Emirati woman spearheads building global Artificial Intelligence ecosystems
- 31 May 2024
Gulf Today, Staff Reporter
AI for Good, the leading United Nations platform dedicated to leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) for positive global impact, announced the appointment of Dr Ebtesam Almazrouei as Chairperson of AI for Good Impact Initiative during the AI for Good Global Summit 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The AI for Good Impact Initiative was launched by ITU, the United Nations specialised agency for digital technology, to harness the power of AI to address global challenges and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The initiative supports ongoing activities and ambitious moonshots across all 17 SDGs and regions of the world for global impact.
"AI presents a unique opportunity to accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” says Dr Ebtesam Almazrouei, Chairperson of AI for Good Impact Initiative. "We should work together to foster strategic collaboration for inclusive development and scalable AI solutions to advance the world and benefit humanity through responsible, inclusive, and sustainable applications of AI."
The AI for Good Impact Initiative will support projects, challenges, collaboration efforts, AI governance and frameworks, capacity building, AI resources and studies, regional programming, and projects carried out by the global AI for Good community. The initiative aims to raise 20,000,000 CHF annually to achieve scale and global impact across all UN’s 17 SDGs. It will also support and foster the participation of developing countries in AI for Good programming and initiatives.
Dr Ebtesam Almazrouei will chair the Executive Impact Initiative board known as the Executive Impact Circle, which brings together high-level representatives from government, non-governmental organisations, industry, and academia. Under her leadership, this group will spearhead the AI for Good Impact Initiative, setting its vision and strategic direction.
Under Dr Almazrouei's leadership, the AI for Good Impact Initiative will focus on building global AI ecosystems by fostering strategic partnerships and collaborations with governments, NGOs, and private sector organisations to establish inclusive, repeatable, and scalable AI solutions, promote ethical AI and build responsible use of AI for Good.
Dr Almazrouei is a skilled professional in Artificial Intelligence and advanced technology renowned for her leadership in AI development and advanced tech solutions. She is actively involved in promoting sustainability and AI for Good initiatives. She is a Senior AI Consultant for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialised agency for digital technology.
Her work has gained her international recognition, including being listed among the Leading AI Women in the World and receiving the Global Leadership Women in Tech MENA Award in 2023.
Dr Almazrouei has also held prominent roles at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi, including Executive Director, Acting Chief AI Researcher, and Co-Founder of the Al-Cross Centre Unit (AICCU). She established and led the AI department at TII, driving strategic AI planning and development. She also spearheaded the development of Falcon AI generative models, which include the Middle East's first open-source LLM, Falcon 40B, and the world's most powerful open AI model, Falcon 180B, launched in 2023.
Additionally, she developed NOOR, the largest Arabic LLM, in 2022.
Prior to that, she delivered advanced tech solutions in the smart city and digital telecom industries for companies like BT, Etisalat, and Khalifa University. Dr Almazrouei also contributes to national and international AI initiatives and projects through various advisory and leadership roles.
She holds a Ph.D in Artificial Intelligence for Wireless Communication Engineering and Computer Science, an MSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Khalifa University of Science and Technology, and a BSc in Communication and Electrical Engineering from the United Arab Emirates University.
Dr Almazrouei continues to push the boundaries of AI and advanced technology. She recently founded AIE3, a cutting-edge company that delivers AI solutions for diverse business and consumer needs.
The AI for Good Global Summit is an annual event organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with other UN agencies, XPRIZE Foundation, ACM, and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). It brings together key stakeholders from over 70 countries to discuss the practical applications of AI and how it can be harnessed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).