'Those stuck in old ways will be disheartened': Global AI leaders gather in Dubai to shape what's next

Khaleej Times

11-02-2025

With Dubai at the centre of global discussions on open-source artificial intelligence (AI), scientific advancements, and digital transformation, the TIME100 AI Impact Awards, held on February 10, reinforced the UAE's ambition to attract and retain the brightest minds in the field.
Taking place at Dubai's Museum of the Future, the event was a stellar showcase of the UAE's growing role as a hub for AI innovation, collaboration, and leading from the front.
As Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE's Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, put it, the UAE is a nation that boldly embraces the future, seizing the possibilities of what's next—and the evening did not fall short in reflecting that ethos.
"We are a nation of believers. We are a nation of dreamers. We are a nation unafraid of the future. We want to trailblaze our way forward, and I believe that each and every one of you can play a role in shaping it," he added.
The event honoured trailblazers shaping the AI landscape, with World Government Summit as the founding partner, the gala underscored the UAE's ambitious vision to become a global AI hub.
But beyond the awards and accolades, the evening was a convergence of the brightest minds in the industry—visionaries, policymakers, and industry pioneers—discussing the trajectory of artificial intelligence and its impact on industries spanning the arts, medicine, and scientific discovery.
'A nation unafraid of the future'
Reflecting on AI's rapid advancements and the uncertainties it brings, UAE's Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Omar Sultan Al Olama, also emphasised the need for agility in adapting to change.
"This technology is moving at such a pace that we really do not know exactly how it's going to pan out," he said. "But what we do know is that the most agile, the most flexible, those who are the most proactive are going to benefit and lead the way. And those who are rigid, those who are stuck in the old ways, are going to be disheartened."
His remarks highlighted the UAE's proactive stance on AI, positioning itself not just as an adopter but as a leader in the field.
"When you get the greatest people, the brightest people, those who are passionate about the future, in a room together, great ideas are sparked," he added. "And you never know—some people might actually choose to come and stay in the UAE. And this is our mission."
Art meets AI
Among the honorees were Arvind Krishna, CEO, Chairman, and President of IBM; Canadian singer-songwriter Grimes; media artist Refik Anadol; and Anima Anandkumar, a professor at the California Institute of Technology.
"This one is particularly poetic to me because I think everyone is panicking over this issue," said Grimes, accepting the award. The singer has long been an advocate for AI's role in artistic expression, with a career that bridges music, technology, and digital artistry. "The world is so focused on what's negative that we don't realise there are magic solutions right in front of our very eyes," she added.
Road to Artificial General Intelligence
Also among the honorees shaping the future of AI was Anima Anandkumar, whose contributions are redefining how machines understand and interact with the physical world.
When asked how far we are from achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), Anandkumar, who has been at the forefront of AI innovation, responded, "I think there are several definitions of AGI. To me, the definition is when it understands the physical world because there is no intelligence without our ability to understand different physical behaviours."
Anandkumar's work focuses on developing neural operators—a type of AI framework that can learn across multiple scales, pushing the boundaries of AI's capabilities to solve "hard scientific challenges".
"From better forecasting to creating new medical devices, to inventing new processes for nuclear fusion—these are unsolved problems. Today, AI has been making strides in understanding those physical behaviours and helping us make new inventions," she added.
AI's cost to sustainability
While AI opens doors to unparalleled innovation, its environmental impact remains a pressing concern. Media artist Refik Anadol, recognised globally for his AI-infused visual masterpieces, shared his thoughts on one of AI's most pressing challenges: energy consumption.
'I think the scariest part can be nature's impact because AI requires a lot of energy usage,' Anadol admitted. 'Not only just recording data—training AI models and eventually inferencing requires significant energy usage.'
To mitigate this challenge, Anadol's art studio has committed to sustainable energy solutions. 'That's why, in our work, we only use sustainable energy resources in the cloud. But I'm already very sure that all recent conversations are about how to make sure that more contemporary energy resources are used so that we don't damage our beautiful, most important, and most inspiring nature.'