The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) was inescapable at this year’s World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. Whether dialogues were focused on the global economic outlook, the future of the labour force, or the energy transition, the spectre of AI was ever present. And it’s not hard to see why.
With breakthrough technologies and innovations making their way from research labs to factories, supply and value chains, we are on the brink of a new era of social, economic and human possibility. Harnessing and integrating these technological breakthroughs into the global energy system will be crucial to unlocking this immense potential.
This consensus from the Swiss mountains in Davos was also echoed at the International Day of Clean Energy. At a dedicated session hosted at the UAE pavilion at the annual meeting on January 22, global leaders who had gathered underscored the need for greater ambition and faster adoption of technologies to meet the UAE Consensus goals of tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030.
With 2024 marking the first time that the 1.5°C warming threshold has been breached for the year on average, long-term solutions are as desperately needed, as our time to deploy them is short.
Right now, the research suggests that, if scaled at the right pace, digital technologies can reduce emissions by 20 per cent by 2050 in the three highest-emitting sectors: energy, materials and mobility. That represents a significant portion of the emissions reductions needed to keep a 1.5°C future in our sights.
The UAE, as a global leader in renewable energy, is already demonstrating how AI can be harnessed to achieve energy resilience and security
There is, however, a dichotomy at the centre of the AI-energy revolution. The more AI technologies and tools that are developed, the higher the demand for the energy that supports them will grow. Thus, energy demand is only set to increase the more we depend on AI tools and networks.
A World Economic Forum report from the start of 2024 pointed out that AI’s energy use is currently estimated to be around 2-3 per cent of total global emissions. But that is likely to change rapidly as more companies, governments and organisations use AI to drive efficiency and productivity.
And, when we realise that AI, and in particular generative AI systems might use up to 33 times more energy to complete a task than task-specific software would, it also comes with a renewed sense to make our energy supplies clean and renewable.
For now, the early signs of AI’s effect on the energy sector are encouraging. We are already seeing a wave of technological disruption reshaping the energy system – from transforming renewable energy generation and fundamentally altering how energy is consumed across end-use sectors.
On the supply side, innovations such as advanced solar photovoltaic systems, offshore wind turbines and next-generation grid-scale battery storage are enabling cleaner, more efficient energy production while improving grid reliability.
When transmitted to end-use sectors like transport, buildings, and industry, technologies such as green hydrogen, smart grids and electrification are driving significant reductions in carbon emissions. What’s more, digital tools such as AI and blockchain are optimising energy efficiency and facilitating the integration of decentralised renewable energy systems.
This tech-driven energy revolution is simultaneously transforming how we produce and consume energy, and creating a new development pathway that prioritises clean, affordable and accessible energy.
The integration of AI with renewables is also helping enhance community resilience in vulnerable regions. For example, machine learning algorithms are being used to optimise microgrids, ensuring uninterrupted power supplies during extreme weather events. AI-powered predictive maintenance tools are reducing downtime in solar and wind facilities, while advanced forecasting models improve energy storage and grid balancing to accommodate variability in renewable energy sources. Such digital solutions are critical in scaling renewable energy systems globally and ensuring they are resilient to disruptions.
The UAE, as a global leader in renewable energy, is already demonstrating how AI can be harnessed to achieve energy resilience and security. For instance, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park uses AI to optimise solar panel cleaning schedules and enhance energy output.
The UAE has also integrated AI into its energy planning systems, enabling real-time monitoring of grid performance and predictive analytics to mitigate potential outages. Through initiatives such as Masdar City and partnerships with global technology leaders, the UAE is using AI to drive efficiencies, reduce emissions and future-proof its energy systems.
The convergence of AI and the energy transition presents an unprecedented opportunity to tackle the twin challenges of decarbonisation and growing energy demand. However, realising this potential requires co-ordinated global action. Policymakers must prioritise investments in clean energy technologies, while industry stakeholders adopt AI solutions responsibly to ensure they align with sustainability goals.
The UAE is showing what is possible when innovation meets ambition, but it cannot do this alone. If we want to keep 1.5°C within reach and create a future powered by clean, reliable energy, the time to act is now. AI, when integrated thoughtfully and equitably into energy systems, can help us achieve a transformative and sustainable future. But only if we commit to scaling the technologies and policies that make it possible.
How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars
Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.
Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.
After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.
Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.
It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
RESULTS
Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari
IF YOU GO
The flights: FlyDubai offers direct flights to Catania Airport from Dubai International Terminal 2 daily with return fares starting from Dh1,895.
The details: Access to the 2,900-metre elevation point at Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 transport vehicle cost around €57.50 (Dh248) per adult. Entry into Teatro Greco costs €10 (Dh43). For more go to www.visitsicily.info
Where to stay: Hilton Giardini Naxos offers beachfront access and accessible to Taormina and Mount Etna. Rooms start from around €130 (Dh561) per night, including taxes.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Richard Jewell
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Brandon Stanley
Two-and-a-half out of five stars
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
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Super heroes
Iron Man
Reduced risk of dementia
Alcohol consumption could be an issue
Hulk
Cardiac disease, stroke and dementia from high heart rate
Spider-Man
Agility reduces risk of falls
Increased risk of obesity and mental health issues
Black Panther
Vegetarian diet reduces obesity
Unknown risks of potion drinking
Black Widow
Childhood traumas increase risk of mental illnesses
Thor
He's a god
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Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
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SPAIN SQUAD
Goalkeepers Simon (Athletic Bilbao), De Gea (Manchester United), Sanchez (Brighton)
Defenders Gaya (Valencia), Alba (Barcelona), P Torres (Villarreal), Laporte (Manchester City), Garcia (Manchester City), D Llorente (Leeds), Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Midfielders Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Thiago (Liverpool), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Ruiz (Napoli), M Llorente (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards: Olmo (RB Leipzig), Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Morata (Juventus), Moreno (Villarreal), F Torres (Manchester City), Traore (Wolves), Sarabia (PSG)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
