UAE Positions Itself as Leader in Regulating and Testing Artificial Intelligence Technologies
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is making significant strides in becoming a global leader in regulating and testing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. During a virtual event, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, praised the UAE’s potential to become a “regulatory sandbox” for experimenting with AI and developing worldwide rules to govern its use.
Altman emphasized the importance of testing AI technologies in a controlled environment before implementing regulations. The UAE has recognized the significance of AI and is committed to making it a key policy consideration. However, its ties with China have raised concerns in the United States.
To address these concerns, Emirati AI company G42, which is under the control of UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has announced plans to scale back its presence in China. G42 has been forging partnerships with prominent AI companies such as OpenAI, Microsoft, and Cerebras Systems.
In addition to discussing AI regulations, Altman also revealed OpenAI’s plans to open-source some of its large-language models and develop tools for poorer nations that are unable to afford their own AI systems.
Recognizing the UAE’s potential in the AI industry, Mastercard announced a collaboration with the UAE government in August. As part of this collaboration, Mastercard opened its Center for Advanced AI and Cyber Technology in Dubai. The center will focus on developing AI-powered financial crime prevention tools, securing the digital ecosystem, driving inclusive growth, and acting as a hub for hiring local AI talent.
Furthermore, G42 subsidiary Inception, along with California-based AI research firm Cerebras and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, jointly developed an Arabic language-trained AI software named Jais. This large language model (LLM) was trained for 21 days on a supercomputer co-developed by G42 and Cerebras, utilizing a purpose-built dataset of 116 billion Arabic tokens and 279 billion English word tokens to capture the complexity and nuance of the Arabic language.
With its investments and partnerships in the AI sector, the UAE is solidifying its position as a global leader in the regulation and development of AI technologies. As the country seeks to balance its relationships with various nations, it continues to make significant advancements in AI that will shape the future of the industry.
Analyst comment
Positive news: The UAE is positioning itself as a leader in regulating and testing AI technologies, with organizations like OpenAI and Mastercard collaborating with the government. With its investments and partnerships, the UAE is solidifying its position as a global leader. As an analyst, I believe the market for AI technologies in the UAE will continue to grow and attract more international partnerships and investments, driving innovation and advancement in the industry.
