What does your internal voice sound like? Only you know its cadence, its accent, its way of pausing between thoughts. Only you know how it rises when excited or drops to a murmur when uncertain. This inner voice, uniquely yours, impossible to replicate, is what taste is all about. And it’s precisely what AI, despite its glorious efficiency in automation, cannot capture. Yet art can.

Taste emerges from the accumulation of everything that makes you singular. It’s the residue of your highs and lows, your resilience learned through mistakes, your celebrations and losses. It forms through encounters with people from every corner of the world, through meals in the best and worst restaurants, through wandering galleries and discovering artworks that stop you in your tracks. It’s this amalgamation of experiences that led you to this moment.

In museums, as with many of life’s experiences, we instinctively compare what we’re seeing with what we’ve seen before. We construct our understanding, layer by layer, building a framework that becomes our lived experience — something that develops every minute of every day, yet remains personal and distinctly yours, just like your inner voice. The way I would curate an exhibition and how you would approach it are different. How an artist creates a work is completely different from that of another.

When I use AI, I spend more time negotiating and explaining what I mean than I would if I’d have just done it myself. Yes, it can tick a box and fill a space, but life is more than that. In the case of ChatGPT or similar, its responses are not meaningful, but mere predictions based on what’s come before; it’s vanilla, it’s beige, it’s basic. It’s artificial.

Bias is inherent

The argument that AI is biased isn’t going to stick. Of course it is biased. Everything is. You are, I am, museums are. The data we pick to collect and analyse is biased. The questions we ask and interpret are biased. The things we include — and don’t — are a bias. There is no escaping it. But it’s about what we do with that bias. It’s about recognising that taste isn’t neutral; it’s deeply subjective and shaped by systems of power, access, and legacy. What we perceive as “good” or “refined” often carries layers of bias, including the influence of colonial narratives and dominant cultural norms. The more we, as humans, become aware of that, the more expansive and inclusive our understanding of value and creativity can become.

Taste cannot be quantified or placed neatly in a spreadsheet. It has a habit of surprising even its maker. Unlike data points that can be aggregated and optimized, taste operates in the realm of the ineffable — that space between instinct and distinctiveness, where true innovation lives. This non-standardisable, dynamic aspect of taste makes defining it so elusive, because it is both important to discover but impossible to domesticate.

Today, creating something meaningful requires doubling down and integrating your perspective, which needs to be nuanced and complex, shaped by your lived experiences. This point of view needs to adopt an interpretive paradigm, embracing different ontological perspectives and epistemological roots — a synthesis of subjectivism, constructivism, and critical inquiry. AI can’t do this. It cannot lean on the weight of life, it cannot bring diverse perspectives, it cannot reflect on what it feels like to live and experience a fractured world, nor can it understand the complexity of cultural hybridity, or the nuance of existing between worlds.

AI can only process information once it’s been transformed into digital data. It has never heard a word spoken aloud, never felt the awkwardness of silence, never experienced the heat of an argument. It hasn’t heard its own voice. When AI generates content, it cannot originate style with intentionality because it lacks the very thing that makes style meaningful: a point of view forged through living.

Every time we uncritically accept AI’s definition of what’s attractive or artistic, we participate in the slow erasure of diverse thought. When AI systems train on billions of images that overwhelmingly represent certain standards, normalcy, virtues, and aesthetic preferences, they don’t just learn patterns — they amplify dominant visions, and in doing so, make them matter more than others. This creates a feedback loop of sameness — trained on its own data — potentially entrenching these narratives even further into a web of uniformity and sold to us as universally appealing. Whose culture are we transmitting? Whose dreams deserve amplification and whose taste constitutes the baseline for creativity?

I want to work on exhibitions that AI can’t. I want to ask questions that AI cannot answer. Of course, AI will give an answer — it always does — but I want another side of the story. I want a counterargument; I want a deep, complex, entangled, and deeply thought-provoking assembling of ideas, concepts, and opinions. As we like to say at the Media Majlis Museum: there is always another side.

AI can be used to enhance creativity

Yet we also cannot overlook AI’s potential, and using it simply to become more efficient misses the point. AI should be used to enhance the creativity of highly imaginative individuals. When we reduce AI to a tool for doing things faster and cheaper, we miss its capacity to help us dream bigger, think stranger, imagine wilder. The real opportunity isn’t in replacing human creativity but in amplifying it, in creating space for the weird and wonderful ideas that only emerge when humans have the time and freedom to play.

