During his visit to Abu Dhabi in June, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said the UAE 'has been talking about AI since before it was cool'. AP Photo
During his visit to Abu Dhabi in June, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said the UAE 'has been talking about AI since before it was cool'. AP Photo
During his visit to Abu Dhabi in June, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said the UAE 'has been talking about AI since before it was cool'. AP Photo
During his visit to Abu Dhabi in June, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said the UAE 'has been talking about AI since before it was cool'. AP Photo


The UAE has been quick to adopt AI. Now it must build and export it


Budoor Alrahmah
Manail Anis Ahmed
  • English
  • Arabic

September 04, 2023

Ever since the UAE issued its National Strategy for AI 2031 six years ago, it has been consistently establishing milestones in the area of artificial intelligence.

There is little doubt AI holds immense economic potential for the country. PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts this field could contribute up to 13.6 per cent of the UAE’s gross domestic product by 2030. More importantly, AI can also help respond to the country’s social challenges – including developing solutions for obesity and heart disease, reducing traffic fatalities and improving air quality and education outcomes.

AI, particularly Generative AI, is at a stage of development where it can accelerate the achievement of the National Strategy’s objectives. With regard to investment in research and development, AI could support the UAE in a number of ways. In terms of human capital development, for instance, AI can be the teacher that helps the national workforce upskill in both AI-related and other domains.

AI-powered information gathering and data analysis can help create relevant commercialisation – that is, bringing products and services to the market. In terms of policy refinements, AI can help overview the landscape of international policy to ensure the establishment of a robust AI infrastructure, including a governance and regulatory framework that establishes the UAE as a leader in ethical technology and responsible data use.

The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Masdar City is meant exclusively for AI research. MBZUAI
The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Masdar City is meant exclusively for AI research. MBZUAI
By 2030, the UAE is set to reap commercial benefits worth $5.3 billion from investments in Generative AI alone

The Oxford AI Readiness Index 2021 sheds light on the need for the region to prioritise the development of its human capital and technology sector. Presently, there is a trade deficit when it comes to knowledge-intensive services, which include R&D and technology-based services. Developing this is critical to facilitate the transition from adopting AI to one day building and exporting it. In this light, the Emirates intends to upskill a third of its Stem graduates every year.

In 2019, the Mohamed bin Zayed University for Artificial Intelligence, a graduate-level university exclusively for AI research, was established. The MBZUAI has formed a number of partnerships for AI R&D with organisations such as the Abu Dhabi Health Services Authority, the Technology Innovation Institute in Masdar City, and IBM in New York. Another step the UAE has taken is to train all leading government employees in Generative AI, while more junior public sector employees receive training as needed.

Just last week, a unit of Abu Dhabi AI company G42, MBZUAI and Silicon Valley-based Cerebras Systems launched Jais, an open-source bilingual Arabic-English Large Language Model developed in the UAE.

The potential of Generative AI extends to supporting the region’s R&D by analysing global scientific publications, patent data and funding trends to identify emerging research areas with high potential for returns.

For this purpose, the UAE Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office has already published a guide to Generative AI. It could serve the UAE well to extend the mandate of this office to ensure adoption and uptake of these recommendations by researchers and ecosystem developers.

By 2030, the UAE is set to reap commercial benefits worth $5.3 billion from investments in Generative AI alone – a return rate of almost 990 per cent on every dollar spent. This estimate of the outcomes of commercialisation efforts is difficult to ignore.

However, commercialisation itself is much harder to achieve. It requires the establishment of an entire ecosystem of digital upskilling, training, investment, incubation, support, collaboration and market entry – both for research endeavours as well as for commercial and industrial activity. An entirely new data infrastructure needs to be developed. And most crucially, the UAE would need to provide incentives to encourage the development of technologies and commercial enterprises focused on AI within the Emirates.

