Alexa: The North Star of Smart Home Automation

Dr Raf Fatani, Amazon General Regional Manager, Alexa, MENA. He grew up and studied in the UK and later moved to the UAE, when Amazon acquired souq.com in 2017. Amazon utilized 18,000 beta testers in Saudi to teach Alexa to understand and speak Arabic from different regions and with different accents. Tech-savvy Saudis are the most engaged Alexa users in the word, with the average customer having 11 connected devices. This technology is truly life-changing, especially for elderly and disabled populations. Raf keeps his mother in mind while improving Alexa, ensuring ease of use and safety. In this episode, he addresses Mo’s fears about Amazon, Alexa, and voice recognition and shares his personal outlook on happiness, marriage, boundaries, and the future of Saudi Arabia.