By Ahmed Hamdan. CEO & Co-founder, Unifonic
As the world undergoes remarkable technological advancements, a significant shift is reshaping industries, economies, and societies. Cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are poised to accelerate progress in various environments. The integration of AI represents a major leap forward in technology, and the significant opportunities it offers to create an inclusive, innovative, and fair future should not be underestimated. The world is witnessing noticeable changes, with certain regions making significant progress in embracing innovation and driving advancement, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. In the next 2-3 years, the response of GCC governments and the private sector to AI is expected to have a lasting impact on economic expansion. GCC countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have been proactive in adopting AI. Saudi Arabia aims to achieve AI to contribute $135.2 billion to its economy by 2030, while the UAE has launched a national AI strategy to become a global leader in AI by 2031. The Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), the Kingdom’s primary authority on data and AI, is instrumental in this journey. SDAIA has crafted the National Strategy for Data & AI, aiming to foster a forward-thinking, collaborative ecosystem that accelerates the adoption and commercialization of AI across industries. Central to SDAIA’s efforts is the National Center for Artificial Intelligence, which focuses on AI research, developing innovative solutions, advising the government on AI strategy, and promoting AI education and awareness.
It is anticipated that investment in AI and digital transformation in the GCC will reach $15 billion by 2025, with significant contributions from both the public and private sectors. Over the past few years, AI has already proven its power to alter conventional industry practices. According to McKinsey, AI could contribute an additional $13 trillion to the global economy by 2030, increasing global GDP by about 1.2% annually.
Currently, the landscape of AI innovation is largely dominated by US-based tech giants. In 2023 alone, 61 notable AI models emerged from the US compared to 48 from the rest of the world combined. This disproportionate concentration is creating a gap in development with a growing Western-centric perspective on AI innovation. Furthermore, the Western-centric approach is marginalising diverse cultural perspectives and causing inequalities. This is especially true because AI algorithms reflect the biases and values of its developers. It influences everything from business operations to societal norms wherever these AI technologies are being utilised. Amid this, Unifonic, the leading conversational AI platform, and SaaS (Software as a Service) provider in the Middle East, has efficiently integrated communication technologies to its operations, developing AI models and understanding the significance of AI solutions that respect and integrate global diversity.
By fostering AI tools that value cultural nuances and ethical considerations, Unifonic harnesses the vast potential of AI to nurture mutual understanding and cooperation across borders. It also ensures that the demographics of AI developers often differ from those of users. Over the years, a large number of prominent AI companies and datasets relied on models developed in Western nations. It led to a lack of diversity, which even exacerbated societal inequalities and biases. The world should widely embrace AI technologies developed in different nations rather than just the US.
Since AI is transforming economies all across the world, its advantages need to be distributed equally. In order to guarantee balanced growth and innovation, it is essential to support top AI and tech firms from various geographical areas. Even though, AI is having a big impact on people’s values and beliefs, the majority of people on the planet are not adequately represented by the current dominant models. This highlights the necessity for AI models that respect and consider the diverse value systems found around the world.
There is a noticeable increase in opportunities driving AI innovation throughout the GCC, especially in areas served by Unifonic. The region is well-positioned to lead the way in developing AI infrastructure, thanks to the abundance of clean energy and significant financial resources available. Through a series of projects demonstrating the region's commitment to employing AI to advance technology and diversify the economy, significant contributions are being made to the global AI value chain. The region is leveraging its affordable and clean energy resources in the energy sector and has the financial means to invest in AI infrastructure in the computing sector. The area is developing cutting-edge AI models, including Falcon and Jais, and has a rapidly expanding software industry.
The region’s growth in AI innovation is further accelerated by government efforts. By investing in AI education, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks that promote responsible AI usage, these countries are creating a dynamic ecosystem that attracts global talent and fosters local innovation. Another key factor is the collaborative efforts with international partners, which helps to standardise ethical AI practice ensures equitable access to AI technologies globally.
The establishment of the MBZUAI Metaverse Centre (MMC) and the Institute of Foundation Models (IFM) solidify the region’s position as a leader in the field of GenAI research. The Centre is the first organisation in the UAE to be accepted as a founding member of the AI Alliance, a partnership between over 50 businesses and research centres headed by IBM that seeks to democratise and ethically boosts user access to AI globally. Similarly, at the 2022 Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) gathered with global collaborators, policymakers, industry and government leaders, and innovators in AI which underscored their commitment to advance AI innovation and human capacity in the Kingdom and the wider regions.
The current situation places the responsibility of advocating for a globally inclusive approach to AI development on the companies and its leadership. In order to solve global issues and promote sustainable prosperity, the world must makeuse of AI’s transformational potential while keeping important elements like diversity, moral rectitude, and cooperative creativity in mind. With the increasing adoption of AI technologies worldwide, businesses now have the chance to use AI to catalyse positive change in the future, empowering local communities and promoting humankind worldwide.