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.
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 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.
EA Sports FC 24
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
The biog
Name: Salvador Toriano Jr
Age: 59
From: Laguna, The Philippines
Favourite dish: Seabass or Fish and Chips
Hobbies: When he’s not in the restaurant, he still likes to cook, along with walking and meeting up with friends.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Brief scoreline:
Al Wahda 2
Al Menhali 27', Tagliabue 79'
Al Nassr 3
Hamdallah 41', Giuliano 45 1', 62'
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
List of alleged parties
- May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
- 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
- Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
- Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
- Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
- Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
- Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
