Middle East Advances in Generative AI Hold Promise

Middle East Advances in Generative AI Hold Promise

November 2, 2023 at 01:07PM

The Persian Gulf region is focusing on generative AI and large language models (LLMs) to drive progress and become a global leader in AI. OpenAI has partnered with G42 to promote AI adoption in the UAE and Middle East. The economic impact of GenAI in the region is estimated to reach $23.5 billion annually by 2030. The development of “Jais,” an Arabic LLM, will provide accurate and contextualized results for various applications. However, concerns about privacy, intellectual property, data protection, and security need to be addressed. Stakeholders must manage cybersecurity risks effectively while harnessing the potential of AI.

The meeting notes discuss the Gulf region’s focus on leveraging technology, particularly generative (GenAI) and large language models (LLMs), to drive progress. OpenAI has partnered with the Abu Dhabi government-owned G42 to promote AI adoption in the UAE and the Middle East. The overall economic impact of GenAI in the Persian Gulf is estimated to reach $23.5 billion annually by 2030.

G42 has developed the world’s largest supercomputer for AI training, which will fuel the development of “Jais,” the world’s first high-quality Arabic LLM. Jais has been trained in Arabic and produces more accurate and contextualized results than LLMs that work with multiple languages.

However, there are risks associated with the widespread use of LLMs and AI in the region. Privacy and intellectual property considerations are important in the development of Jais, and efforts should be made to ensure transparency and accountability within the models. Data protection is crucial, as these systems contain vast amounts of confidential information. Lessons should be learned from previous data leaks and security breaches. Additionally, there are concerns about deepfake content, malware, biased content production, and the potential manipulation of AI systems.

To mitigate risks, critical services that require human decision-making should be identified, and high-risk systems or systems requiring special accountability should be given priority. Stakeholders need to remain vigilant and proactive in managing cybersecurity risks associated with the rapid deployment of AI in the region.

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