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The first country to grant citizenship to a robot was Saudi Arabia (at the annual Future Investment Initiative (FII) 2017).\u00a0<\/p>\nThe first country to grant citizenship to a robot was Saudi Arabia (at the annual Future Investment Initiative (FII) 2017).\u00a0<\/p>\n
Created by Hanson Robotics, \u201cSophia\u201d is equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) so she can hold eye contact, recognize faces and understand human speech[1]<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The same year, 2017, the UAE appointed a state minister for AI — Omar bin Sultan Al Olama \u2013 the first country in the world to have its own ministry for AI and to develop a long-term national strategy to develop AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n In their different ways, both countries were not only asserting their commitment to AI, but also demonstrating to the rest of the world that the Middle East would be at the forefront of the \u2018fourth industrial revolution\u2019 (a term coined in 2015 by the World Economic Forum executive chairman, Klaus Schwab)[2]<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to a PwC study[3]<\/a>, the potential contribution of AI to the global economy will peak at almost US$ 16 trillion by 2030 and the Middle East is expected to accrue around 2% of those benefits \u2013 equivalent to around US$ 320 billion.\u00a0<\/p>\n The largest gains are expected to be in the UAE, where AI is predicted to contribute close to 14% of its GDP, and Saudi Arabia, with close to 13 % of GDP driven by AI in 2030.\u00a0 The contribution of AI to the economies of these two countries are on par with economies in Southern Europe and developed Asia.\u00a0 The other most significant relative beneficiaries in the region will be Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, which together will enjoy a boost of US$ 45.9 billion, states the report, the equivalent of 8.2%.\u00a0 Overall, AI\u2019s contribution to GDP is forecast to grow at a rate of between 20% to 34% per year across the Middle East region<\/p>\n PwC is not the only global consultancy predicting large productivity gains from AI.\u00a0 McKinsey Global Institute has also published a report[4]<\/a> estimating that AI has the potential to incrementally add 16% or around US$ 13 trillion by 2030 to current global economic output.\u00a0 Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum (WEF) reported[5]<\/a> that 46% of all work activities in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are suitable for automation, as are 47% in the UAE, 49% in Egypt, and 52% in Qatar.\u00a0 In addition, whether jobs are declining, stable or growing due to the impact of AI, they are going through major changes in terms of their skills profile.\u00a0 The WEF Future of Jobs<\/em>[6]<\/em><\/a> analysis found that, by 2020, 21% of core skills in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will be different compared to skills that were needed in 2015.\u00a0<\/p>\n For governments in the region, there is both a carrot and a stick element to this focus on AI.\u00a0 Invest in AI and you both boost and future-proof your economy.\u00a0 Ignore it and you risk being left behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n This certainly will not be the case for Saudi Arabia and UAE and other Middle East countries, which have continued to invest in their AI propositions despite delays caused by the recent pandemic.<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia has laid out how it sees AI developing in its national development strategy, Vision 2030.\u00a0 This envisions a central role for AI in influencing public health, welfare and education services, as well as being fundamental to the development of smart cities<\/a> like NEOM.\u00a0 Vision 2030 is designed to transform the country into one of the most competitive countries in terms of scientific innovation.\u00a0 So much so that the Saudi government has earmarked US$ 20 billion for the advancement of AI alone[7]<\/a>.<\/p>\n Its first step was to establish a national data and AI authority, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which it launched with the bold motto \u201cData is the oil of the 21st<\/sup> Century\u201d[8]<\/a>. \u00a0Its mandate is to establish the country as a global leader among the league of data-driven economies. \u00a0<\/p>\n So far it has already set up a national data bank that incorporates 30% of government digital assets (more than 80 government datasets) and taken steps towards e-government through setting up the G-Cloud.\u00a0 The target is to merge 83 data centers owned by more than 40 government bodies to form one of the largest clouds in the region.\u00a0 It has also used\u00a0AI-analyzed data to detect opportunities that could generate more than US$ 10 billion in government savings and additional revenues.<\/p>\n The three core entities within SDAIA are the National Data Management Office (NDMO), the National Information Center (NIC), and the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI). These three organizations are all designed to help deliver the promise of a data-driven and AI-supported government and economy.