The world has never needed taste more urgently. When every option is instantly available, when every variation is possible, the person who knows which one to choose becomes invaluable. Taste develops through exposure, curation, and reflection. You have to see, hear, and feel to understand what excellence looks like. You must discern and recognise distinctions that matter. These preferences express values that go beyond aesthetics. They reveal how you see the world. As you evolve, so do your sensibilities. This maturation — from reaction to reflection, from preference to philosophy — is a fundamentally human process that no algorithm can replicate.

Only you know your taste. Like the voice in your head, it’s yours alone. It’s cultivated through years of paying attention, of caring deeply, of being willing to be wrong. It emerges from the messy, complicated, gloriously inefficient process of being human.

As we stand at the threshold of an AI-saturated future, the question isn’t whether machines can create — they clearly can. The question is whether we’ll remember why human creation matters. Not because it’s more efficient or optimised, but because it carries the weight of a life lived, the perspective of a unique consciousness, the irreplaceable value of someone believing something matters. Ultimately, an understanding of what is artificial and what is not.

Jack Thomas Taylor is the curator of Art, Media and Technology at the Media Majlis Museum, a university museum in Northwestern Qatar’s school in Doha.

Read: Harnessing AI: Why asking the right questions is key to success

Some Google services including YouTube temporarily went down on Thursday in Turkey and some parts of Europe including Greece and Germany, according to a Turkish deputy minister, internet monitors and users in the regions.

The Freedom of Expression Association, which monitors local censorship on the internet, said the outage on Alphabet’s Google GOOGL.O began around 10:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) in Turkey.

Tracking website Downdetector said services were mostly restored before 0900 GMT, with the number of reports of service disruptions decreasing from 0751 GMT onward.

Google did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the matter.

Turkey’s cyber security watchdog has requested a technical report from Google, deputy transport and infrastructure minister Omer Fatih Sayan said on X.

A map posted by Sayan showed Turkey, large parts of southeast Europe, and some locations in Ukraine, Russia and western Europe as affected.

There were sporadic outages in Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania, including problems accessing websites, YouTube and some phone contacts linked to Gmail, users there said.

In Germany, outage tracking website allestoerungen.de, a division of US-based Ookla, reported an uptick in Google disruptions from around 09:00 a.m. (0700 GMT).

Dubai Holding Asset Management (DHAM) has unveiled Dubai Retail as the unified brand for its extensive portfolio of more than 40 malls and lifestyle destinations.

The move is part of DHAM’s growth strategy following the 2024 integration of Nakheel and Meydan into Dubai Holding, aimed at enhancing scalability, efficiency, and long-term competitiveness across its retail operations.

With the launch of Dubai Retail, DHAM consolidates a diverse offering that spans 10 malls, 15 lifestyle destinations, and 18 retail centres across the emirate. Collectively, these properties house over 6,500 retailers across 13 million square feet of gross leasable area (GLA), positioning the new brand as a key contributor to Dubai’s retail and tourism economy.

As part of the rebrand, Nakheel Mall has been renamed Palm Jumeirah Mall, following the completion of a redeveloped section that strengthens its flagship role on the Palm Jumeirah.

Malek Al Malek, group CEO of Dubai Holding Asset Management, said: “Our malls and destinations have been instrumental in shaping the city’s dynamic retail landscape and evolving customer experiences. Dubai Retail draws on the strength and synergies of the wider Dubai Holding ecosystem—including development and asset management—positioning it to seize the opportunities presented by a rapidly expanding population, a thriving tourism sector and forward-looking urban development.

“The recent launch of Nad Al Sheba Mall, together with the ongoing development of Al Khail Avenue, which will add 1.2 million square feet to our existing GLA upon completion, underscores our commitment to expanding Dubai Retail’s footprint with destinations that drive Dubai’s experience economy and integrate retail, dining, leisure and entertainment into vibrant lifestyle hubs.”

Fareed Abdelrahman, managing director of Retail Destinations at DHAM, added: “Being one of the region’s largest groups of malls and retail destinations is only the starting point. This announcement strengthens Dubai Retail’s ability to grow strategically and continuously enhance its destinations to meet the evolving expectations of residents and visitors. By aligning with global retail trends and elevating the customer experience, we aim to ensure our destinations remain relevant, competitive, and a key contributor to Dubai’s progress as a leading global retail and lifestyle capital.”

Dubai Retail’s portfolio includes major malls such as Palm Jumeirah Mall, Nad Al Sheba Mall, The Outlet Village, Circle Mall, Ibn Battuta Mall, Dragon Mart, Golden Mile Galleria, Bay Avenue, Bay Square, and the upcoming Al Khail Avenue.

Its lifestyle destinations include Bluewaters, JBR, Palm West Beach, The Club at Palm West Beach, Vista Mare, Al Khawaneej Walk, Souk Al Seef, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Boxpark, Last Exits, DXBIKE, and Dubai Islands Beach. Meanwhile, its 18 retail centres serve communities across the city, from Jumeirah Islands to Discovery Gardens and Al Khail Gate.

