Microsoft’s Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella, recently embarked on a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to witness firsthand the transformative impact of cutting-edge AI and cloud technologies on various sectors within the country. During the Microsoft ‘AI, a New Era’ event, Nadella engaged with local business leaders, government representatives, and developers, underscoring the pivotal role that AI plays in catalyzing the digital evolution of the UAE’s economy and enhancing the lives of its citizens.
Satya Nadella expressed his optimism about the profound potential of AI to foster innovation and economic growth globally, with particular emphasis on its potential in the UAE. He commended the growing community of developers and businesses in the Emirates for their proactive application of AI to address both business and societal challenges.
Microsoft’s presence in the UAE spans over three decades, with the company choosing the UAE as the location for its inaugural data centers in the Middle East. These cloud regions serve as the bedrock for the UAE’s digital transformation, facilitating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, including AI. A PwC report has forecasted the emergence of a US$320 billion AI industry in the Middle East by 2030, with the UAE projected to have the most significant share of AI in its economy, accounting for nearly 14% of the 2030 GDP in the region.
During his keynote address, Nadella revealed the forthcoming launch of the Azure OpenAI Service, available from Microsoft’s UAE cloud data centers later this month. This service will grant access to a suite of potent AI models, including GPT-4, Codex, and DALL-E 2, which can be harnessed for the development of innovative AI applications like virtual assistants, content generation, code creation, image editing tools, and more.
Nadella spotlighted some remarkable AI-driven initiatives within the UAE:
– The UAE Ministry of Education is collaborating with local startup ASI, founded by 20-year-old Quddus Pativada, to create a personalized AI tutor, catering to Arabic and English-speaking UAE students. This tutor will serve as a complementary learning companion, enriching students’ educational experiences beyond the classroom and is slated for deployment across the nation’s schools.
– The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi is in the process of crafting an integrated digital patient experience, offering comprehensive and on-demand healthcare services within the emirate of Abu Dhabi. An AI-powered patient assistant, hosted on Azure, will grant patients instant access to their medical records and simplify the process of finding physicians and scheduling appointments.
– G42 has introduced a Large Language Arabic Model, Jais, which will be accessible via Azure Services, facilitating the creation of original Arabic content for nearly 100 million underserved Arabic language internet users.
– DeepOpinion, co-founded by Dr. Ahmed Al-Ali, is seamlessly integrating AI models into existing automation workflows running on Microsoft Azure and harmonizing with Microsoft Power Platform. This integration empowers organizations to reduce repetitive tasks and mitigate workplace accidents resulting from human errors.
