to read more Photography: Carsten Beier Art director: @Nadiam Managing editor: @Kahiln Creative producer: @beyabouharb Senior Lead AI developer: Dr. Jakub Fil Special thanks: WAIYS GmbH, Germany; Waiys AS, Norway; Engineered Arts, UK

Studio newtab-22, founded by designers Hyein Choi and Jihee Moon, transforms discarded seashells—a massive byproduct of the seafood industry—into Sea Stone, a sustainable alternative to natural stone. With over 7 million tons of shells wasted annually, this innovative material mimics limestone, crafted using non-toxic binders and less energy than traditional stone processing. Durable, terrazzo-like, and eco-friendly, Sea Stone reduces landfill waste while giving aquafarm towns a breath of fresh air. Read about newtab-22's journey from South Korea to Dubai at the 🔗 below.

Nadim Safieddine is a name synonymous with film and TV reviews in the Middle East. As the founder of Nad's Reviews, the first website in the region dedicated to detailed analysis of movies and series, Safieddine has built a thriving community of around 500,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram, Youtube and his website. His journey is not just about critiquing content but also about leveraging his platform to grow regional film and TV. Click to read about the inspiring story of Safieddine.

Tis the season to splurge on our loved ones, and we have compiled the perfect holiday buying guide for the tech-savvy women who like a mixture of functionality in all gadgets they own. From the crowd-favorite Dyson to an automatic turntable. Head to the link below for WIRED Middle East’s top selections.

As we wrap up this eventful year, WIRED Middle East has curated a list of essential gadgets—from compact items that enhance your lifestyle to devices that improve your work and life efficiency—for the coming holiday season. If you missed our WIRED Tries series, where we review the latest gadgets of the year, here is your opportunity to familiarize yourself with the consumer tech trends of 2024. In this buying guide for the holiday season, we have assembled some of the best gift ideas for the tech-savvy men in your life—or for yourself. Stay tuned for our gift ideas for HER and the LITTLE ONES! Click to read the full list.

At some point, you might start noticing that you've been using #AI chatbots more often than your old search engine. They explain quantum computing in three lines, summarize long meeting transcripts in less than ten seconds, create travel itineraries to #Corsica, come up with a gift idea list for your 3-year-old nephew… The question is: How practical are these AI devices and to what extent can they replace phones and usher in a new phase of personal devices? Click to read more.