Latest news with #ForsaTEK
Gulf Today
3 hours ago
- Business
- Gulf Today
ForsaTEK 2025 offers platform for high-impact, scalable innovation
Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline and Group, inaugurated the third edition of ForsaTEK, the innovation platform and annual event organised by the Emirates Group. The event was attended by Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, along with a number of senior executives from the Emirates Group. The annual event is held at the Emirates Group Headquarters and showcases advanced technology partnerships, promising startups, thought-provoking discussions, and emerging talent developing innovative concepts that aim to drive transformative change. This year's forum themes highlighted how artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Internet of Things are reshaping the aviation sector, while also emphasising the crucial role of human engagement in embracing technology and maximising its effectiveness. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed said, 'Building on the success of the first two editions, ForsaTEK 2025 underpins the Emirates Group's continued commitment to anchoring the next wave of innovations within our business, scaling up existing innovations, supporting startups, and creating a powerful testbed of partnerships that introduce fresh solutions and propel our digital future forward. "The high impact showcases at every part of the innovation pipeline at ForsaTEK 2025 demonstrate how the Emirates Group is building an ecosystem to push new boundaries in AI, technology, research, and digital adoption. We hope all our teams and partners leave the event feeling inspired by tomorrow's possibilities and determined to weave innovation, both big and small, into their everyday work lives." This year, ForsaTEK featured over 40 in-house and partner showcases, strategically organised across the innovation pipeline spectrum, from early-stage research and prototyping, to proof-of-concept trials, and fully launched initiatives being scaled up. Fully launched initiatives included Transguard and Emirates Group Security's advanced autonomous robotics to enhance urban safety and security; dnata Cargo's autonomous drone system for inventory validation; dnata's 3D prototyping and custom manufacturing of spare parts; Emirates Airport Services' AI-enabled aircraft turnaround analysis and resource optimisation system, amongst other aviation and customer-centric innovations. The Trial Zone included several accessibility initiatives including Glidance's groundbreaking self-guided mobility aid enabling safe, independent navigation for the visually impaired; the JeffCAN immersive media chair, blending sensory design and technology to support and engage neurodiverse passengers; the Airbus Accessible and Inclusive cabin featuring a Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) lavatory and personal wheelchair onboard. Maintenance and engineering trials featured an AI and computer vision platform for fast, accurate engine part detection and identification; Apple Vision Pro-based augmented reality maintenance for enhanced visualisation of brake, wheel, and APU assemblies, and drone-based aircraft inspections, for fast, safe, and accurate aircraft exterior inspections. A pitch zone also featured 13 start-ups showcasing their ideas to a panel of VIPs, investors, and tech industry representatives. People and youth engagement areas within the Experience Zone were also activated to showcase innovation journeys and enhance visitor engagement. Sarah Al Amiri delivered ForsaTEK 2025's opening keynote, focused around the 'disruption of technology on public education'. The UAE recently announced the integration of AI into all levels of school curricula to prepare the nation's youth for a world increasingly shaped by a rapidly evolving tech landscape, as well as positioning the UAE as a major global player in artificial intelligence. The event's exciting programme also included world-renowned tech experts and academics like Dr. Mark Esposito, Geostrategist and Advisor at the World Economic Forum and Harvard University Innovation Researcher delving into topics like reinventing and remobilisation of technology strategies; 'Imagineering with Disney'; Younes Bensouda Mourri, Professor of AI at Stanford University who discussed rethinking human intelligence in an AI powered world; humanoid robots; and the future impact of AI on society and human advancement with Shekhar Kapur, Oscar-nominated filmmaker and AI philosopher. At ForsaTEK 2025, the Emirates Group's Afkar app was also launched. Afkar, which means 'ideas' in Arabic, is a company-wide digital platform that allows employees – wherever they work and whatever they do – to play their part in generating new ideas for implementation. The winning concept unveiled at this year's event was the automation of visa validation for customers, removing yet another source of friction for passengers during their travel journeys. WAM
Khaleej Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Thousands of teachers to undergo AI-driven assessment to boost student skills
Thousands of teachers will undergo an artificial intelligence-driven gap analysis to understand how to ensure they nurture the cognitive and practical skills of young students to thrive, said Sarah Al Amiri, the UAE's Minister of Education. "We have redesigned the competency framework for educators because their role needs to evolve to equip them with the skills needed to guide learners in an AI and tech-rich world. This very week, we have thousands of educators across the UAE to undergo AI-driven gap analysis to understand better how to bridge the gap from where educators are today to where they need to be," Al Amiri said during the ForsaTEK — an annual event hosted by Emirates Group to showcase its innovation, proof of concepts, technology and start-up ecosystems. 'Our goal is to empower educators – and not replace them – to ensure they can nurture the cognitive, ethical and practical skills our young people need to thrive,' she said while speaking on the topic of 'How technology is redefining public education.' The UAE has been aggressively promoting AI in the education sector, as the country plans to introduce AI as a subject across all public schools from next year to prepare the next generation for a different future. 'Educators can no longer be simply deliverers of knowledge because information is everywhere. Instead, they must become enhancers of skills, guides and mentors for students instead of values and purpose. 'The human relationship between educator and learner remains irreplaceable, even in the age of AI; an effective educator today helps students develop deeper reasoning, build confidence to question and explore, cultivate a sense of responsibility and ethics in using technologies in the UAE, we are taking this quite seriously. We are revamping our data collection analytics to allow AI to support smart decisions at all levels of the education system,' she said in her speech. She pointed out that traditional classroom models are struggling to engage students who are closest to technology, specifically upper grades transitioning into university, and as a result, fewer young people aspire to become educators. Weakens students' critical thinking The minister warned that if students become passive consumers of AI outputs, this could weaken their ability to think critically and independently. She noted that studies are already indicating that AI use can impact cognitive development, particularly in areas such as reasoning and problem-solving. 'If it's not guided carefully, over-reliance on AI may lead to superficial learning, knowing the answer but not understanding the process. If students become passive consumers of AI outputs, we risk weakening their ability to think critically and independently, and this will impact the outcome of the workforce,' the UAE minister said, adding that the development of human skills must be prioritised. 'When people understand how things work, the logic, the mechanics of the system, they become better and more discerning users of technology. They can apply judgment, adapt to new tools and spot errors. They remain resilient as technology evolves in a world of AI. It is not enough to know how to use those tools. You must teach people to understand when and why to use them and when not to. Skills such as reasoning, curiosity, resilience, and ethical judgment will remain essential in education, in aviation and beyond. This also means that the role of the educator must evolve,' she added.
