The UAE Is on a Mission to Become an AI Power

At an AI research lab on the edges of Abu Dhabi last year, an international team of 25 computer scientists were putting the finishing touches on a deep learning algorithm before sending it to be trained on 4,000 powerful computer chips. The AI system, which cost several million dollars to train, was funded by an arm of the Abu Dhabi government called the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). Despite the government’s substantial investment, ATRC director Faisal Al Bannai decided to release the finished model online for free. If it was...