International ride-hailing service Yango, part of global technology company Yango, has rolled out a new feature within its driver app designed to help drivers adhere to their prayer schedules throughout the year, while also distributing Iftar boxes to them to break their fast-during Ramadan. The feature is now available to all partners’ drivers in the UAE, Morocco, and a few more countries, highlighting Yango's commitment to transform global technologies into everyday services tailored for local communities. Launching during the holy month of Ramadan, the new mode allows drivers to seamlessly integrate their daily schedule with their religious duties. Yango leverages cutting-edge technology, informed by extensive research on verified open resources, alongside bespoke algorithms fine-tuned through engagement with local communities across several countries to ensure precision. Innovative mapping and smart routing technologies enable drivers to identify and navigate to the nearest mosque with ease directly within the app, even in an unfamiliar location.  By activating this feature in the app settings, drivers receive a 15-minute reminder before each prayer time and automatic muting of any app notifications at the start of prayer times. The ability to pause order notifications ensures that they don’t miss any potential rides, which are then assigned to other nearby drivers. The feature also points to the direction of the Qibla and displays the prayer schedule for the upcoming two days. Drivers have the flexibility to set the prayer time calculation according to their preferred Islamic convention. Islam Abdul Karim, General Manager, Yango GCC, stated: "The introduction of the new mode for drivers, permanent beyond the Ramadan period, is a step forward in our ongoing effort to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for partners’ drivers. It enriches their work-life balance, blending advanced technology with local customs and practices. We are keen to not only enhance their daily experience but also set standards for cultural consideration within the tech industry." The ride-hailing service will continue to gather feedback to refine and improve its functionality. With the new mode feature, Yango aims to support the spiritual needs of its partners’ drivers by integrating world-leading technology with local traditions. The feature will soon be available for partner couriers as well. As a token of appreciation for the dedication and hard work of partners and their drivers during Ramadan, Yango ride-hailing service has set up a dedicated zone near its centre to distribute special Iftar boxes. This initiative ensures drivers on the road can break their fast, underscoring the company's support for the community during the holy month. The company’s commitment to innovation is reflected in its diverse range of services, including Yango Maps, Yango ride-hailing service, Yango Play, Yango Tech, the advanced Arabic human-like AI voice assistant Yasmina, and many more, all of which are designed to enhance the everyday lives of local communities.  

Yango, transforming global technologies into everyday services tailored to local needs, today announced the launch of Yango Play, the first AI-powered entertainment service that combines video streaming, music, and mini-games in one place. Yango Play offers a diverse range of entertainment options, featuring exclusive premieres of both Arabic and international movies and series, personalized music streaming, and interactive mini-games, all enhanced by Yasmina, an AI-based Arabic voice assistant. Now available in the KSA, UAE, and other GCC countries, the service provides subscribers with cross-platform access on smartphones and TVs. The new super app places significant emphasis on upholding authentic content, celebrating regional production studios and artists. The platform not only serves as a launchpad for local talent but also ensures the diversification of the current entertainment landscape by providing its subscribers with a selection of original content that resonates with their cultural identity.  Yasmina: The Arabic-Speaking AI Assistant Yasmina, the bilingual AI assistant integrated into Yango Play, interacts with users in Arabic and English and redefines their entertainment experience. Fluent in Khaleeji and able to understand major Arabic dialects, including Egyptian and Lebanese, Yasmina suggests the songs for listening, chats with you, and answers all kinds of questions — anything from today’s weather to this year’s Ramadan dates. Yasmina guides you through the Yango Play app and makes your experience more enjoayble. Personalized endless music streamCentral to Yango Play's innovation is an AI-powered endless music stream that tailors personalized playlists for users, spotlighting regional gems based on their preferences. This ensures each user's experience is unique and reflects their personal choices. As the product continues to evolve, its recommendation technology will also adapt, ensuring a highly personalized and relevant user experience that resonates with unique preferences and cultural nuances. Commenting on the launch of the super app, Roman Shimansky, MENA Region Business Director at Yango Play, "At Yango Play, we're devoted to crafting a joyful entertainment experience, offering a selection of diverse content that turns every moment into a delightful adventure. Our ever-evolving platform uses AI to provide more seamless and intuitive experiences by understanding your preferences—whether by curating uplifting music for your drive, engaging shows for family time, or quick games for a brief pause in your day. We are deeply committed to enhancing these experiences through our original content and strategic collaborations with regional creatives, ensuring that each choice on our platform is a step towards discovering vibrant new emotions." With titles like the biggest Arabic blockbuster of 2023 ‘Mr. Ex’ and the sequel of the beloved classic ‘Awlad Harim Kareem’ already in its lineup, Yango Play is set to reveal the full catalog with the best acquired and produced films and series in the near future. Upon joining, every user receives a 60-day free subscription, followed by a paid plan (29.99 AED for multiple devices per month in the United Arab Emirates).

Yango, the global technology company that recently launched Yasmina, the human-like AI assistant, has offered insights into the future of artificial intelligence, AI assistants, and large language models (LLMs) for the year 2024 and beyond.Samer Mohamad, Yasmina Regional Director for MENA at Yango, said: “While Artificial Intelligence is a source of both huge excitement and apprehension, it is now time to turn our attention to how it will play out in the future. Based on our experience with creating a human-like AI assistant, we understand that LLMs and AI, in general, have a long way to go and can identify a number of upcoming trends.”Yango's predictions for 2024Smarter and easier to use:Smart assistants are poised to become even more intelligent and human-like by integrating with LLMs. Developers will focus on merging assistants with more advanced LLMs, such as ChatGPT-3.5 and 4, to enhance their context-awareness, creativity, and emotional intelligence. The result will be assistants capable of spontaneous storytelling and accurate responses to context-dependent queries, transforming them into ultimate AI companions.More culturally customized:AI and smart assistants will be increasingly tailored to diverse cultural and linguistic nuances. This includes support for multiple regional languages and dialects, as well as a deep understanding of local customs and social norms. Yango envisions assistants responding consistently in the same dialect as the speaker, ensuring a seamless and personalized experience.Universal translators:LLMs are already proficient at translating text, and this capability is expected to improve further. Yango anticipates a future where LLMs or LLM-powered software and devices will possess mastery over all languages, offering seamless translation for any language pair.Smarter assistants for smarter homes:Smart assistants will play a pivotal role in advancing smart home development. Yango envisions a scenario where users can delegate tasks to their AI assistants, seeking guidance on configuring smart home scenarios and discovering efficient ways to use connected devices. Whether it's recommending the right appliances or providing advice on optimizing existing devices, the AI assistant becomes an indispensable resource for creating intelligent and efficient smart homes.Yango invites tech enthusiasts, developers, and AI aficionados to stay tuned for these exciting developments in the coming year as the company continues to push the boundaries of AI innovation with Yasmina, the human-like AI assistant.