MBZUAI graduate Daniel Gebre from Eritrea has developed iShrink, a compression pipeline that reduces the size of LLMs to run offline on mobile phones and edge devices. Gebre's master's thesis focused on enabling access to cutting-edge AI without requiring internet access, motivated by his experience in under-resourced regions. His journey to MBZUAI began with a Merit Scholarship awarded by the UAE Ministry of Education, leading him to pursue a Master of Science in Machine Learning. Why it matters: This research has the potential to democratize access to AI in areas with limited internet connectivity, particularly in regions like Gebre's homeland, Eritrea.
Dr. Mohamed Ferrag, a Lead Researcher at AIDRC, received the "Algeria Scopus Award" from Algeria's Ministry of Education and Higher Research for his contributions to computer science. Dr. Ferrag is an IEEE Senior Member and has authored many scientific papers and books. He was also ranked among the World's Top 2% Scientists from Stanford University in 2020-2022. Why it matters: This award recognizes and encourages scientific research and talent within the Algerian AI and computer science community.
The provided article discusses an Ebola alert and visa suspensions by the UAE for certain countries. It focuses on public health and immigration measures rather than artificial intelligence. Therefore, this content falls outside the scope of AI news and research. Why it matters: This article is irrelevant to the domain of Middle East AI news and papers.
The article discusses Sri Lanka's initiative to utilize Artificial Intelligence to modify airfare pricing on key routes. This move aims to optimize ticket costs and potentially enhance the competitiveness of the national airline or the overall travel sector. No specific AI models, companies, or timelines are detailed in the provided title. Why it matters: This news is outside the scope of Middle East AI developments.