Dubai has unveiled a new strategic plan aimed at integrating agentic AI technologies across its private sector. The initiative's primary goal is to enhance the emirate's global competitive edge and economic standing. This move encourages businesses within Dubai to adopt advanced autonomous AI systems to drive innovation and efficiency. Why it matters: This plan highlights Dubai's aggressive strategy to leverage cutting-edge AI for economic development and to position itself as a global leader in advanced AI adoption.
The UAE government has extended its Nafis Emiratisation programme, designed to boost Emirati employment in the private sector, until 2040. This extension includes the introduction of new family support measures as part of the initiative. The Nafis programme provides various incentives and support mechanisms for both Emirati citizens and private companies. Why it matters: This major policy decision will significantly influence the long-term workforce development and talent pool within the UAE, directly impacting the availability of local professionals for emerging sectors like artificial intelligence and technology.
G42 and a Vietnamese consortium (FPT Corporation and Viet Thai Group) have signed an agreement to develop AI capabilities and cloud infrastructure across Vietnam. The initiative is backed by consumption commitments of up to $1 billion and aims to support Vietnam's ambition to become a leading AI hub in Southeast Asia. The partnership will deploy cloud capacity across three data center locations in Vietnam to support public and private sector workloads. Why it matters: This marks a significant expansion of G42's footprint in Southeast Asia, fostering AI infrastructure development while respecting national data sovereignty.
Ammar bin Humaid chaired an Executive Council meeting in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. During this meeting, the Ajman Artificial Intelligence Programme was officially launched. This initiative marks a new governmental focus on integrating AI technologies within the emirate. Why it matters: This program demonstrates Ajman's strategic commitment to advancing AI capabilities and integrating them into its public and private sectors, contributing to the broader UAE national AI agenda.
The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in the UAE has made its Falcon 40B large language model royalty-free for commercial and research use. Falcon 40B is ranked #1 on Hugging Face's leaderboard for LLMs, outperforming models like LLaMA. The model is now available under the Apache 2.0 license, promoting open access and collaboration in AI. Why it matters: This decision could accelerate AI innovation in the region by providing easier access to a state-of-the-art LLM for both public and private sector applications.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is collaborating with Turkmenistan to formulate a National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy. This initiative aims to leverage AI for sustainable digital transformation across various sectors and contribute to achieving the country's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The strategy development involves a multi-stakeholder approach, encompassing government, academia, civil society, and the private sector in Turkmenistan. Why it matters: This effort reflects a global trend where international organizations support nations in developing comprehensive AI frameworks to drive economic growth and societal progress.
Jürgen Schmidhuber has been appointed as the Director of the KAUST AI Initiative. Schmidhuber is known for his contributions to deep learning and artificial neural networks, and co-founded the company NNAISENSE. At KAUST, he will focus on faculty recruitment, educational programs, and collaboration with public and private sectors. Why it matters: The appointment of a leading AI researcher signals KAUST and Saudi Arabia's commitment to advancing AI research and its application to key national projects.
Core42, a G42 company specializing in sovereign cloud and AI infrastructure, announced a strategic partnership with Solutions+, an AI-driven shared services company for the MIC Group, at Make it in the Emirates in Abu Dhabi. Core42 will serve as the foundational infrastructure provider, offering GPU compute and large language model access via its Compass API, while Solutions+ will be the primary implementation and data services partner, leveraging this infrastructure for its WEAVE AI platform. The agreement establishes a framework for delivering secure and scalable AI infrastructure across MIC Group companies and Abu Dhabi government entities, with broader scope for government and private sector clients. Why it matters: This partnership significantly advances the UAE's sovereign AI capabilities and accelerates enterprise AI adoption by combining robust infrastructure with specialized implementation expertise for critical national sectors.