Latest news with #DubaiUniversalBlueprintforAI
Hi Dubai
28-04-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
Dubai Future Foundation and Google Cloud Launch AI Upskilling Drive for Government Leaders
Dubai Future Foundation and Google Cloud have announced a new upskilling programme for Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) across Dubai's government entities, aiming to fast-track the city's AI ambitions under the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence. The initiative will provide CAIOs with access to Google Cloud's suite of applied AI tools, training programmes, and strategic insights. It is designed to help AI leaders drive high-impact deployments, deliver real-world value, and accelerate innovation within their organisations. Building on the Dubai Universal Blueprint for AI launched in April 2024 by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the initiative marks another step towards positioning Dubai among the top 10 cities on the global Government AI Readiness Index. Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, said the move highlights Dubai's leadership in appointing Chief AI Officers across government, a milestone achieved just one year after the launch of the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence in June 2023. Ziad Jammal, General Manager for Google Cloud UAE, Levant and North Africa, emphasised that equipping government leaders with advanced AI knowledge is crucial for future-proofing governance and reinforcing the UAE's standing as a global innovation hub. The collaboration reflects Dubai's ongoing commitment to responsibly scaling AI to benefit society while keeping pace with rapid global technological advancements. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Emirates 24/7
23-04-2025
- Business
- Emirates 24/7
Hamdan bin Mohammed meets with first batch of companies granted Dubai AI Seal
Hamdan bin Mohammed meets with first batch of companies granted Dubai AI Seal at Dubai AI Week Initiative supports trusted AI partnerships and strengthens Dubai's leadership in responsible AI deployment Hamdan bin Mohammed: The private sector plays — and will continue to play — a vital role in driving Dubai's future progress and innovation His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, met with representatives of the first group of companies granted the Dubai AI Seal, during his visit to Dubai AI Week 2025. The Dubai AI Seal, launched in January 2025 by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) under the directives of His Highness and in line with the Dubai Universal Blueprint for AI, is a pioneering initiative designed to promote trust in reputable artificial intelligence companies and reinforce Dubai's position as a global AI leader. His Highness said: "A few months ago, we launched the Dubai AI Seal initiative to create a comprehensive framework that fosters partnerships between government entities and specialised technology companies working on AI applications in Dubai, the UAE, and beyond. Today, we celebrate the first group of tech companies to receive the Dubai AI Seal and we look forward to expanding these partnerships in the future." His Highness added: 'In Dubai, we believe in proactively preparing for the future and in the transformative power of technology to enhance people's quality of life and improve government performance. We aim to continually accelerate efforts to harness artificial intelligence in pursuit of our strategic goals and ambitions.' 'The private sector plays — and will continue to play — a vital role in driving Dubai's future progress and innovation,' His Highness said. Awarded to companies that meet a rigorous set of evaluation criteria, the Dubai AI Seal provides a structured framework to build strong and secure partnerships between government entities and trusted technology providers. Certified companies receive a unique serial number and classification, enabling government and private sector organisations to identify and engage with AI companies that uphold the highest standards of quality, security, and responsible use. The initiative also mandates that any technology company wishing to participate in government AI projects in Dubai must first obtain the Dubai AI Seal. Certified companies are granted the right to display the seal across their digital platforms and promotional materials, highlighting their credibility and alignment with Dubai's strategic AI vision. All technology companies licensed in Dubai that offer AI-related products or services will be assessed upon their application for the Dubai AI Seal across key criteria: the nature of AI activities and services, the number of specialised AI engineers employed, current and upcoming projects, and partnerships with government and private sector stakeholders. By establishing a trusted network of AI providers, the Dubai AI Seal initiative creates new business opportunities, enables responsible AI adoption, and recognises the sector's growing economic significance and its potential to generate jobs and long-term partnerships. The initiative is overseen by the Dubai Future Foundation, with DCAI tasked with supporting government entities in adopting emerging technologies, developing AI-related regulations, attracting global solutions, empowering national talent, and enhancing the quality of life of Dubai's residents. His Highness's meeting with the AI companies reaffirms Dubai's commitment to nurturing a future-ready AI ecosystem rooted in trust, innovation, and strategic collaboration. Dubai AI Week is hosting 10,000 participants from over 100 nationalities, featuring more than 180 speakers, over 150 sessions and workshops, and more than 140 activations. Taking place from 21–25 April 2025, the event brings together global thought leaders from startups, corporates, governments, and academia to shape the future of artificial intelligence. For more information on the events and activities, please visit: Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
Sharjah 24
22-04-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
Hamdan bin Mohammed unveils AED2 B Hyperscale Data Centre
