Artificial Intelligence is the engine for the future, Olama says at the 54th World Economic Forum

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Omar Sultan Al Olama, the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, emphasised that the rapid growth observed in the global generative artificial intelligence market reflects that AI is the driving force and the engine for the future.

Al Olama pointed out that the leadership of the United Arab Emirates has recognised for more than two decades the importance of adopting and developing the capabilities and solutions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, enhancing investment in the technology and artificial intelligence sector that reshapes various industries worldwide.

This came during a session titled "Generative AI: Steam Engine of the Fourth Industrial Revolution” as part of the 54th World Economic Forum.

The session included Omar Sultan Al Olama, Cristiano Amon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Qualcomm, Julie Sweet, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Accenture, Ireland; Member of Board of Trustee WEF andArvind Krishna, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, IBM, USA; International Business Council. The session was moderated by Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief, The Economist.

Al Olama stated that global efforts' integration through providing effective platforms for international dialogue, such as the World Economic Forum, contributes to enhancing governments' readiness in future sectors and supports their efforts in developing solutions and tools to accelerate progress towards the future.

Al Olama emphasised the importance of international cooperation in mapping current and future challenges and opportunities and laying the foundations to address them.

The Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications stated that the UAE government seeks international collaboration and partnerships with technology companies worldwide to ensure the realization of positive returns and address the negatives of technology that may occur over time.

Al Olama said that the UAE's commitment to creating an environment conducive to accelerating the adoption of generative artificial intelligence, recognizing its potential to contribute to the UAE’s ambitious goals and the positive opportunities it holds for large, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

Al Olama added that the UAE possesses significant capabilities and resources by having over 200 nationalities, making it an ideal platform for developing global artificial intelligence applications in various fields such as healthcare and other sectors in need of development and improvement.

He highlighted the UAE's digital infrastructure and flexible legislative frameworks, ensuring the mutual prosperity for the UAE and technological companies.

Al Olama stated that, with the evolution of generative artificial intelligence, the importance of developing digital skills has increased, emphasizing the need to ensure the agility of talents to adapt to new technologies and keep pace with global changes.

He further stated that the government has to closely explore new technologies, studying their challenges and potential opportunities rather than completely ignoring them. Al Olama said that the UAE has taken significant steps in the digital field by graduating over 400 participants from the AI Program in collaboration with Oxford University. The program aims to train government officials and decision-makers in digital skills, ethics, digital foundations, and artificial intelligence to enhance awareness in government entities and society, ensuring the comprehensive adoption of digital technologies across various entities.

Al Olama mentioned also that the UAE celebrates the UAE Codes Day every year on October 29, with more than 100,000 community members participating in coding to promote digital awareness in society and encourage them to start their digital journey and excel in these future fields.

He also highlighted the success of the UAE in introducing artificial intelligence into educational curricula, teaching students programming methods, and the ethics of artificial intelligence.

The session, held as part of the initiatives of the World Economic Forum's Artificial Intelligence Governance Alliance, focused on the evolution of generative artificial intelligence and the transformation of intelligent technology into one of the fastest and most impactful innovations in the Fourth Industrial Revolution across various sectors, from creativity to production and distribution.

The session addressed the importance of developing digital skills in anticipating the future, the effects of generative artificial intelligence on global industry, the solutions for governments and leaders to manage its various challenges, and the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence solutions in improving production efficiency, industrial systems, and enhancing product quality.