Microsoft has recognized the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) significant role in its AI strategy.

Doug Dawson, the company’s vice president of global communications, highlighted the country’s early AI initiatives. These include the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and a US$1.5 billion collaboration with Abu Dhabi-based G42.

Somanna Palacanda, who leads country-specific social impact strategies at Microsoft, mentioned the UAE’s initiatives, including providing AI training for government officials.

Microsoft has further solidified its partnership by opening the region’s first “AI for Good Lab” in Abu Dhabi.

As part of its economic diversification efforts, the UAE is driving AI innovation through start-ups and projects like Jais, a bilingual Arabic and English chatbot developed locally.

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