At GITEX 2024, Peter Oganesean, Managing Director of HP Middle East and East Africa, discussed the opportunities AI will bring and how it will provide more personalised experiences for end-users.
With hybrid work being the new normal, how is HP positioning itself as a leader in providing solutions that enable seamless collaboration for both businesses and employees?
At HP, we actively engage with our customers to understand their evolving expectations in today’s hybrid work landscape. They still seek the same seamless, high-performance experience they were accustomed to before the pandemic, but now expect to be equally productive and creative from any location — whether it’s a home office, a coffee shop, or a corporate workspace.
Understanding these evolving expectations, we aim to design solutions and services that empower our customers to work productively and creatively from any location their employees prefer, all while maintaining the same high level of security.
How does HP’s growth strategy align with the UAE’s wider ambitions and what key areas are you focusing on to accelerate business expansion in this market?
The UAE is recognised globally as a leader in technology and innovation, with AI driving a new era of productivity, creativity and personalisation. AI is transforming how technology enhances customer experiences, especially around productivity, collaboration and creativity.
We have incorporated AI into many of our products and continue to push innovation forward. Our latest PCs, like the HP EliteBook X — a powerful next-gen AI business notebook — and the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip — HP’s first two-in-one next-gen AI PC — feature ‘AI on the Edge’, allowing applications to run directly on the device without requiring an Internet connection. This approach reduces costs, accelerates processes and transforms the computer into a personalised, highly responsive companion.
Gaming has seen immense growth in the Middle East. How is HP responding to this surge and what role does the company’s portfolio play in capitalising on this opportunity?
We launched the OMEN gaming PC over a decade ago, recognising that gaming extends beyond hardware to encompass an entire ecosystem. We have also expanded our portfolio by acquiring HyperX, a leader in gaming peripherals, and integrating it with our OMEN hardware. Not too long ago, we introduced powerful and portable OMEN Transcend 14 and 16 laptops. Together with HyperX, we now offer a comprehensive, end-to-end gaming experience for gaming enthusiasts.
In the Middle East, gaming is much more than a solitary pastime – it is a form of community and a way for people to connect. The UAE is experiencing a surge in the popularity of online games, with a growing number of players embracing Virtual Reality technology for immersive gaming experiences. Evidently, the online games market in the country is projected to reach a revenue of US$50.60 million this year. Understanding this, we have made it a key component of our sustainability strategy. We have developed the Professional Certificate programme in Esports Management, Game Design and Programming together with edX, a leading global online learning platform.
Available in English and Arabic, the programme includes over to 82 modules, in 12 languages – including Arabic – designed to support Middle Eastern students, gaming enthusiasts and technology aficionados. This free online platform promotes a vibrant gaming ecosystem, accessible to anyone eager to explore and understand the gaming world.
How is HP making AI accessible to all, through its products and solutions?
AI is one of the biggest drivers of IT transformation, unlocking both productivity gains and a wealth of creative opportunity. In this shift, personalisation plays a crucial role. According to our recently released Work Relationship Index Report, it was highlighted that only 28% of employees feel their relationship with work is healthy, leaving 72% facing challenges. Delving deeper, we see that personalisation is a crucial element employees are looking for, with many seeing AI as the answer. Respondents also view AI as a significant contributor to their career growth, underscoring the importance of making AI products accessible to all our customers in the region.
