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Institutional response and harnessing AI key to counter terrorism

Dr. Mohammed Al-Ali
2 Feb 2025 21:16

By Dr. Mohammed Al-Ali*

TRENDS Research & Advisory is keen to ensure that its international engagements and visits have clear, well-defined, and measurable objectives. Its research agendas particularly focus on pressing issues that are rapidly evolving and gaining global attention, especially AI and counter-terrorism. 

While AI has become a key global driver of development and economic growth, counter-terrorism remains a persistent challenge requiring a coordinated institutional response at both national and international levels.

During the recent visit of its delegation to Cairo, TRENDS Research & Advisory held a series of intellectual symposiums and panel discussions, particularly as the visit was planned to coincide with the Centre's fourth participation in the 56th edition of the Cairo International Book Fair.

In an era of rapid global transformation driven by AI and its vast potential to benefit humanity, we placed AI at the heart of our research activities. We engaged in in-depth discussions with ministers, officials, experts, and specialists on this critical topic, which featured prominently in the Center's activities in Cairo.

We organised a symposium titled "Harnessing AI for Sustainable Development: Future Insights and Perspectives", in partnership with the Egyptian Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC) and Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and in media partnership with Aletihad News Centre. 

The discussions highlighted the importance of integrating AI into development strategies to enhance the national capabilities of countries and foster international cooperation in tapping the potential of technological advancements. 

With prominent ministers, officials, and experts from the UAE, Egypt, and beyond attending the symposium, we can confidently say that this collaboration underscored TRENDS' ability to lead research and intellectual efforts in advancing knowledge-sharing and cooperation in this vital field.

As AI continues to drive innovation, another key discussion focused on enhancing capabilities to address everyday challenges we encounter through innovative solutions and harnessing AI to serve scientific research and knowledge. 

This is what the TRENDS delegation in Cairo discussed with Egyptian Senate President, Counsellor Abdel Wahab Abdel Razeq, and Egypt's Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Ashraf Sobhy. The delegation explored with them opportunities for collaboration in the field of AI to serve parliamentary affairs, empower youth and communities, and promote sustainable development.

The second key focus of our visit to Cairo was discussing ways to counter destructive ideologies, correct misconceptions, combat extremism, and promote tolerance and moderation. Indeed, addressing extremist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and other terrorist organisations requires ongoing research to expose and debunk their ideologies. 

Such effort should be based on the principle of "countering ideas with ideas" through reason, knowledge, and informed discourse. This is the perspective of TRENDS, which it shared in a discussion with Egypt's Minister of Endowments, Dr. Osama Al Azhari.

In the same context, and in the presence of Egypt's Grand Mufti, TRENDS signed a cooperation and partnership agreement with Egypt's Dar Al Ifta, specifically with the Salam Centre for Extremism Studies, to counter extremist discourse. 

Additionally, we signed an MoU with Bibliotheca Alexandrina to collaborate on joint research projects. These agreements add to the accumulated efforts for cooperation among relevant institutions in combating extremism and advancing scientific research and applied innovation in various fields.

*The writer is the Chief Executive Officer of TRENDS Research & Advisory

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