Latest news with #MohamedbinZayedUniversityofArtificialIntelligence
Observer
27-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
Rethinking AI for the real world of sustainable energy transition
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has come a long way. Today, it can write, translate and analyse large volumes of information. But to help solve the urgent challenges of climate change and clean energy, AI must move beyond language. It must support real-world planning, decisions and action. Oman is taking bold steps towards sustainability. With its commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050, the country has launched the Oman Net Zero Centre under the Ministry of Energy and Minerals. This centre will guide the national strategy, ensuring a transition that protects the environment, reduces costs, creates jobs and secures the energy supply. To make this transition successful, we need smart tools that can manage complex energy systems; and guide policy and investment choices. This is where AI can make a real difference, not just as a digital assistant but as a partner in designing and operating better sustainable systems. For example, green hydrogen is a key pillar of Oman's strategy. Major projects are being planned to turn Oman into a global hub for hydrogen production and export. AI can help these projects by modelling supply chains, optimising storage and transport; and forecasting international market dynamics to facilitate sustainable business growth. Similarly, AI can enhance the power sector by improving forecasting for solar and wind production, managing energy storage and increasing grid reliability. In transport, AI can support the rollout of electric vehicles and smart charging networks. In industry, it can identify cost-effective routes to shift from fossil fuels to electricity or hydrogen, helping avoid stranded investments. AI should be aligned with the five goals of Oman's net-zero pathway: environmental sustainability, energy affordability, economic growth, job creation and energy security. With the right approach, AI can help balance trade-offs and support better decisions. The UAE has already recognised this opportunity through the establishment of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), which is advancing research in AI for national transformation. Oman too can benefit by investing in similar initiatives. A dedicated centre or academic hub for AI in energy, climate and sustainability would complement the goals of the Oman Net Zero Centre and strengthen our national capabilities. As Oman builds its green hydrogen infrastructure and decarbonises its energy systems, AI must become part of the solution. It should be trained not just on data, but on the realities of engineering, economics and the climate. Now is the time to think beyond conventional uses of AI. If applied with purpose, AI can help Oman meet its Oman Vision 2040 and Net Zero 2050 goals and become a regional leader in smart and sustainable development. Dr Muhammad Abdul Qyyum The writer is Assistant Professor, Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University.
Mid East Info
23-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
MBZUAI Launches Institute of Foundation Models and Establishes Silicon Valley AI Lab - Middle East Business News and Information
San Francisco, US, May, 2025 – Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has expanded its global footprint with today's launch of its Institute of Foundation Models (IFM). The IFM is a multi-site initiative consisting of a newly established Silicon Valley Lab in Sunnyvale, CA, combined with previously announced lab facilities in Paris and Abu Dhabi. Today's launch event, taking place at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, establishes the third node in its global research network. This strategic expansion connects the university with California's vibrant ecosystem of AI researchers, startups, and tech companies. For the UAE and MBZUAI, this move represents another strategic step in the country's long-term economic diversification plan. By investing in cutting-edge technologies like advanced AI foundation models, the UAE continues to build knowledge-based sectors to support its long-term economic and social transformation efforts. 'Today's launch of the IFM represents a major step forward for the collaboration and global development of frontier-class AI foundation models,' said Professor Eric Xing, President and University Professor, MBZUAI. 'Our expansion into Silicon Valley provides a critical footprint to grow our presence in one of the most vibrant AI ecosystems in the world. We're creating pathways for knowledge exchange with leading institutions and accessing a talent pool that understands how to scale research into real-world applications.' The launch event drew representatives from the world's leading AI companies and academic institutions, highlighting the growing interest in MBZUAI's global approach to foundation model research. World Models: Building More Adaptable AI Through Simulation At the heart of MBZUAI's demonstrations was PAN, a world model capable of infinite simulations of diverse realities ranging from basic physical interactions to complex agent scenarios. Unlike previous systems focused primarily on generating text, audio, or images, PAN predicts comprehensive world states by integrating multimodal inputs like language, video, spatial data, and physical actions. This enables advanced reasoning, strategic planning, and nuanced decision-making for applications from autonomous driving to robotics. PAN's innovative hierarchical architecture supports multi-level reasoning and real-time interaction within simulations, maintaining high accuracy over extended scenarios. Its companion, PAN-Agent, showcases its utility in multimodal reasoning tasks, such as mathematics and coding, within dynamic simulated environments. K2 and JAIS: Advanced Foundation Models with Global Impact The IFM lab is also advancing two flagship AI systems demonstrating our commitment to further advance frontier-class foundation models: K2 and JAIS. A soon to be released update to K2-65B will focus on delivering breakthrough reasoning capabilities with sustainable performance. With advanced