The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is making significant strides by launching an innovative open-source generative AI model. This groundbreaking initiative, driven by a government-backed research institute, is positioning the UAE as a formidable contender in the global AI landscape.
In Abu Dhabi, the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) has introduced the Falcon 2 series. According to Reuters, this series features the Falcon 2 11B, a text-based model, and the Falcon 2 11B VLM, a vision-to-language model designed to generate text descriptions from images. TII operates under the auspices of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council.
As a leading oil exporter and a pivotal player in the Middle East, the UAE is channeling substantial investments into artificial intelligence. This ambitious strategy has garnered attention from U.S. officials, creating a debate over the preference for American versus Chinese technology. In alignment with Washington, Emirati AI firm G42 divested from Chinese investments and replaced Chinese hardware, securing a significant US$1.5 billion investment from Microsoft.
Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary General of the Advanced Technology Research Council and a strategic advisor on advanced technology, proudly asserts that the UAE is cementing its status as a major AI player. The release of the Falcon 2 series underscores the intense global race among nations and corporations to develop proprietary large language models. While many opt to keep their AI developments proprietary, the UAE, similar to Meta’s Llama, is making its pioneering work accessible to the global community.
Al Bannai is also enthusiastic about the forthcoming Falcon 3 generation, expressing confidence in the UAE’s capacity to compete internationally: “We’re very proud that we can still punch way above our weight, really compete with the best players globally.”
Earlier this year, Al Bannai highlighted that the UAE’s decisive advantage lies in its ability to make swift strategic decisions. This agility is critical in the fast-paced AI sector.
Notably, Abu Dhabi’s ruling family manages some of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, valued at approximately US$1.5 trillion. Historically used to diversify the UAE’s oil wealth, these funds are now pivotal in accelerating growth in AI and other advanced technologies. The UAE is emerging as a key player in producing advanced computer chips essential for training powerful AI systems. The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with investors, including Sheik Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to discuss a potential US$7 trillion investment in developing an AI chipmaker to rival Nvidia.
Furthermore, the UAE’s commitment to generative AI is demonstrated by its recent launch of a ‘Generative AI’ guide. This guide aims to unlock AI’s potential across various fields such as education, healthcare, and media. It provides a comprehensive overview of generative AI, addressing both the challenges and opportunities of digital technologies while emphasizing data privacy. The guide is designed to assist government agencies and the broader community in leveraging AI technologies, showcasing 100 practical AI use cases for entrepreneurs, students, job seekers, and tech enthusiasts.
This proactive approach highlights the UAE’s dedication to not only participating in but also leading the global AI race, establishing itself as a nation to watch in the rapidly evolving technology arena.