Few technologies have stirred debate quite as much as artificial intelligence.
A significant amount of the uncertainty surrounding AI can be attributed to the flawed idea that it will somehow lead to human beings losing control of our work, lives, society or even our humanity. This misconception has grown around a misunderstanding of how most AI systems work, and confusion around Artificial General Intelligence – the type of AI superintelligence that remains theoretical but has been the inspiration for many science-fiction movies.
The real question we should be asking is this – is it appropriate to compare artificial intelligence with human intelligence? They are fundamentally different – each designed to excel in specific tasks.
AI strives to surpass human capabilities in areas such as content creation and question answering. However, the path it takes to fulfil these tasks differs from human cognitive processes.
While humans learn from small data, use multiple senses and operate with energy efficiency, AI relies on substantial computational resources and vast data to absorb, categorise and transform information into machine-friendly representations.
Over the past 60 years, AI has evolved into a foundational discipline influencing every facet of science and life. It is akin to a future version of mathematics, endowed with the ability to automate operations, operate devices and solve complex problems.
AI, at its best, will be a sublime tool that gives us unprecedented access to the very best of humanity
The journey of AI has been marked by waves of transformation, adapting to available theories, technologies and the evolving problems that we aim to solve. Modern AI integrates mathematical principles and data-driven empiricism, exemplified by foundational models powering GPTs and similar innovations.
This evolution, fuelled by an unprecedented blend of data, computational power and algorithmic innovation, empowers AI to address challenges in ways unfamiliar to human logic. For instance, ChatGPT demonstrates artificial general intelligence, solving problems and creating content previously regarded as the preserve of human expertise.
Consider, for a minute, why people prefer to see a doctor or physician who is mature and can draw on decades of experience, during which time she or he has encountered thousands of patients. Almost by default, this gives patients greater trust that this particular doctor can extrapolate her or his experience for them and apply it to their specific needs.
The best doctor in the world is only one person, but AI has the power to become the ultimate assistant for healthcare practitioners. It can analyse vast troves of anonymised data, from healthcare records to medical scans, and learn to diagnose illnesses and conditions much more rapidly than a single human being.
By analysing data from millions of cases, AI can detect patterns and provide healthcare professionals with new insights. It can even make suggestions about what might be causing a patient to suffer from symptoms that do not always make sense, even to an experienced doctor.
The heavy lifting that AI performs as it digests and analyses data is based on the work of human medical professionals, which means its insights have been gleaned from the learning, dedication and wisdom of our fellow human beings.
Health care is just one key example of the way in which AI builds on human learning to improve and transform processes, but the same principle applies across all sectors, from manufacturing to agriculture, and logistics to education.
More on the benefits of AI
To take one of these examples – education – it is possible to use anonymised data to gain nuanced insights into the effectiveness of various teaching techniques and resources. This is done by analysing how students have performed in tests after using certain resources. This approach can help schools to make more informed decisions about how they implement their curriculums.
But AI also has the power to recognise and assist the individual. For example, it can help to diagnose conditions such as dyslexia, autism and attention deficit hyperactive disorder. These can have a severe effect on a child’s education, but often go undiagnosed.
Fundamentally, AI is rooted in human innovation. Its inception traces back to the 1950s, notably to the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence, led by John McCarthy, then an assistant professor of mathematics at Dartmouth College.
This initiative aimed to explore the concepts that form the basis of modern AI. However, the origins of AI can be traced even further back, encompassing advancements such as Boolean algebra in the 19th century and Charles Babbage’s vision of a mechanical computer in the 18th century.
AI’s algorithms have been developed by people, based on a mathematical tradition stemming back centuries, even millennia. It distils the knowledge and wisdom of millions of people for the good of humanity – and the whole process will continue to be overseen by people through the continued development of effective guardrails and regulation, a commitment to transparency, and ongoing public discourse about the direction and use of AI.
Today, we are privileged to live in a time when computing power and communications networks have become powerful and fast enough to support AI. But there have been many false dawns in AI, and it is now time to ensure that the technology reaches its true potential. AI, at its best, will be a sublime tool that gives us unprecedented access to the very best of humanity.
Neymar's bio
Total club appearances 411
Total goals scored 241
Appearances for Barca 186
Goals scored for Barca 105
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Day 2, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dinesh Chandimal has inherited a challenging job, after being made Sri Lanka’s Test captain. He responded in perfect fashion, with an easy-natured century against Pakistan. He brought up three figures with a majestic cover drive, which he just stood and admired.
Stat of the day – 33 It took 33 balls for Dilruwan Perera to get off the mark. His time on zero was eventful enough. The Sri Lankan No 7 was given out LBW twice, but managed to have both decisions overturned on review. The TV replays showed both times that he had inside edged the ball onto his pad.
The verdict In the two previous times these two sides have met in Abu Dhabi, the Tests have been drawn. The docile nature of proceedings so far makes that the likely outcome again this time, but both sides will be harbouring thoughts that they can force their way into a winning position.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Essentials
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Seattle from Dh6,755 return in economy and Dh24,775 in business class.
The cruise
UnCruise Adventures offers a variety of small-ship cruises in Alaska and around the world. A 14-day Alaska’s Inside Passage and San Juans Cruise from Seattle to Juneau or reverse costs from $4,695 (Dh17,246), including accommodation, food and most activities. Trips in 2019 start in April and run until September.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
South and West: From a Notebook
Joan Didion
Fourth Estate
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