<\/p>\n The NDMO digitizes national data as a national asset, while the NCAI focuses on driving advancements in AI innovation by orchestrating AI research, developing AI solutions, providing AI strategic advisory services to the government, and enhancing AI education. The NIC provides the latest technology services and digital solutions for the country\u2019s government agencies[10]<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI) is charged with shaping the future of AI through targeted investments and partnerships with leading edge companies, as well as identifying gaps in the global market that are worth tackling with the country\u2019s own strategic capabilities.\u00a0 One of its solutions is an AI-based document extraction platform that automatically extracts text and data from scanned documents. \u00a0Another is an audio analytics platform that uses voice or speech recognition to receive and interpret dictation or understand and carry outspoken commands. \u00a0The SCAI also has natural language understanding platforms that focus on reading comprehension and semantic analysis.<\/p>\n In addition, Saudi Arabia is investing in a series of innovation labs for students and entrepreneurs to increase information about innovation and encourage entrepreneurs to develop business models for digital development. \u00a0<\/p>\n An example is the newly established lab called \u2018FekraTech\u2019 (meaning \u201cyour idea\u201d in Arabic), that received 40,000 proposals in its first round. \u00a0Another development is the establishment of the new IP Authority (SIPA), which is tasked with creating a national intellectual property ecosystem that will encourage business development and innovation, attract foreign investment, and support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).[11]<\/a><\/p>\n Deputy Minister of Technology, Industry and Digital Capabilities, Dr Ahmed Al Theneyan, has said the Government\u2019s aim is to train around 20,000 students and create 20,000 jobs, while doubling the participation of women in the ICT field[12]<\/a>.\u00a0 At the same time, the Ministry of Education is introducing digital skills such as such as AI, data science, and data security into K-12 education to meet future needs.<\/p>\n Vision 2030 makes it clear that Saudi Arabia wants to accelerate its development of AI through partnerships with leading companies. \u00a0The most recent of these partnership agreements with Huawei, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Alibaba Cloud respectively, were announced at the 2022 Global AI Summit<\/a> in Riyadh.<\/p>\n The NCAI signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Huawei[13]<\/a> to enable strategic cooperation on the country\u2019s National AI Capability Development Program. \u00a0Under the MoU, Huawei will train Saudi AI engineers and students, and also address Arabic language AI-related capabilities. \u00a0NCAI and Huawei will also \u201cexplore the creation of an AI Capability Platform to localize technology solutions\u201d.<\/p>\n The SDAIA signed a MoU with the ITU, a specialized agency of the UN, to collaborate in optimizing the benefits of AI technologies and applications for sustainable development[14]<\/a>. Saudi Arabia has agreed to support ITU in developing projects, activities, and initiatives that will enable multi-stakeholder participation, international cooperation, and knowledge sharing.<\/p>\n SDAIA also signed an MoU with Alibaba Cloud[15]<\/a> to develop digital and AI services in such areas as safety and security, mobility, urban planning, energy, education and health. \u00a0The SDAIA said:<\/p>\n \u201cThis partnership with Alibaba Cloud will support the acceleration of the transformation of our cities, through enabling intelligence-driven technologies and AI techniques that will fuel sustainable economic development and a high quality of life to our citizens<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The White Paper delivered at the summit, A Smart Vision for a Smart Nation: Building a Nation for the Future<\/em>[16]<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>firmly set out the country\u2019s ambition: \u201csmart cities form a crucial enabler in achieving its vision of creating a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and building an ambitious nation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n This is already showing results. \u00a0According to the Smart City Index by the Institute for Management Development (IMD)[17]<\/a>, Riyadh ranked as the third smartest city among the capitals of G20 states and 30th<\/sup> globally in 2021, jumping 23 positions from the previous year. \u00a0The city of Madinah also entered the index for the first time, ranking 73rd globally.<\/p>\n The epitome of the smart city is NEOM. This US$ 500 billion city being developed in the north-west of the country is envisaged as the most advanced smart city in the world, accommodating 9 million people in a car-free, carbon-neutral environment controlled and enhanced through AI.<\/p>\n While NEOM is under construction, the country is forging ahead with AI in other areas of government.