reasoning K2 will further enhance its capabilities in mathematical problem-solving, code generation, and logical analysis while requiring fewer computational resources than many comparable models. JAIS stands as the world's most advanced Arabic large language model. This open-sourced system addresses the underrepresentation of non-English languages in AI, covering Modern Standard Arabic, regional dialects, Hindi, and other languages while maintaining cultural authenticity. At the IFM JAIS will continue to expand in capability with increased language support and add more context to preserve and promote the cultures it supports. Building AI in the Open: Transparency as a Core Value MBZUAI has established one of the industry's most transparent approaches to AI development, open-sourcing not just models but entire development processes—positioning IFM as a leader in building openly. The LLM360 initiative provides researchers with complete materials including training code, datasets, and model checkpoints. This openness is balanced with safeguards including international advisory boards and peer review processes that maintain research integrity. The IFM's structure includes dedicated teams focused on model architecture, training methods, evaluation frameworks, and safety systems—combining the agility of a startup with the resources of an established research institution. Through partnerships with industry leaders, academic institutions, and public organizations, IFM Is building a framework to translate research into practical applications to advance the field of AI globally. Photo captions: Professor Eric Xing at the IFM launch in Silicon Valley. Audience at an expert panel discussing industry and academia collaboration. Moderated by MBZUAI Affiliated Professor Ves Stoyanova, the panel was part of the program to launch MBZUAI's IFM in Silicon Valley. About Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) MBZUAI is a research-focused university in Abu Dhabi, and the first university dedicated entirely to the advancement of science through AI. The university empowers the next generation of AI leaders, driving innovation and impactful applications of AI through world-class education and interdisciplinary research. In 2025, MBZUAI launched its first-ever undergraduate program, a Bachelor of Science in AI, with two distinct streams: Business and Engineering.
Mid East Info
20-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
MBZUAI Strengthens Research Ties with France's École Polytechnique - Middle East Business News and Information
MBZUAI and École Polytechnique expand partnership with deeper research collaboration in support of growing AI ecosystems in France and UAE Abu Dhabi, UAE, May, 2025: Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) will deepen ties with France's AI ecosystem in 2025 after expanding its relationship with École Polytechnique through a Collaborative Research Agreement. This new initiative will support mission-driven research led by core investigators from both institutions. The focus areas include advancing large language models, developing foundation models for reasoning, and exploring applications of AI in biology, health, and AI safety. 'Our partnerships and presence in France are critical to the continued growth and innovation of our research capabilities at MBZUAI and we're excited to expand our relationship with École Polytechnique in support of these efforts,' said Professor Eric Xing, President and University Professor, MBZUAI. 'Our expanded agreement represents a blueprint for global research collaboration to advance the field of AI and share in the benefits collectively across France and the UAE.' In February, MBZUAI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with École Polytechnique (L'X) to foster collaboration on joint initiatives in education, research, and innovation in artificial intelligence. The agreement was formalized on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in France, where Professor Xing delivered a keynote address on AI, Science, and Society. Building on this partnership, the two institutions signed the Scholars Exchange Program Agreement in April, enabling the exchange of students and researchers between MBZUAI and École Polytechnique. Laura Chaubard, Director General of École Polytechnique, said: 'I'm delighted to be moving forward with our strategic research partnership with MBZUAI. The scientific synergies are numerous, in the fields of AI for health, safety, and environmental sustainability, as well as in large language models and foundation models for reasoning. I'm sure that these synergies will give rise to rich collaborations in the future.' This strategic partnership represents a significant milestone in accelerating joint research efforts and supporting the next generation of researchers and innovators in the field of AI. MBZUAI's research ties with France are also supported by the growing presence of the MBZUAI France Lab in Paris. Among their achievements to date, researchers at this satellite lab have developed a family of open-source large language models (LLMs) called Atlas-Chat, focusing on the Moroccan Arabic dialect (Darija). The team has released two language models: Atlas-Chat-2B, designed for efficient generation of fluent Darija text, and Atlas-Chat-9B, offering more nuanced, context-rich output for advanced tasks. The France Lab will also be a focal point for MBZUAI's soon-to-be-unveiled Institute of Foundation Models (IFM) — a bold, global initiative uniting AI talent across Abu Dhabi, Silicon Valley and Paris. The France Lab will be one of three centres in each of these AI hubs designed to advance the next generation of foundation models and deliver their benefits to communities worldwide. About Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) MBZUAI is a research-focused university in Abu Dhabi, and the first university dedicated entirely to the advancement of science through AI. The university empowers the next generation of AI leaders, driving innovation and impactful applications of AI through world-class education and interdisciplinary research. In 2025, MBZUAI launched its first-ever undergraduate program, a Bachelor of Science in AI, with two distinct streams: Business and Engineering.
