Satya Nadella, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft, made a historic visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today to personally witness the profound impact of the latest advancements in cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) on UAE organizations across diverse industries. Nadella’s visit coincided with the prestigious “AI, a New Era” event hosted by Microsoft in Dubai, where he engaged with local business leaders, government officials, and developers. During his visit, he underscored the pivotal role that AI plays in unlocking new opportunities and accelerating the UAE’s digital economy, thereby positively transforming the lives of its citizens.
Nadella’s visionary address at the “AI, a New Era” event emphasized the transformative potential of AI in driving innovation and creating opportunities for global growth, with a special focus on the UAE. He expressed his admiration for the forward-thinking developers and businesses in the Emirates who have already embraced AI to address various business and societal challenges.
Microsoft’s longstanding presence in the UAE spans over three decades, during which they made a strategic move by establishing their first data centers in the Middle East within the UAE’s borders. These data centers have played a pivotal role in the country’s ongoing digital transformation, serving as the cornerstone for the deployment of cutting-edge technologies, particularly in the realm of AI. A recent report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has projected the emergence of a substantial USD 320 billion AI industry in the Middle East by 2030, with the UAE poised to lead the region, contributing nearly 14% to the country’s GDP.
In an exciting revelation during his keynote address, Nadella announced the forthcoming launch of the Azure OpenAI Service, which will be accessible from Microsoft’s UAE-based cloud data centers. This innovative service, set to be available later this month, provides users access to a suite of potent AI models, including GPT-4, Codex, and DALL-E 2. These models are designed to empower the development of pioneering AI applications, spanning virtual assistants, content generation, code generation tools, image editing applications, and more.
Satya Nadella also highlighted several notable AI-driven initiatives undertaken by UAE organizations across key industries:
- The UAE Ministry of Education is forging a groundbreaking partnership with local startup ASI, founded by the enterprising 20-year-old Quddus Pativada. Together, they aim to create a personalized AI tutor that will serve as an Arabic and English study companion for UAE students, facilitating enhanced learning beyond the classroom. The AI tutor is set to be rolled out across educational institutions in the UAE, aligning with the ministry’s strategic drive to incorporate AI into the educational system, as initially announced during the World Government Summit (WGS) 2023.
- The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi is actively developing a unified, digital healthcare experience for patients. This innovative initiative will provide holistic, on-demand healthcare services within the emirate of Abu Dhabi. An AI-powered patient assistant, operating on the Azure platform, will offer instant access to consolidated medical records, simplifying the process of locating a doctor and scheduling appointments for patients.
- G42 has unveiled a remarkable innovation in the form of the Large Language Arabic Model, named “Jais.” This cutting-edge model will soon be accessible through Azure Services, significantly enhancing the ability to create original Arabic content for the benefit of close to 100 million underserved Arabic-speaking internet users.
- DeepOpinion, co-founded by Dr. Ahmed Al-Ali, is making substantial strides in embedding AI models into existing automation workflows, operating on the Microsoft Azure platform and integrating seamlessly with the Microsoft Power Platform. This integration is poised to empower organizations to reduce repetitive tasks and mitigate workplace accidents stemming from human errors.
Satya Nadella’s visit to the UAE serves as a resounding testament to the transformative potential of AI technology, with Microsoft spearheading innovation and digital growth in the country. The collaborative initiatives showcased during the event signify the UAE’s unwavering commitment to harnessing AI as a potent catalyst for progress and prosperity, ushering in a new era of digital transformation.
