Imagine&: the AI that captures the soul of Emirati culture at GITEX 2025 🇦🇪🤖

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At GITEX Global 2025 in Dubai, tech group e& unveiled its latest generative AI platform, Imagine& — a system designed to produce visuals that authentically reflect the cultural identity of the United Arab Emirates.
It’s a direct response to the shortcomings of international AI models, which often portray the region through generic or stereotypical imagery.

An AI that truly understands local culture 🏜️

While most visual AI tools still churn out predictable scenes of deserts, camels, and dunes, Imagine& was trained on authentic Emirati cultural references.
It can generate everything from traditional clothing and local festivities to Dubai’s futuristic skylines and modern Islamic architecture.

But Imagine& isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about identity. The platform is meant to serve as a cultural storytelling tool for creators, educators, institutions, and brands looking to produce visuals that stay faithful to the local context, free from distortion or unintentional Western bias.

Built on UAE’s technological foundations 🇦🇪

With Imagine&, e& aligns itself with the UAE’s national strategy of blending innovation with cultural preservation. The platform embodies a new wave of “contextualized” AI — one that prioritizes alignment with local values and identities as much as technical performance.

Already operating across 38 markets, e& is strengthening its leadership in responsible AI by integrating cultural diversity into its innovation roadmap. The company’s approach highlights that advanced technology doesn’t have to come at the expense of cultural authenticity.

The end of “one-size-fits-all” AI 🌐

By launching Imagine&, e& is staking out a strategic position against tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Midjourney. While these companies dominate in scale and performance, they often fall short when it comes to cultural accuracy and local nuance.
The timing is no coincidence — countries such as Saudi Arabia, India, and South Korea are also investing in their own “national” AI systems.

The global AI market is shifting toward sovereign and localized models — systems tuned to specific languages, cultures, and policies. In that sense, Imagine& isn’t just a tech product; it’s a geopolitical statement.
The era of universal AI models may be nearing its cultural limits.

About e& 🤔

Formerly known as Etisalat, e& has evolved into a global technology group operating in 38 countries. Its portfolio spans telecommunications, fintech, entertainment, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things.
In 2024, e& reported AED 59.2 billion in revenue and AED 10.8 billion in net profit, reinforcing its status as one of the most powerful tech players in the region.

👉🏾 Do you think AI should adapt to local cultures — or remain universal for everyone?