Fintech News ME
19-05-2025
- Business
- Fintech News ME
UAE and US Unveil 5GW AI Campus in Abu Dhabi
A new 5GW UAE–US AI campus was unveiled on May 15 at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and President Donald Trump. The campus is set to become the largest AI facility outside the US, and will serve as a base for American technology companies to deliver regional computing capabilities, particularly for countries in the Global South. Located in Abu Dhabi, the AI campus will feature 5GW of capacity for data centres, aimed at enabling US hyperscale technology providers to deliver low-latency services to populations within a 3,200-kilometre radius, encompassing almost half of the global population. Once completed, the facility will utilise a mix of nuclear, solar, and gas power sources to reduce carbon emissions. It will also include a science park focused on research and development in AI. The 10-square-mile campus will be developed by UAE-based technology group G42, in collaboration with several US firms. It is part of a wider initiative under the newly launched 'US–UAE AI Acceleration Partnership,' aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the fields of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies. The project includes measures to control access to computing resources, which will be restricted to US hyperscalers and cloud service providers that meet certain regulatory standards. The UAE government has stated it will implement controls to prevent the diversion of sensitive technologies, and will work with US authorities to strengthen Know-Your-Customer (KYC) protocols. US Secretary of Commerce Howard W. Lutnick said: 'Today's agreement launches an historic Middle Eastern partnership on AI between our two nations. It promotes major investment in advanced semiconductors and data centres across the US and the UAE. In the UAE, American companies will operate the data centres and offer American-managed cloud services throughout the region. The agreement also contains strong security guarantees to prevent diversion of US technology.' The UAE has been an early adopter of AI technologies, having appointed the world's first Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence in 2017 and established the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in 2019. The country also launched its national AI strategy that same year, with the aim of integrating AI into key sectors such as education, healthcare, transport, and energy.
Channel Post MEA
14-05-2025
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
G42 Signs MoU With Cisco To Advance AI Innovation
The UAE-based G42 has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cisco, laying the groundwork for a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing artificial intelligence (AI) innovation and infrastructure development across public and private sectors. The agreement was presented to His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, by Peng Xiao, Group Chief Executive Officer of G42, and Chuck Robbins, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Cisco. Commenting on the signing, Peng Xiao, Group Chief Executive Officer of G42, said, 'This MoU with Cisco reflects our shared interest in exploring how AI infrastructure and innovation can be scaled responsibly and securely across markets. As G42 continues to expand its international footprint, we welcome the opportunity to align with organizations that value open collaboration, trusted ecosystems, and long-term impact. We look forward to identifying areas where our combined capabilities can support governments, enterprises, and communities in harnessing the full potential of AI.' The MoU focuses on exploring collaboration opportunities in key areas, including a joint Go-to-Market initiative that leverages Cisco's comprehensive secure AI portfolio and AI-native solutions and services, and G42's deep regional roots, AI infrastructure expertise, and expanding global footprint to support AI's diffusion in and beyond the UAE. Additionally, Cisco and G42 will work together to assess the potential to co-develop and jointly deploy AI-powered cybersecurity solutions, as well as a reference architecture that integrates Cisco's networking, security, and infrastructure solutions specifically designed for high-performance computing. This collaboration aims to help customers build and secure AI-ready data centers and develop AI workloads effectively. Chuck Robbins, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Cisco, added, 'AI is fundamentally changing our world, and to truly unlock its potential, we need to build a strong global ecosystem. Cisco is proud to join forces with G42 to deliver cutting-edge AI and digital infrastructure solutions to our customers at scale. Cisco is committed to supporting G42's transformative vision for AI.' As G42 deepens its role in shaping the global AI ecosystem, its strategic partnerships with U.S. technology leaders have become a key driver of progress. As the first nation in the world to appoint a Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and establish a dedicated AI university, the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the UAE has consistently demonstrated its commitment to global AI leadership. This MoU aligns with G42's international growth ambitions and supports the broader objectives of the UAE's National AI Strategy 2031, which aims to position the country at the forefront of responsible AI development and deployment. 0 0
