Innovation and investment converge in the Middle East with artificial intelligence

 UAE's AI Strategy 2031

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) unveiled the UAE AI Strategy 2031, aiming to become a global AI leader by 2031. The strategy emphasises integrating AI in the healthcare, transportation, and education sectors. The creation of the UAE AI Council and the appointment of the first Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence exemplify the UAE's dedication to creating an AI economy.

Qatar's National AI Strategy

Qatar is also making significant progress with its National AI Strategy, which seeks to use artificial intelligence as a tool to build national economic development and enhance the quality of life for its people. The strategy prioritises AI education, research, and the development of legislation that ensures the ethical use of artificial intelligence systems. Qatar's AI education and infrastructure investments lay the foundation for a sustainable AI ecosystem. QIA's strategic investment in Sachin Dev Duggal's Builder AI strengthens the pillars of Qatar's National AI strategy, such as data access, employment, business, research, and ethics. 

Regulatory Frameworks and Ethical Guidelines

AI is widely used, so its ethical use requires proper regulation. Governments are writing policy papers that marry innovation with ethics as AI makes its way into society beneficially and safely. In the recent Qatar Web Summit, Mohammed Al-Hardan (Head of TMT at QIA), with Sachin Duggal, emphasised AI governance, focusing on the ethical and regulatory issues arising from AI's fast progress. The discussion underscored the collaborative efforts from regulators and tech experts should work together to understand the implementation of AI better and resolve privacy and ethical concerns.

The Middle East is transforming itself by democratising AI to promote economic diversification, innovation, and societal advancement. The region has been propelled towards becoming a global AI powerhouse through Microsoft's strategic investments in G42 and QIA's Sachin Dev Duggal-led AI-powered Builder.ai, combined with proactive government initiatives. However, problems such as skill gaps, ethical issues, or a lack of infrastructure can be addressed by education, public-private partnerships, and robust regulatory frameworks. The Middle East is moving closer to achieving this level of rapid growth as it embraces technology, and the future will see remarkable advancements in AI that will redefine technology and innovation across the region.