By consolidating more than 40 properties under one umbrella, Dubai Retail aims to redefine the customer experience while advancing Dubai’s ambitions to be a global capital for retail and lifestyle.

Barco Developers, a new entrant in the UAE’s real estate sector, has officially launched with plans to deliver more than 2 million sq. ft. of community-focused residences across Dubai and other emirates. Its debut project, Livia Residences, has been unveiled in Dubai South, one of the city’s fastest-growing residential and business districts.

The six-storey development features 71 units, with prices starting from Dhs555,000 and handover expected in Q4 2027. Designed as a lifestyle-focused community, Livia Residences blends spacious interiors with more than 20 curated amenities, introducing the concept of “Curated Living” to the mid-income housing market.

“At Barco, our mission is to redefine what community living means for the UAE’s growing population,” said Safdar Badami, co-founder at Barco Developers. “With Livia Residences, we wanted to create more than just homes, we are building an environment where modern architecture, smart technology, and lifestyle conveniences come together seamlessly. Every detail, from the expansive layouts to the 20+ curated amenities, is designed to serve families, professionals, and residents who are looking for something beyond the ordinary. Livia Residences represents the first milestone in our journey of developing communities in growing pockets of Dubai and RAK where the exceptional becomes the standard.”

Inspired by Los Angeles-style architecture, the project features a glass façade, landscaped surroundings, and interiors with three-metre-high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and fully equipped kitchens. All homes come with smart systems for lighting, curtains, and climate control.

Residents will also have access to a wide array of amenities spanning leisure, family, active, and productivity zones. These include a swimming pool, yoga deck, golf turf, jogging track, outdoor cinema, co-working spaces, children’s play areas, a pets’ corner, and Wi-Fi-enabled common areas, supported by 24/7 smart security.

“We believe that the next era of real estate in the UAE is about creating long-term value for end-users rather than short-term speculation,” said Saadaat Yaqub, Co-Founder at Barco Developers. “Livia is a reflection of that philosophy — a project that emphasizes livability, efficiency, and quality design over everything else. By launching in Dubai South, one of the most strategically connected and future-ready districts in the city, we are ensuring that our residents will benefit not only from premium lifestyle features but also from long-term growth and connectivity. This is the foundation of our vision at Barco to deliver communities that evolve with people’s lives and remain relevant for years to come.”

Strategically located near Al Maktoum International Airport, Expo City, Jebel Ali Free Zone, and JBR Beach, the project is surrounded by parks, schools, retail, and community services.

The launch of Livia Residences marks the first step in Barco Developers’ pipeline of projects, with future developments planned in Arjan, Dubai Land Residential Complex (DLRC), and Jebel Ali Hills.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has entered into a strategic collaboration with RIQ, an AI-driven reinsurance platform backed by International Holding Company (IHC), to allocate more than $500m in risk coverage over the next decade.

The partnership is designed to bolster ADNOC’s operational resilience and support energy transition efforts with innovative insurance solutions, while contributing to Abu Dhabi’s wider ambition of becoming a global reinsurance innovation hub.

Launched earlier this year by IHC in partnership with BlackRock and Lunate, RIQ is based in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and is building a suite of reinsurance offerings using AI-augmented underwriting, advanced data modelling and analytics.

The platform is still advancing through regulatory processes ahead of formal authorisation as a reinsurer.

The alliance will enhance ADNOC’s operational resilience by tailoring reinsurance solutions

The agreement with ADNOC, combined with RIQ’s existing partnership with IHC, sets a trajectory of over $1bn in reinsurance premiums committed through the platform in the next decade.

RIQ’s long-term goal is to write $10bn annually, supported by over $1bn in equity commitments from IHC, BlackRock and Lunate.

Ahmad Khalfan Al Mansoori, chairman of ADNOC Re., said: “This partnership will enhance ADNOC’s operational resilience by tailoring reinsurance solutions to evolving industrial and climate risks. Leveraging RIQ’s AI-powered platform will strengthen our risk management capabilities and ensure continuity in a complex energy landscape.”

Mark Wilson, CEO of RIQ, added: “We are honored to collaborate with ADNOC, an organisation renowned for its ambition and long-term vision. Together with our recent partnership with IHC, this alliance brings together cutting-edge technology, strategic capital, and domain expertise to redefine global reinsurance from Abu Dhabi outward. These relationships signal a bold step in building the reinsurance platform of the future.”

Additional strategic announcements are expected in the coming months as RIQ executes on its global buy-and-build strategy.