UAE has opportunity to reinvent itself as exporter of intelligence rather than energy, says G42 chief
AI provides the UAE with a unique chance to reposition itself as a global exporter of intelligence rather than energy, the group chief executive of Abu Dhabi's technology conglomerate G42 has said. The UAE’s energy resources could be transformed into computing power that could supply AI services far beyond its borders, said Peng Xiao. He spoke during the Dubai AI Festival on Monday. “I think our…
The UAE's technology conglomerate G42's chief executive, Peng Xiao, has suggested that the nation has a unique opportunity to shift its focus from being an energy exporter to an exporter of intelligence. This transformation could be achieved through the creation of AI services that could be provided globally, rather than relying solely on its energy resources.
Xiao made this statement during the Dubai AI Festival on Monday. He emphasized that the UAE's access to reliable energy and its rapid progress in establishing computing infrastructure could facilitate its role as a leading provider of AI services worldwide. G42 is currently constructing a five-gigawatt AI campus in Abu Dhabi, which includes the Stargate UAE project in collaboration with prominent global technology companies like OpenAI, Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, and SoftBank.
This initiative is aimed at providing substantial computing capacity to meet international demand for AI services. The UAE's advanced connectivity could enable its planned infrastructure to reach an estimated four billion potential users. Xiao proposed a fundamental reevaluation of societal values, suggesting that people should prioritize human connection and creativity over relying on AI for thinking and decision-making.
He argued that AI has already surpassed human abilities in certain aspects. In addition, the UAE's Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, Omar Al Olama, addressed the forum on Monday. He urged the government to ensure that workers view AI as a valuable tool rather than a threat to job security. Al Olama stated that the UAE leadership is reviewing its AI strategies every six months, reflecting a more agile approach compared to the annual reviews conducted in the past.
He highlighted the nation's focus on transitioning from computer vision and self-driving cars in 2017 to large language models in 2022, followed by agents capable of executing tasks on behalf of users. Al Olama emphasized the potential of the UAE, with a population of approximately 10 million, to rival nations with populations up to 100 million by optimizing the output of its citizens through AI.
In April, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, unveiled a plan to integrate agentic AI into 50% of federal government sectors within two years. This includes providing training to government employees to effectively utilize AI tools. Al Olama cautioned that the success of this transformation would depend on the effective utilization of AI rather than just the quantity of computing power consumed.
He advised businesses to identify unique advantages that competitors cannot easily replicate, as relying solely on public models and cloud services could result in being displaced or rendered obsolete.
Written by urgent.news from The National Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