The design at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Dubai incorporates technology and AI to make it as accessible as possible. AFP
The design at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Dubai incorporates technology and AI to make it as accessible as possible. AFP

The UAE has been making strides towards AI commercialisation by putting in place the ecosystem for startup development activities described above. It has also, notably, been buying Nvidia chips recently to continue to develop large language model-related applications and cloud services, including its own open-source large language model, Falcon.

The country now has an opportunity to strengthen this framework and infrastructure for commercialisation efforts – including the ability to house and responsibly share national data. Thoughtful big data governance will ensure that commercial AI applications are tailored to local needs rather than imported from elsewhere.

During a visit to Abu Dhabi this year, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said that the Emirates “has been talking about AI since before it was cool”. In June, the newly launched Dubai Centre for AI announced that it will use AI to refine policy. This AI will conduct simulations that analyse the potential effects of new policies, make predictions based on different scenarios and assess which interventions could be fruitful. Analysing data will help this centre identify trends and generate insights, thereby providing decision support to policymakers and public servants.

It may be useful at this point for research organisations such as these to centre the UAE’s cultural, historical, social and natural resource context. Learning from leading innovation economies, while keeping in mind strengths of the local ecosystem, the UAE has an opportunity to create policies that are fit for purpose. Both the economy and society will benefit from taking a wider and more contextual view of policy refinement with regard to AI.

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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Honeymoonish
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SQUADS

India
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur

New Zealand
Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Ish Sodhi, George Worker, Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
Beat Namibia by 43 runs

UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv

Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium

RESULTS

Bantamweight: Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) beat Hamza Bougamza (MAR)

Catchweight 67kg: Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) beat Fouad Mesdari (ALG)

Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) beat Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)

Catchweight 73kg: Mosatafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) beat Yazid Chouchane (ALG)

Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Badreddine Diani (MAR)

Catchweight 78KG: Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Adnan Bushashy (ALG)

Middleweight: Sallah-Eddine Dekhissi (MAR) beat Abdel Enam (EGY)

Catchweight 65kg: Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG) beat Rachid Hazoume (MAR)

Lightweight: Mohammed Yahya (UAE) beat Azouz Anwar (EGY)

Catchweight 79kg: Souhil Tahiri (ALG) beat Omar Hussein (PAL)

Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Laid Zerhouni (ALG)

The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo

Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic

Power: 242bhp

Torque: 370Nm

Price: Dh136,814

Five films to watch

Castle in the Sky (1986)

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Only Yesterday (1991)

Pom Poki (1994)

The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

While you're here
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):

Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE

Match will be shown on BeIN Sports

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HAEMOGLOBIN DISORDERS EXPLAINED

Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.

Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.

The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.

The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.

A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nag%20Ashwin%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrabhas%2C%20Saswata%20Chatterjee%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%2C%20Shobhana%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Full list of brands available for Instagram Checkout

Adidas @adidaswomen

Anastasia Beverly Hills @anastasiabeverlyhills

Balmain @balmain

Burberry @burberry

ColourPop @colourpopcosmetics

Dior @dior

H&M @hm

Huda Beauty @hudabeautyshop

KKW @kkwbeauty

Kylie Cosmetics @kyliecosmetics

MAC Cosmetics @maccosmetics

Michael Kors @michaelkors

NARS @narsissist

Nike @niketraining & @nikewomen

NYX Cosmetics @nyxcosmetics

Oscar de la Renta @oscardelarenta

Ouai Hair @theouai

Outdoor Voices @outdoorvoices

Prada @prada

Revolve @revolve

Uniqlo @uniqlo

Warby Parker @warbyparker

Zara @zara

If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50

The line up

Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego  

Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh  

Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

The bio

Who inspires you?

I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist

How do you relax?

Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.

What is favourite book?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times

What is your favourite Arabic film?

Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki

What is favourite English film?

Mamma Mia

Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?

If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.  

 

Race card

5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; 5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m

6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; 6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m

7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (PA) 1,400m

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

Updated: September 04, 2023, 1:04 PM`