Developed by du in collaboration with Microsoft The facility will be developed and operated by du, the UAE's leading telecommunications and digital services provider, in partnership with Microsoft. Announcement made during Dubai AI Week 2025 The announcement took place during His Highness Sheikh Hamdan's visit to Dubai AI Week 2025, organised by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence—an initiative of the Dubai Future Foundation. The event runs from 21st to 25th April 2025 at venues including the Museum of the Future, AREA 2071, and Emirates Towers Boulevard. Phased development to meet growing demand The hyperscale data centre will be constructed in multiple phases, expanding capacity to meet rising regional and global demand. Microsoft will serve as the primary tenant, utilising the centre's advanced computing capabilities for cloud services and next-generation digital infrastructure. Reinforcing Dubai's digital leadership Sheikh Hamdan stated: 'The project marks a significant investment in digital infrastructure, reinforcing Dubai's leadership in adopting the latest technologies, innovations, and digital services.' He added: 'Data is the wealth of the future and the foundation of technological progress.' Supporting Dubai's AI and digital economy strategy The centre is a major leap in Dubai's push to build a future-ready digital ecosystem, extending beyond telecom services to critical infrastructure that underpins AI, cloud computing, and digital transformation. Aligned with the Dubai Universal Blueprint for AI The project aligns with the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence, launched in 2024. The strategy focuses on developing national talent, integrating AI in government, and expanding data centre infrastructure. This blueprint has already driven a surge in data centre development and sector-wide investment. Enhancing quality of life and future economic growth The new centre underlines the UAE's ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability, and using technology to improve the economy and quality of life. du's existing data infrastructure Currently, du operates multiple data centres across the UAE, providing secure and scalable digital infrastructure for a range of applications. Global participation at Dubai AI Week 2025 Dubai AI Week 2025 has attracted participants from over 100 nationalities, with more than 180 speakers, 150+ sessions and workshops, and 140+ activities. The event unites experts from startups, enterprises, governments, and academia to shape the future of artificial intelligence.
Al Etihad
22-04-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Hamdan bin Mohammed meets with first batch of companies granted Dubai AI Seal at Dubai AI Week
22 Apr 2025 19:42 DUBAI (ALETIHAD) His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, met with representatives of the first group of companies granted the Dubai AI Seal, during his visit to Dubai AI Week Dubai AI Seal, launched in January 2025 by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed and in line with the Dubai Universal Blueprint for AI, is a pioneering initiative designed to promote trust in reputable artificial intelligence companies and reinforce Dubai's position as a global AI leader.H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said, "A few months ago, we launched the Dubai AI Seal initiative to create a comprehensive framework that fosters partnerships between government entities and specialised technology companies working on AI applications in Dubai, the UAE, and beyond. Today, we celebrate the first group of tech companies to receive the Dubai AI Seal and we look forward to expanding these partnerships in the future."He added, 'In Dubai, we believe in proactively preparing for the future and in the transformative power of technology to enhance people's quality of life and improve government performance. We aim to continually accelerate efforts to harness artificial intelligence in pursuit of our strategic goals and ambitions.''The private sector plays — and will continue to play — a vital role in driving Dubai's future progress and innovation,' His Highness to companies that meet a rigorous set of evaluation criteria, the Dubai AI Seal provides a structured framework to build strong and secure partnerships between government entities and trusted technology companies receive a unique serial number and classification, enabling government and private sector organisations to identify and engage with AI companies that uphold the highest standards of quality, security, and responsible initiative also mandates that any technology company wishing to participate in government AI projects in Dubai must first obtain the Dubai AI Seal. Certified companies are granted the right to display the seal across their digital platforms and promotional materials, highlighting their credibility and alignment with Dubai's strategic AI technology companies licensed in Dubai that offer AI-related products or services will be assessed upon their application for the Dubai AI Seal across key criteria: the nature of AI activities and services, the number of specialised AI engineers employed, current and upcoming projects, and partnerships with government and private sector establishing a trusted network of AI providers, the Dubai AI Seal initiative creates new business opportunities, enables responsible AI adoption, and recognises the sector's growing economic significance and its potential to generate jobs and long-term initiative is overseen by the Dubai Future Foundation, with DCAI tasked with supporting government entities in adopting emerging technologies, developing AI-related regulations, attracting global solutions, empowering national talent, and enhancing the quality of life of Dubai's residents.H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed's meeting with the AI companies reaffirms Dubai's commitment to nurturing a future-ready AI ecosystem rooted in trust, innovation, and strategic AI Week is hosting 10,000 participants from over 100 nationalities, featuring more than 180 speakers, over 150 sessions and workshops, and more than 140 activations. Taking place from 21–25 April 2025, the event brings together global thought leaders from startups, corporates, governments, and academia to shape the future of artificial intelligence.
