Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence for the UAE, where AI could contribute $182 billion to the economy by 2035. Photo Courtesy: Edelman
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence for the UAE, where AI could contribute $182 billion to the economy by 2035. Photo Courtesy: Edelman
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence for the UAE, where AI could contribute $182 billion to the economy by 2035. Photo Courtesy: Edelman
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence for the UAE, where AI could contribute $182 billion to the economy by 2035. Photo Courtesy: Edelman

Artificial intelligence can help humanity, UAE's new minister says


James Langton
  • English
  • Arabic

Artificial Intelligence can help solve some of the world’s problems rather than pose a threat to humanity, says the world’s first government minister appointed to deal with the technology.

Speaking for the first time since his appointment to the UAE Cabinet, Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, said he did not believe the world would “see the negative any time soon".

His appointment comes against a backdrop of global debate about advances in artificial intelligence and the potential for many traditional jobs to be lost.

“Everyone is looking at AI either as a utopian or dystopian scenario, either good or bad,” the minister said.

“I think Artificial Intelligence as it exists today is very narrow, with the things it can do.”

The minister was speaking in Abu Dhabi at a panel discussion for the 2018 Zayed Future Energy Prize, just hours after being sworn into his new post.

He spoke of his optimism about the value of AI in solving issues like climate change, rather than creating a world in which it poses a threat to mankind, as scientists like Stephen Hawking have predicted.

Such issues “are still a long time away”, the Minister said. Instead, the value of artificial intelligence could be to “offer the quick win the world needs” on the challenge of climate change.

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With a prediction that $23 trillion dollars would need to be spent on improving global energy infrastructure, artificial intelligence can he said “help us consume it more efficiently, distribute it more efficiently and at the same time help us find solutions for storage.”

Another role could be the processing of huge amounts of data that would otherwise take scientists a lifetime to examine.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Zayed Future Energy Prize. Organisers estimated it has positively impacted 289 million people worldwide, through projects that have saved an estimated one billion tonnes of CO2, supplied clean renewable energy to 40 million homes and given clean drinking water to over seven million.

The jury for the prize is now selecting nine winners in five categories out of a record number of 2,296 entries from more than 112 countries worldwide. The winners will be announced in January.

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The chair of the jury Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, the former president of Iceland, said the impact of the prize over ten years had been to show what can be achieved with clean renewable energy.

“We have been able to demonstrate to the world that this urgently needed energy transformation is a reality and should be celebrated,” he said.

“Truly the prize has given us a very optimistic message, that change is not only necessary but is possible and is in fact happening at many different levels all over the world.”

He also praised the role of youth in the prize.

Mr Al Olama, who is 27, said young people would determine the future.

“Youth are the drivers. Technology will always be the enabler but it will not be the driver,” the minister said.

“The driver is youth, the people who willing to make difference.

“Youth is not an age, it’s a mind-set, So if you are willing to help, willing to make a change then you are always part of the youth, even if you 100 years old.”

RESULTS - ELITE MEN

1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40    
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45   
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57           
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58            
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59       

What is a black hole?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

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The biog

From: Upper Egypt

Age: 78

Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila

Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace

Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace

The biog

Age: 59

From: Giza Governorate, Egypt

Family: A daughter, two sons and wife

Favourite tree: Ghaf

Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense 

Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”

MATCH INFO:

Second Test

Pakistan v Australia, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am​​ daily​​​​​ at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Entrance is free

Mica

Director: Ismael Ferroukhi

Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani

3 stars

'Operation Mincemeat' 

Director: John Madden 

 

Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton

 

Rating: 4/5

 
MATCH INFO

Azerbaijan 0

Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')

Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others

Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.

As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.

Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.

“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”

Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.

“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”

Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.

Tickets

Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.

Brave CF 27 fight card

Welterweight:
Abdoul Abdouraguimov (champion, FRA) v Jarrah Al Selawe (JOR)

Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (TUN) v Alex Martinez (CAN)

Welterweight:
Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA) v Khamzat Chimaev (SWE)

Middleweight:
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Rustam Chsiev (RUS)
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) v Christofer Silva (BRA)

Super lightweight:
Alex Nacfur (BRA) v Dwight Brooks (USA)

Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) v Tariq Ismail (CAN)
Chris Corton (PHI) v Zia Mashwani (PAK)

Featherweight:
Sulaiman (KUW) v Abdullatip (RUS)

Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) v Mohammad Al Katib (JOR)

ENGLAND SQUAD

Team: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Ben Te'o, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Joe Launchbury, 5 Maro Itoje, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Chris Robshaw, 8 Sam Simmonds

Replacements 16 Jamie George, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Harry Williams, 19 George Kruis, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Danny Care, 22 Jonathan Joseph, 23 Jack Nowell

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Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

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What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS

5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Samau Xmnsor, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Ottoman, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Sharkh, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 85,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Yaraa, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Maaly Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Jinjal, Fabrice Veron, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Al Sail, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

The%20Specs%20
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RACE CARD

6.30pm: Baniyas Group 2 (PA) Dh 97,500 (Dirt) 1,400m.

7.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m

7.40pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m

8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m

8.50pm Rated Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh 95,000 (D) 1,200m

10pm Handicap (TB) Dh 85,000 (D) 2,000m

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

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