Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, speaks at the Salt conference in Abu Dhabi in December. Antonie Robertson / The National
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, speaks at the Salt conference in Abu Dhabi in December. Antonie Robertson / The National
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, speaks at the Salt conference in Abu Dhabi in December. Antonie Robertson / The National
Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, speaks at the Salt conference in Abu Dhabi in December. Antonie Robertson / The National

Controversial facial recognition software can serve 'greater good', says minister


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Controversial new technology can still serve a “greater good” despite raising potential ethical concerns, the UAE’s artificial intelligence minister has said.

Omar Al Olama stressed that pioneering companies prepared to take risks should not be overregulated to point where innovation was quashed.

Citing ongoing debate over the use of facial recognition in internet searches, he said the benefits of technology could sometimes outweigh privacy concerns.

Google has so far refused to introduce the software in its image searches while other firms, including some in Russia, have made the feature widely available.

“There is a big debate today on facial recognition,” said Mr Al Olama during a talk on AI at the Skybridge Alternatives (SALT) conference in Abu Dhabi.

“[It] really created an outcry for privacy - it created a lot of issues when it comes to ethics.

“But it [also] created an opportunity for law enforcement agencies to be able to input pictures of criminals and actually find out who that person is.

“So instead of putting a name and getting a picture, they are able to put a picture and get a name.

“Big companies will never experiment with things like that, and they will never actually do them, because yes, there are issues and moral implications.

“But sometimes, if you look at the greater good, someone might come and say we need to have this kind of thing come out.”

Mr Al Olama, 29, became the world's first minister for Artificial Intelligence in 2017.

He emphasised the growing influence of the sector and warned that both governments and individuals needed to be aware of its impact.

Specifically referencing education and schools, he said more should be done to ensure children had the skills to respond to emerging technologies effectively.

He said innovation in AI was likely to come from small start-ups rather than technology giants, which he said were typically more timid when it came to making contentious new tools available to the public.

“Some people are going to be optimised by AI and some people are going to be replaced by AI,” warned Mr Al Olama, noting that millions of truck drivers would lose their jobs “if autonomous trucks became mainstream tomorrow”.

“If you look at education systems globally, we are taught what to learn, not how to learn.

“So if something new comes up we can’t actually be in a position to meet the criteria of these jobs or learn the skills necessary.

“When you are replaced by AI, there is another job, but can you actually fulfil the need that is necessary in that new job that is created?

“An app developer did not exist in 2005. Were we able to reposition people who were normal coders or in other spaces to become app developers? Yes we were.

“Can we reposition taxi drivers to become social media influencers? No, we can’t. So I really think there needs to be an increased investment in education.”

The conference also heard how the UAE was well-placed to take advantage of a boom in AI, with efforts underway to position the country as a global leader alongside the likes of the United States and China.

Eric Daimler, chief executive and founder of Conexus, an AI company, said he believed the impact of the technology would be even larger than people expected.

“AI is going to affect every industry,” he said. “We read about AI in the popular press quite a bit, it’s getting quite a bit of hype.

“But I’m going to say that it’s actually underhyped. Every business will become an AI business.”

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Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate? 
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties? 
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

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Transmission: n/a

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

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Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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 

Europa League group stage draw

Group A: Villarreal, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Astana, Slavia Prague.
Group B: Dynamo Kiev, Young Boys, Partizan Belgrade, Skenderbeu.
Group C: Sporting Braga, Ludogorets, Hoffenheim, Istanbul Basaksehir.
Group D: AC Milan, Austria Vienna , Rijeka, AEK Athens.
Group E: Lyon, Everton, Atalanta, Apollon Limassol.
Group F: FC Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow, Sheriff Tiraspol, FC Zlin.
Group G: Vitoria Plzen, Steaua Bucarest, Hapoel Beer-Sheva, FC Lugano.
Group H: Arsenal, BATE Borisov, Cologne, Red Star Belgrade.
Group I: Salzburg, Marseille, Vitoria Guimaraes, Konyaspor.
Group J: Athletic Bilbao, Hertha Berlin, Zorya Luhansk, Ostersund.
Group K: Lazio, Nice, Zulte Waregem, Vitesse Arnhem.
Group L: Zenit St Petersburg, Real Sociedad, Rosenborg, Vardar