Teachers during a workshop on a ChatGPT bot in Geneva, on February 1. AFP
Teachers during a workshop on a ChatGPT bot in Geneva, on February 1. AFP
Teachers during a workshop on a ChatGPT bot in Geneva, on February 1. AFP
Teachers during a workshop on a ChatGPT bot in Geneva, on February 1. AFP


ChatGPT in UAE schools is the way ahead


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February 17, 2023

In November last year, when a revolutionary new technology called ChatGPT entered the lexicon, it led to curiosity, created discussions across the globe and even caused understandable alarm in academic circles. Considering that the technology has been around for only a little over two months, concerns about the scope of ChatGPT, or Generative Pre-Trained Transformer, are still emerging. More people, including parents and students, around the world, will gradually comprehend what the software really is, what it is capable of, and indeed, what educators in classrooms are up against.

Here in the UAE, embracing technology and keeping pace with it is a part of what makes the country oriented towards the future. So it is quite fitting that some schools will embrace ChatGPT and, equally, the challenges that come with it. Schools that intend to adopt this technology are on the right track. It is for them to also assuage parents' and teachers' fears related to the use of generative AI. Those fears could be related to the honesty and integrity with which pupils do their coursework and take their exams from now on.

It needs to be borne in mind that throughout history, humans have created new technologies and innovations to which people have had to adapt, so actions such as outright banning ChatGPT are not the solution, as some schools in countries such as the US have set out to do. To create a distance with a new idea such as ChatGPT could prove futile, just as preventing children from using digital devices or completing their assignments on an iPad is. These restrictions can ultimately prove detrimental and counterproductive and impede the gaining of a complete education in today's times.

To create a distance with a new idea such as ChatGPT could prove futile

The UAE has clarity about the benefits and inevitable progress to be reaped from adopting new technologies – be it in education or transport or space travel – that enhance modern life, and thus the ineffectiveness of standing in the way of time, as it were. This is why the country is able to keep pace with rapid developments across specialised areas.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, Omar Al Olama, the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, said: "Science and technology are fundamental parts of growth for the future of our economy and our industrial sectors."

There is no denying that educators have a new challenge on their hands. Equally, however, they have an advantage. Never before have they had a greater arsenal at their disposal to tackle issues such as plagiarism, with tools and apps such as ZeroGPT to detect if students have completed assignments on their own, or taken the easier way, using an AI tool.

As the technology evolves, and we learn more about the workings of a software that can generate text – and indeed, produce essays and other coursework for students – we also learn about safeguards and how these technologies can be prevented from being misused. It is that balance and judicious use, along with accepting new technologies, that can enable progress, even as the future looks inconceivably different from what one is used to.

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Sheer grandeur

The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.

A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.

The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport


Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial


Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs

Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor

Power: 843hp at N/A rpm

Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km

On sale: October to December

Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)

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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

Tips for taking the metro

- set out well ahead of time

- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines

- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on

- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers

Company profile

Date started: December 24, 2018

Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer

Based: Dubai Media City

Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)

Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech

Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year

Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020

Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Updated: February 17, 2023, 4:46 AM