Tahawul Tech
18-04-2025
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
'We are committed to developing AI that can be trusted to drive progress for both business and society' – Shukri Eid, IBM
Shukri Eid, General Manager of IBM Gulf, Levant, and Pakistan, spoke to CNME Editor Mark Forker, ahead of Dubai AI Week, to find out what IBM will be exhibiting at the event, the role it is playing in helping the UAE achieve its lofty AI objectives, the impact of its IBM z17 solution across the enterprise space – and the need for greater governance on Gen AI. IBM is a strategic partner of Dubai AI Week. Can you provide us with more information on what attendees can expect to see and hear from IBM during the event? Our involvement in Dubai AI Week reflects our broader partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation and the Emirate of Dubai overall, focused on advancing AI for real-world impact. Our objective is to showcase how AI can drive productivity gains, deliver significant return on investment, and help reinvent the way organizations work in the digital age. Over the week, IBM will host expert sessions and speaking engagements covering critical priorities for businesses on their AI journey — from identifying quick-win use cases, to building a strong data foundation with fit-for-purpose models, to ensuring trust and governance throughout the AI lifecycle. We'll further present early findings from the Global Chief AI Officers Study, a joint report we are working on with the Dubai Future Foundation, highlighting how global leaders are approaching AI strategy and implementation. Organizations with a CAIO see a higher ROI on AI spend compared to those without one and as per our interim findings, 26% of organizations have a CAIO and 65% of CAIOs believe most organizations will have a CAIO within the next 2 years. This is a key audience we are working with to advance AI for enterprise and government in line with UAE National AI Strategy. Dubai has made no secret of its aspirations and ambitions to become a global leader when it comes to AI. The Dubai Universal Blueprint for AI has been engineered and designed to accelerate the adoption of AI technologies into every facet of society. IBM, as a global tech leader, has long been a partner of the UAE Government, but can you tell us the role IBM is playing in terms of achieving the goals and objectives of their AI vision? We are proud to support Dubai and the UAE's bold vision to become a global leader in AI. Our collaboration with leading UAE entities is focused on accelerating the adoption of AI in ways that align with national agendas and business priorities. Globally, we're seeing incredible momentum. Our generative AI book of business surpassed $5 billion inception-to-date, with $2 billion of that growth happening just in the last quarter. That's a clear signal that enterprises aren't experimenting with AI anymore—they're implementing it at scale. And that's exactly the kind of transformation we're supporting in the UAE. We recently partnered with e& to co-develop an AI governance framework, one of the region's first, designed to help organizations in the UAE and beyond adopt AI responsibly and at scale. This framework offers practical guidance to embed governance, transparency, and accountability into every stage of the AI lifecycle. At the World Governments Summit 2025, we signed an agreement with the Dubai Future Foundation to support the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and the Universal Blueprint for AI. The partnership includes building a sovereign cloud, launching an AI innovation center, and deepening our role in startup mentorship, Tech Talks, and advisory services — all to help position Dubai as a global AI hub. Additionally, we're collaborating with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) to apply IBM's geospatial foundation model to map and reduce urban heat islands in Abu Dhabi. This work has already led to a reduction of over 3°C in affected areas, offering valuable insights for sustainable urban planning in a region heavily impacted by climate change. Our ongoing collaborations in the UAE reflect IBM's commitment to supporting national AI ambitions and helping shape a future where AI serves society responsibly and equitably. IBM recently announced the next generation of their iconic mainframe in the form of the IBM z17, designed to bring AI to the core of the enterprise to enable new workloads. Can you outline the capabilities of this product in more detail, and the impact you believe it will have across the industry? The IBM z17 isn't just another iteration of our mainframe, it's a response to how enterprise computing is evolving. So, with the z17, we've built AI directly into the hardware and software stack, starting with the Telum II processor. That gives it the ability to run AI models efficiently and securely, right where the data lives. We're seeing over 250 AI support use cases for the z17 that are very real for our clients—fraud detection that happens in milliseconds, smarter customer service with AI-powered chat, even helping radiologists interpret medical images faster. And with the new IBM Spyre Accelerator, it's not just traditional models—we're talking large language models and generative AI running securely, at scale. The z17 continues to lead in security and resiliency. And with tools like watsonx Code Assistant for Z, we're making it easier for developers to build and manage on the platform, whether they've been working on Z for years or are just getting started. In short, this is about giving businesses a way to move fast with AI, without compromising on the things that matter: security, scale, and trust. Finally, when it comes to Gen AI, understandably, there is huge excitement at the potential it has to completely transform industries, but that being said, there are growing calls for more robust frameworks and governance around AI in order to ensure it is being used responsibly. Can you give us an overview from an IBM perspective on your approach to responsible AI? At IBM, we are deeply committed to developing AI that can be trusted to drive progress for both business and society. Our approach to responsible AI begins with watsonx, our enterprise-ready AI and data platform, which provides the tools, governance, and transparency needed to develop and deploy AI responsibly. It helps organizations track data provenance, ensure model explainability, and mitigate bias at scale. We also recognize that building trust in AI requires global collaboration. That's why we co-founded the AI Alliance, a coalition of over 100 organizations across industry, academia, and government, including partners like CERN, NASA, Hugging Face, and MBZUAI. All are committed to advancing open, safe, and inclusive AI innovation. Together, we are focused on keeping AI open-source, promoting responsible development, and ensuring the benefits of AI are broadly shared. We also actively engage with governments worldwide to shape smart, risk-based regulation that focuses on high-impact use cases rather than underlying algorithms, in order to support innovation while safeguarding society.