\u00a0 AI has been implemented in health care, justice, tourism, utilities, and public administration.\u00a0 For example, the Ministry of Health launched Seha Virtual, the first virtual hospital in the Middle East, which provides virtual services for electroencephalogram patients, stroke patients, critical care patients, and radiology patients.\u00a0 The Virtual Enforcement Court launched by the Ministry of Justice uses AI to shorten litigation procedures from 12 steps to just two[18]<\/a>.<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia is not the only GCC country staking its claim as an AI global hub.\u00a0 Elsewhere in the region, the UAE has a growing reputation for being one of the most adaptive nations for AI, thanks in part to the Centennial 2071 project \u201cto make the UAE the best country in the world by 2071\u201d[19]<\/a>. \u00a0AI will play a large part in achieving this ambition, which complements the Artificial Intelligence Strategy launched in 2017.<\/p>\n In the years since the AI Strategy was launched, the UAE has become one of the few countries that has included AI in everyday life, and not just in the industrial sector. \u00a0During the recent pandemic, for instance, Al played a crucial role in controlling the spread of COVID-19, including extensive use of robots and drones in sanitizing the streets and dispensing hand sanitizers[21]<\/a>. \u00a0Dubai Police\u2019s Oyoon (\u201ceyes\u201d in Arabic) project uses an AI network of smart cameras for surveillance that has proved successful not only in maintaining law and order, but also in catching offenders, while Dubai Airport has installed 112 smart gates[22]<\/a>. \u00a0These use facial recognition technology as part of an automated self-service border control system that enables passengers to zip through passport control in seconds.<\/p>\n The UAE is also investing in upskilling its population[23]<\/a>, as it is adopting an AI curriculum in the higher education system, constructing 73 robotics labs in Emirati schools and launching six smart platforms to integrate technology within the education system.<\/p>\n Abu Dhabi\u2019s Inception Institute of Artificial Intelligence[25]<\/a> is led by Professor Ling Shao, who was previously Chair Professor of Computer Vision and Machine Learning at the University of East Anglia, UK.\u00a0 Its applied research teams are working with experts in different areas to contribute to real-world solutions, such as applying cutting-edge machine learning and computer vision techniques to revolutionize the healthcare industry through medical image<\/a> computation and analysis.<\/p>\n The use of AI in medical imaging is a key area of investment for Abdul Latif Jameel Health<\/a>, the healthcare arm of Abdul Latif Jameel.\u00a0 The mission of Abdul Latif Jameel Health is to \u201caccelerate access to modern medical care, for those who need it most.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 One way to achieve this is to explore emerging trends and innovation in technology, therapeutics and business models to hasten affordable accessibility \u2013 and inclusiveness \u2013 in growing markets and developing economies.\u00a0 It has partnered with innovators in a series of AI-driven healthtech, such as the Butterfly iQ+<\/a>TM<\/sup> handheld ultrasound device and Holoeyes<\/a> extended reality (XR) 3D virtual environment surgical technology.<\/p>\nSaudi Arabia shows the way<\/h2>\n
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In 2020, the SDAIA announced its National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence (NSDAI)[9]<\/a>, \u00a0which \u00a0sought to attract US$ 20 billion in foreign and local investments by 2030 as part of its plan to become a global leader in the field.<\/p>\n\n
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<\/p>\nUAE prioritizing AI<\/h2>\n
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Through this strategy, the UAE aims to be the world leader in AI by 2031 and boost its GDP by around 35% (US$ 96 billion) using AI technologies[20]<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0It will help the country reduce its government spending by up to 50%, saving approximately US$ 3 billion, through reducing the number of paper-based transactions. \u00a0The AI Strategy is also intended to boost the economy by raising individual productivity by 13% and reducing the number of foreign workers, which in turn will reduce the value of financial transfers sent abroad.<\/p>\n![\"MBZUAL\"](\"https:\/\/media.alj.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/11\/MBZUAL-1-300x124.png\")
It has also established the world\u2019s first AI university, the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI). MBZUAI ranks 30th<\/sup> globally among institutions that conduct research in AI, computer vision, machine learning and natural language processing, according to computer science metrics-based platform CS Rankings[24]<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Other support and educational programs include the UAE AI Camp, the UAE AI Internship Program, the \u201cThink AI\u201d initiative and the UAE AI Skills Academy.<\/p>\n