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MENA IT Spending Set To Reach $230.7 Billion By 2025, Driven By AI, Cloud, And Data Center Investments

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

January 20, 2025

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is poised for substantial growth in IT spending, with projections indicating a rise to $230.7 billion in 2025, a 7.4 percent increase from 2024. According to Gartner’s latest forecast, this growth is largely attributed to heightened investments from both governments and private sector enterprises, all aiming to position the region as a global leader in AI innovation. Critical to these advancements are strong cybersecurity measures and the adoption of cloud platforms, essential for building a flexible and scalable infrastructure.

Investments In Research, Development, And AI

Local organizations across MENA are ramping up investments in research and development to foster new business models, enhance customer experiences, and develop a competitive, skilled workforce for the global stage. These strategic investments are driving the surge in IT spending. Among the standout sectors, data center systems are expected to lead the pack with the highest annual growth rate, projected at an impressive 14.9 percent in 2025. This surge is propelled by the growing demand for AI adoption, cloud services, and an increased need for data storage and processing capabilities.

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As organizations continue to embrace AI and cloud-based solutions, several major hyper-scalers are investing heavily in data center systems, which will be crucial for delivering sustainable, scalable AI-powered cloud infrastructures. These efforts will further accelerate the growth of the data center segment.

Software Investments Driven By Generative AI

The software sector is also set to see significant growth, with a 13.7 percent increase expected in 2025. This surge is largely fueled by a focus on generative AI (GenAI) applications. CIOs in the region are directing their investments toward digital workplace enhancements, improving customer experiences, and boosting the quality of products and services. The integration of GenAI, cloud services, and cybersecurity is empowering organizations to innovate more quickly while ensuring that these advancements are secure.

Starting in 2025, CIOs are anticipated to adopt a more strategic approach to their GenAI projects, leveraging lessons learned from previous trials to better address challenges related to data management and the balance between costs and value. To achieve success, they must align business outcomes with their organizational priorities, focusing on data and analytics (D&A) and AI literacy to move from theoretical knowledge to practical application. This approach will maximize the return on their GenAI investments, ensuring sustained innovation and competitive advantage.

Forecast Methodology

Gartner’s IT spending forecast methodology is rooted in rigorous analysis of sales data from over 1,000 vendors across all categories of IT products and services. This comprehensive outlook provides valuable insights into spending patterns across hardware, software, IT services, and telecommunications, helping businesses identify emerging market opportunities and navigate potential challenges.

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Apple Honors Indie Innovators in WWDC 2025 Design Awards

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

June 4, 2025

Celebrating Design Excellence

As anticipation builds for the Worldwide Developer Conference 2025, Apple has officially announced the winners and finalists of its prestigious 2025 Design Awards. In a notable departure from current industry trends, the awards notably exclude generative AI apps for a second consecutive year, instead spotlighting indie apps and startups that utilize Apple’s tools to create exceptional user experiences.

Spotlight on Standout Categories

Apple recognized 12 outstanding entries—one app and one game from each of six carefully curated categories: Delight And Fun, Innovation, Interaction, Inclusivity, Social Impact, and Visuals And Graphics. This year’s roster features a diverse array of projects from emerging developers around the world, highlighting the company’s commitment to nurturing global creativity.

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Recognizing Functional Impact

In the Social Impact category, Watch Duty: Wildfire Maps garnered acclaim for its role in disseminating critical information during the California wildfires. Meanwhile, the Innovation category saw the triumph of the M13-backed prototyping tool Play, which demonstrates how modern app development is evolving by simplifying the process of sharing interactive prototypes through App Clips.

Notable Mentions

While AI-centric apps were not in the spotlight this year, Apple did acknowledge select apps leveraging AI technology. Notably, Speechify earned recognition in the Inclusivity category, and music creation app Moises, lauded for both its editing and creative capabilities, further underscores the potential of integrated AI features when blended with a robust platform.

A Comprehensive List of Honorees

The full roster includes:

Delight And Fun: Capwords; Balatro
Inclusivity: Speechify; Art Of Fauna
Innovation: Play; PBJ — The Musical
Interaction: Taobao; DREDGE
Social Impact: Watch Duty: Wildfire Maps; Neva
Visuals And Graphics: Feather: Draw In 3D; Infinity Nikki

A Forward-Looking Perspective

Apple’s strategic focus on how developers harness its design tools over trending technologies such as generative AI points to a broader industry narrative—one where enduring design principles and user-centric utility remain at the forefront of technological evolution. As innovation continues to drive the app ecosystem, the WWDC 2025 Design Awards serve as an indicator of where truly transformative experiences are being forged.