Today's Edition
By: Mohammad Ghazal
In his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has issued a law establishing the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC) in a groundbreaking move underscoring the Emirate’s commitment to spearhead technological innovation.
This visionary initiative not only showcases Abu Dhabi’s adeptness in keeping abreast with the latest technological trends but also positions it as a global leader in the transition towards knowledge-based economies.
The creation of the AIATC is a testament to the leadership’s recognition that the future lies in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies.
The global impact of generative AI is massive, which further underlines the significance of Abu Dhabi’s move.
Generative AI’s impact on productivity could add trillions of dollars in value to the global economy, observes a 2023 World Economic Forum (WEF) report, which estimates that generative AI could add the equivalent of $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion annually.
Moreover, Generative AI will have a significant impact across all industry sectors.
According to Goldman Sachs, AI adoption could boost productivity growth by 1.5 percentage points per year over a 10-year period and raise global GDP by 7% ($7 trillion in additional output).
In the same vein, a study on AI in industrial operations from 2023 by Boston Consulting Group revealed that these technologies enable productivity enhancements of more than 20%.
The WEF report found that Generative AI could enable labour productivity growth of 0.1 to 0.6% annually through 2040.
One key aspect of the AIATC’s mandate is to develop and implement policies and strategies related to research, infrastructure, and investments in AI and advanced technology, which aligns seamlessly with Abu Dhabi’s overarching strategy to position itself as a global hub for AI investments, partnerships, and talent.
The establishment of the AIATC complements and further strengthens Abu Dhabi’s ongoing efforts to lay a robust foundation for growth in artificial intelligence.
Last year, His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, launched the Advanced Technology Research Council’s new AI company AI71. The entity leverages the Technology Innovation Institute’s (TII) Falcon generative AI models and will focus on multi-domain specialisations while offering unprecedented AI data control options for companies and countries looking to self-host for greater privacy.
ATRC’s launch of AI71 followed the successful development and roll-out of the Falcon 7B, 40B, and 180B large language open-source models for research and commercial uses by TII.
Abu Dhabi’s commitment to spearheading the UAE’s transition towards a knowledge-based economy is evident in the flourishing startup community, cutting-edge machine-learning research facilities, and world-class educational institutions such as the Khalifa University of Science and Technology and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI).
MBZUAI currently ranks 19th globally and 13th in Asia in its areas of specialisation – AI, computer vision, machine learning, and natural language processing – according to CSRankings.
With a wide array of initiatives on this front, coupled with the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, the UAE is not just welcoming the tech advancements but actively modelling the future of AI.
The vision is clear: Abu Dhabi is committed to being at the forefront of the AI revolution, fostering innovation, and driving economic growth in the knowledge-based era.
