Here is why it's difficult to anticipate how AI will impact Mena

Careem, Chapter Two 
At Wamda's fourth annual investor meeting, Careem co-founder Magnus Olsson talked about the company's evolution into a "tech platform", having introduced Careem NOW and their payment solution Careem Pay. 
Watch his fireside chat with Wamda executive chairman Fadi Ghandour.

The youth of the Arab world are becoming far more comfortable with making purchases online, with 71% of those aged 18-24 having shopped online either monthly or less frequently, a growth of 18% from last year. 

Given the region's unique problems including a high youth unemployment rate, a wide gender gap and a bloated public sector, it is difficult to anticipate how AI will impact Mena. If data is the new oil, then is AI a curse or a blessing for the Middle East?

Fawry is Egypt's largest fintech startup processing more than 2 million transactions daily and enabling its 20M customers without a bank account or credit card to easily pay for bills. We spoke with cofounder Mohamed Okasha.