Amidst the fast pace of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in Europe and North America, experts have pointed to the Middle East as the next emerging hub for this technology.
Middle Eastern countries, particularly Gulf countries, are adopting AI as they strive to digitize their economies. The Middle East is known for its oil-based economies, but global macroeconomic conditions have forced the region to explore other sources of revenue.
While some countries are turning to tourism, others are pitching their tent with blockchain technology and other emerging technologies.
A recent report has Underlines the UAE’s progress in AI in recent months, culminating in the establishment of a council dedicated to spearheading the development of ecosystems. Dubbed the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technologies Council (AIATC), the UAE’s latest entity will guide the country’s foray into AI innovation and infrastructure development.
The UAE’s ultimate goal is to become the global AI hub by 2031, a plan in the works since the country’s leaders unveiled their national AI plan in 2017. As part of this ambitious plan, the Gulf nation will try to integrate Generative AI in education,
transportationmanufacturing and health in the months to come.
Saudi Arabia has joined the AI race by releasing its Vision 2030 strategy as it seeks to move away from oil. The plan envisions a series of AI innovations, highlighted by spending sprees in a shipping of AI chips from Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) to fuel its objectives.
“I am convinced that the Middle East has all the potential to defeat many of the current leaders in the use of AI,” said Pawel Satalecki, an executive at consultancy Avenga. “However, the coming years will need to be spent wisely, integrating external knowledge and resources into their strategies to catch up and open up the opportunity to build the necessary capacity locally. »
Israel joined through state-sponsored AI startups and researchers from major AI companies including Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), and meta (NASDAQ:META). Meanwhile, Qatar is ramping up AI education nationally to accelerate adoption levels while opening its borders to global AI developers.
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Experts have expressed doubts about the region’s ability to innovate from scratch, predicting that the Middle East will adopt a “follow the leader” attitude towards AI. Satalecki highlights the existing roadmaps unveiled by Middle East countries and the integration direction taken by private entities in the region.
“The region has proven itself to be very good at implementing or refining what the United States has already innovated,” Satalecki said.
Several factors hinder AI innovation in the region, including lack of talent pipeline, unclear regulations and fears of misuse by governments against dissent and other minorities.
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