32 Executives Graduate from MBZUAI’s Accelerated AI Program

32 executives from regional and global organizations have successfully graduated from the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) after completing an intensive six-day AI executive program. MBZUAI, the world’s first university dedicated to artificial intelligence research, hosted the MBZUAI Executive Program Accelerated (MEP-A), designed to equip senior leaders with essential knowledge on AI strategy, implementation, and transformation.

The MEP-A program is an expedited version of MBZUAI’s renowned 16-week MEP course. It provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of AI, with access to world-class facilities and faculty from top institutions, including MBZUAI, Columbia University, and UC Berkeley. The course aims to help leaders integrate AI into their organizations, applying AI innovations to business practices and policy-making.

During the program, participants also benefited from site visits to prominent organizations, including ADNOC, AD Ports Group, the Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, Dubai Future Foundation, and Dubai Future Labs, offering firsthand experience of AI in action.

The inaugural MEP-A cohort consisted of 32 executives from seven countries, including 26 from the UAE’s public and private sectors. Notable organizations represented by UAE participants included Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Mubadala, Dubai Water & Electricity Authority, and Abu Dhabi Ports. The cohort also included executives from Saudi Arabia, the UK, the US, and the Philippines. Nearly 50% of the participants were women, reflecting the program’s broad appeal.

Professor Timothy Baldwin, provost and professor of natural language processing at MBZUAI, highlighted the program’s success, stating that the feedback from participants was extremely positive. Graduates expressed confidence in their ability to implement AI in a safe and ethical manner, applying their newfound knowledge to drive innovation within their organizations.

The program featured lectures from AI experts such as MBZUAI President Eric Xing, Professor Michael Jordan of UC Berkeley, and Professor Sheena Iyengar of Columbia University, along with other renowned faculty from MBZUAI.

Established in 2019, MBZUAI is ranked among the top 100 global universities in computer science and in the top 15 globally for AI, computer vision, machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics, according to CSRankings.

This successful cohort marks a significant step in advancing AI leadership in the region and globally, supporting the future of AI innovation and ethical integration in business and government sectors.