The Dubai Future Council on Artificial Intelligence holds its first meeting and looks to utilize AI to strengthen Dubai's status as a future global city
By: Emirates News Agency
Chaired by Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, the Dubai Future Council on Artificial Intelligence discussed at its first meeting plans and trends to strengthen Dubai's position and leadership in future sectors and how the role of artificial intelligence will further enhance Dubai's status as a future global city.
One of 13 Councils launched by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Dubai Future Foundation, the Dubai Future Council on Artificial Intelligence aims to enhance public and private sector awareness on the importance of adopting technologies in vital sectors such as education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as supporting research aimed at creating a legislative and regulatory environment that meets the needs of relevant stakeholders.
Omar Al Olama highlighted that the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, focuses on providing an encouraging environment and ecosystem for a sustainable knowledge-based economy that provides opportunities for startups and young talent to create businesses based on artificial intelligence and big data, hence developing various vital sectors in the emirate.
He pointed out the importance of employing modern technology in various economic, governmental and private sectors to establish new sectors, embrace ideas, foster talents as well as attract more investments from around the world.
During the first council meeting, the members discussed the artificial intelligence landscape, key challenges facing the development of artificial intelligence both locally and globally, policies and regulations and reviewed prominent developments of artificial intelligence in governmental and economic sectors.
The Council is comprised of a number of government officials, experts, representatives of private companies and academic institutions.
Ronaldo Mouchawar, Co-founder of Souq.com & VP of Amazon MENA, highlighted the importance of encouraging entrepreneurs and startups, both locally and globally to be part of the AI sector and better utilize such technology, as well as reviewing current incubators and accelerators and how to bridge the gap between those incubators and AI startups.
Dr. Oussama Khatib of Stanford University talked about the importance of keeping the future generation in mind when it comes to deploying such technology, he said,"by collaborating with universities in the UAE and introducing AI in education, we thereby ensure better AI understanding and utilization". He further added, "we need to allow and enable a more human-centric AI approach and foster potential collaborations on a global scale."
Source: wam.ae