DUBAI: GITEX Global 2024, the world's largest tech and startup event, prominently featured 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the cornerstone of future technological advancements in connectivity. The event, named Intelligent Connectivity, focused on the integration of 5G and AI in creating a hyperconnected world and featured exhibits and discussions from global tech leaders. According to Emirates News Agency, the event showcased discussions and exhibits from major players like eand, Huawei, Nokia, and NTT Research, who demonstrated their latest 5G solutions and discussed the future impact of this technology on various sectors. Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer at eand, emphasized the importance of 5G and 5G-Advanced networks in facilitating innovative applications and enhancing network capabilities to meet evolving demands. The event also highlighted significant predictions by GSMA, which forecasts that 1.4 billion devices will be linked to 5G by 2025, contributing to a US$1.1 tri llion IoT market within a $3.9 trillion mobile economy. Such growth is expected to transform industries by enabling new use cases and improving efficiencies through enhanced connectivity. Furthermore, the program featured influential voices from around the globe, including Wang Hui from Huawei China and Thomas Lamanauskas from ITU Switzerland. They discussed the transformative potential of unified data, AI, and cloud computing in supporting rapid, low-latency communications essential for advanced applications, including autonomous vehicles and AI-driven health services. The integration of 5G in mobility was a key topic, with Siyuan Liu from China Unicom Global discussing the acceleration of AI and vehicle connectivity. This technology is pivotal in advancing the development of autonomous vehicles, which are expected to enhance decision-making, transportation efficiency, and safety. The event was not only about discussions but also about real-world applications and collaborations. eand announced a partnersh ip with Vodafone Business IoT to bring enhanced digital services and in-vehicle connectivity to Mercedes-Benz drivers in the UAE by mid-2025. Additionally, eand showcased the Nissan Hyper-Force, an all-electric supercar equipped with eand UAE 5G SIM cards, and launched human-digital advisors using hologram and AI technology aimed at meeting the diverse cultural needs of telecom customers in the UAE. GITEX Global 2024 successfully positioned itself as a pivotal platform for exploring and understanding the future of connectivity and digital transformation, emphasizing the role of 5G and AI in shaping a connected and technologically advanced future.