How Abu Dhabi's Airev is taking automation to the next level

Generation Start-up: Core42-backed generative AI platform says it can cut the time to develop complex applications from months to days

Airev aims to be a global leader in AI and robotics innovation. Getty Images

Airev’s generative artificial intelligence platform is taking automation to a level that allows businesses and individuals to automate up to 95 per cent of tasks and leave only 5 per cent that require human intervention.

Muhammad Khalid, founder and chief executive of the Abu Dhabi-based venture, says the platform, backed by Core42, a unit of Abu Dhabi's artificial intelligence and cloud company G42, can reduce the time required to develop complex applications from months to days.

Only one year into operation, the platform is aiming to develop advanced AI products that automate and simplify day-to-day tasks and make AI accessible to individuals as well as to businesses of all sizes.

“This high level of automation is made possible through our flexible workflows and advanced automation capabilities,” says Mr Khalid, a 33-year-old Briton who moved to the UAE in 2018.

Airev's core focus is AI and robotics innovation. It was founded in September 2023 by Mr Khalid, Kayaan Unwalla and Dr Youssef Youssef, the team that created generative AI platform School Hack, which was launched in February last year.

School Hack, which started as an AI application for students to transform their learning, has evolved to become one of Airev's two flagship products. It boasts more than 3.3 million users and provides educational solutions using cutting-edge AI, Mr Khalid says.

As a certified partner with tech giants such as Microsoft, Nvidia and AWS, Airev is leveraging its success in education to take its AI solutions into sectors including health care, laws and regulations, and finance, he says.

Airev's generative AI education technology platform School Hack being used at a workshop. Photo: Airev

Airev’s other offering, OnDemand, is an AI operating system designed to democratise the development of artificial intelligence. The decentralised platform offers developers, engineers, enterprises and start-ups a base to build, deploy and manage their AI applications.

Airev joined forces with Core42 to launch OnDemand in July. While the partnership focuses on the Middle East, the decentralised nature of OnDemand allows AI applications to be deployed and managed from anywhere in the world. The platform also aligns with the UAE’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, lowering barriers and allowing developers and businesses to create AI-driven solutions across industries.

“Unlike traditional solutions that may boost efficiency by 20 per cent but still require significant human oversight, our platform allows AI to take over up to 95 per cent of tasks, leaving just 5 per cent for human intervention,” says Mr Khalid.

Generative AI has evolved to become the front and centre of the global technology landscape, with OpenAI’s ChatGPT propelling it into the limelight in 2023. The ChatGPT programme that comes up with humanlike responses to prompts in seconds, based on information publicly available on the internet, has accelerated the pace of generative AI technologies across sectors.

The size of the generative AI market is expected to surge to $1.3 trillion by 2032, from $40 billion in 2022, at a compound annual growth rate of 42 per cent, a report by Bloomberg Intelligence last year found.

Growth is being driven by training infrastructure in the near-term and gradually shifting to inference devices for large language models (LLMs), digital advertisements, specialised software and services in the medium to long term, it found.

The UAE is leading the GCC’s push towards the use of generative AI, and its adoption of the emerging technology is standing out on the global stage, PwC Middle East said last year.

Generative AI is expected to hold immense economic potential. GCC countries, for instance, are expected to reap about $23.5 billion in economic benefits by 2030 as investments in generative AI continue to grow, PwC unit Strategy and Middle East said in a report last September.

The UAE, the Arab world’s second-biggest economy, has already unveiled major LLMs – the underlying algorithm that powers generative AI – to support its aim of becoming a leader in the industry. In May, a bilingual Arabic and English chatbot developed in the Emirates, Jais Chat, was unveiled by Core42. This month, G42 also announced a Hindi LLM.

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For businesses, generative AI could generate value equivalent to between $2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion in global corporate profits annually in 63 use cases where the technology could raise productivity, a study from the McKinsey Global Institute said last year.

Airev, which makes money from subscription fees ranging from $200 per month for small and medium enterprises to $40,000 per month and beyond for scaling start-ups, is targeting $15 million in revenue in 2025, Mr Khalid says.

“Our revenue model is a combination of pay-as-you-go and subscription services. This approach offers our clients flexibility and predictable consumption, allowing them to scale their usage based on their specific needs and objectives,” he adds.

Muhammad Khalid, founder and chief executive of Airev. Photo: Airev

ChatGPT and similar AI models play a significant role in powering many of Airev’s solutions, however, the company has strict controls to minimise the associated risks and challenges.

“We implement strict data governance policies to address risks and challenges such as data security and model biases and continuously refine our models to meet the highest ethical and industry standards,” Mr Khalid says.

“While we greatly value the capabilities of OpenAI’s technology and continue to utilise it, we also integrate a mix of both closed and open-source AI models. This diversified approach ensures robustness and reduces reliance on any single provider.”

However, all technologies come with their own set of the challenges and one of Airev’s primary tasks is keeping pace with the rapidly evolving AI landscape, Mr Khalid says.

“To address this, we invest heavily in research and development and maintain a culture of continuous learning within our team. We also actively engage with the developer community and industry partners to stay at the forefront of technological advancements,” he says.

Currently in the middle of a series A funding round, Airev has secured substantial support to fuel its growth – particularly through strategic partnerships, Mr Khalid says, without disclosing the funding it has raised thus far.

“Looking ahead, we’re exploring various opportunities to further expand our capabilities and reach, including potential avenues for future funding,” he says.

Q&A with Muhammad Khalid, founder and chief executive, Airev

What skills have you learnt since launching your start-up?

Launching Airev has been an incredible learning experience. I've honed skills in leadership, strategic planning and adaptability. Navigating the complexities of the AI industry has also deepened my technical expertise and reinforced the importance of collaboration and innovation.

If you could do it all differently, what would you change?

Every step of our journey has offered valuable lessons that have shaped who we are today. While hindsight might suggest different paths, we believe each experience has been instrumental in our growth and success. We're grateful for the challenges and triumphs alike.

What other successful start-up do you wish you had started?

While there are many inspiring start-ups out there, I’m truly passionate about what we are building at Airev. What drives me every day is our mission and the impact we are making.

What is your next big dream to make happen?

We are excited about venturing into robotics. Integrating our AI solutions with robotics technology holds immense potential for further automating tasks and enhancing efficiencies across various industries. It’s an area we are actively exploring as we look to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Where do you see Airev in five years?

In five years, we envision Airev as a global leader in AI and robotics innovation. We aim to have our platforms and solutions deeply integrated across industries, driving transformative changes and enabling businesses to harness the full potential of advanced technologies.

Who is your role model?

I’m inspired by visionary leaders who have made significant contributions to technology and society. Their dedication to innovation and positive change motivates me to strive for excellence in all our endeavours at Airev.