Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, at the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils in Dubai. Photo: World Economic Forum
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, at the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils in Dubai. Photo: World Economic Forum
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, at the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils in Dubai. Photo: World Economic Forum
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, at the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils in Dubai. Photo: World Economic Forum

AI will 'get out of hand' without boundaries, UAE minister warns


Dana Alomar
  • English
  • Arabic

Governments must introduce boundaries for artificial intelligence or risk losing control of the technology, the UAE's AI minister warned.

“We do not have time to afford to wait for this to get out of hand,” Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, said at the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils in Dubai on Wednesday.

Speaking at the two-day World Economic Forum event, Mr Al Olama compared the situation to the advent of social media, with governments only now trying to tackle technology that emerged more than 15 years ago.

“So today, we're talking about the issues that social media is causing … and some of the guidelines that we are needing,” he said. “But I'd say social media was a problem in 2008, 2007 – and today we're talking about potential solutions. And we have seen the impact in politics … in mental health … in the crises we're seeing.”

Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, at the World Economic Forum event. Photo: World Economic Forum
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, at the World Economic Forum event. Photo: World Economic Forum

Mr Al Olama stressed the need for proactive regulations to address the rapid evolution of AI and its implications for national and international security.

“If decision-makers are aware of what is happening around them, they'll be able to take the right decisions,” he said. Awareness of emerging trends is key to effective governance, he added.

“The pretext to everything that we're doing in the UAE is awareness – understanding what are the trends and what are the tides that are shifting,” he said.

Mr Al Olama emphasised the UAE's position as an agile and ambitious nation capable of attracting global talent. “In the UAE, there is a palpable sense of urgency to create the future,” he said. “You come here and you feel like there's an urgency to create the future. It is something in the air.”

Lauren Woodman, co-chairwoman of the Global Future Council on Data Equity and AI Governance, acknowledged the complexities involved in regulating AI.

“How do we make sure that we are building the right incentives in place for AI to be used for good?” she said, stressing the importance of transparency and accountability.

Mr Al Olama repeated that the challenges posed by AI are not new. He noted that technology has historically been used for beneficial and harmful purposes.

“You’re speaking about this as if it's a new phenomenon, but it's not. It's been a phenomenon since the advent of the technological age,” he said.

He called for a shift from reactive to proactive approaches in regulating AI, emphasising the need for urgency. He also highlighted the role of media in educating the public about the technology.

“The job of the media is to ensure that this is top of mind, so that there is enough of this in the public discourse, that your governments can take more action,” he said.

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

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Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Sonchiriya

Director: Abhishek Chaubey

Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment

Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey

Rating: 3/5

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants

Explainer: Tanween Design Programme

Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.

The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.

It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.

The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.

Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”

Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
  1. Join parent networks
  2. Look beyond school fees
  3. Keep an open mind
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Label: Warner Records

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Marathon results

Men:

 1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13 

2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50 

3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25 

4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46 

5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48  

Women:

1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30 

2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01 

3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30 

4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43 

5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01  

Our family matters legal consultant

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Updated: October 16, 2024, 3:06 PM`