Unicorn Founders Affirm Dubai as Prime Launchpad for Advanced Tech at AI Retreat

Organised by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) in cooperation with the National Programme for Artificial Intelligence, the AI Retreat 2024, the premier gathering for AI adoption, discussed the expected positive impact of Dubai Sandbox.

This initiative aims to enable innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech companies to design, develop, and test future technologies and AI applications in Dubai’s dynamic, integrated, and welcoming environment that supports transformative innovation.

Dubai Sandbox empowers AI innovators and builds upon the statement of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, during the World Government Summit 2024, suggesting Dubai become an open testbed for global tech companies, given its collaborative environment, infrastructure, and legislation.

Unicorn company leaders at a Dubai event discussed the city's role as an innovation hub. The panel, moderated by Khalifa Al Qama, explored government's impact on AI adoption, emphasizing Dubai's commitment to regulatory innovation. They highlighted the city's potential as a testbed for global innovators and discussed creating a local regulatory sandbox for experimental policies, as pledged at the World Government Summit.

Commenting on the innovative project, Khalifa Al Qama, Director of Dubai Sandbox, began the session by stating that that Dubai is adopting a more adaptive approach towards AI, focusing on leadership through active adoption and collaboration with academia and the private sector. By integrating AI within government services, Dubai aims to develop informed and adaptive regulatory frameworks that support innovative advancements and ensure ethical use of technology.

Nicolas Prettejohn, Head of AI, UK & Nordics at Palantir; Rod Solaimani, Middle East Policy & Partnerships Lead at OpenAI; and Karim Beguir, CEO of InstaDeep, discussed their vision for AI’s increased adoption and how initiatives such as the AI Retreat can foster innovation in the UAE. Offering insights into Dubai’s regulatory landscape for AI, they presented recommendations for future regulation to better manage this technology.

Nicolas Prettejohn, Head of AI, UK & Nordics at Palantir emphasised that AI today democratises innovation, with governments playing a crucial enabling role in adopting its applications and training their workforce.

He highlighted the importance of engineering and designing AI prompts to achieve optimal results, stressing the need to prepare specialists in AI disciplines. Governments can support this initiative, which will positively impact various development paths.

Karim Beguir, CEO of InstaDeep, said:

“Until now, we have had systems that are solving local problems, which is quite important. However, I believe we should consider developing a regulatory framework or sandbox that allows us to truly integrate data. For the first time, we can map the full health trajectory, and with a forward-looking regulator, we can start to identify common patterns in the evolution of both healthy and unhealthy patients. This shift turns medicine into a proactive discipline, enabling early intervention.”

He also added that Dubai, being one of the world's largest and most vibrant metropolises, is home to a diverse spectrum of nationalities and ethnicities, creating an ideal environment for developing future-oriented medicine and advancing personalised therapeutics.

Rod Solaimani, Middle East Policy & Partnerships Lead at OpenAI, said:

“The concept of a sandbox is great as it involves creating a controlled environment where individuals can enter, test, and experiment with new ideas that help develop legislation and policies. These policies are then implemented in the private sector, where further experimentation and refinement continue. If Dubai can transparently publish these outcomes when no one else is, I think it has a lot to contribute to driving this conversation forward.”

The Dubai Sandbox fosters innovative projects, especially in AI, across various sectors. It aims to create an environment conducive to technological advancement, enhancing quality of life and creating opportunities. Founders of unicorn companies at the AI Retreat in Dubai emphasize the importance of supportive environments for developing AI applications, aiming to accelerate their adoption globally for societal and economic benefits.

News Source: Emirates News Agency