Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications in the UAE government, said that the country is at the forefront of countries concerned with technology and artificial intelligence.
The scientists confirmed to CNN: “We work with partners across borders, and we play according to the rules set by market leaders.”
Omar Al Olama is the first minister in the world specialized in developing an artificial intelligence strategy, since 2017, and he has become in the midst of the struggle of global powers for technological superiority.
In April, Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion investment in G42, an Abu Dhabi-based AI group.
“I think the UAE and the US are really aligned in terms of how to move these technologies forward, and we will see more alignment in that regard,” the scientists added.
G42, a holding company, consists of seven companies operating in data centers, energy, healthcare, surveillance and biotechnology.
- Diversify the economy
The UAE is one of the world’s largest oil producers, and Abu Dhabi sees its AI efforts as crucial to diversifying its economy away from oil.
According to PwC estimates, artificial intelligence is expected to contribute about $96 billion to the UAE economy by 2030, equivalent to about 14% of the gross domestic product.
Hence, Al Olama, whose ministerial specializations include the digital economy and remote work applications, wants to make the UAE a global leader in the field of artificial intelligence by 2031.
The UAE has developed a national strategy to achieve this, and its goals include deploying artificial intelligence in priority sectors such as energy and logistics, developing the ecosystem, and attracting talent.
The UAE is also training government officials in AI, while Dubai aims to teach one million citizens rapid, efficient engineering, steering AI models to produce high-quality output. As of September, the UAE had 120,000 people working in AI or related industries, up from 30,000 two years ago, the scientists said.
Regarding choosing partners in the field of artificial intelligence, which is witnessing a very fierce competition between Washington and Beijing in particular, Omar Al Olama says, “The United States is not ashamed to say that with regard to this technology specifically, you have to choose one side.”
Historically, the UAE has always favored balance in its foreign policy.
Washington has restricted the sale of advanced American chips to ensure that China does not use the Middle East as a backdoor to access the latest artificial intelligence technology, according to Reuters. Nvidia, the world’s third-largest company after Microsoft and Apple, said in a regulatory filing in August 2023 that the U.S. government had informed the chipmaker that some of its products would face additional licensing requirements “for certain customers and other regions, including some countries in the Middle East.”
Al-Ulama explained that the UAE is a trustworthy partner, and said, “I do not think there is any danger, especially since there is a lot of advanced American technology present in the Emirates,” adding that he was speaking in his personal capacity, and not as a government official. (agencies)