by Nour Salman ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2019) The youngest IBM Watson developer in the world has said that the UAE's establishment of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, MBZUAI, is "absolutely critical."
The artificial intelligence (AI) expert from Canada, Tanmay Bakshi, told the Emirates news Agency, WAM, "I feel this is an absolutely critical step to take," adding that he was "very glad" that the UAE took it on.
Based in Abu Dhabi, MBZUAI, is a graduate-level, research-based academic institution that offers specialised degree programmes for local and international students in the field of artificial intelligence.
Commenting on the importance of the establishment of the university, Bakshi said, "Places like the US and Canada are currently 'AI Hotspots' because of the education available. By bringing this education to more people in the UAE and the region as a whole, both the UAE and the entire world will be more future-ready."
It is this "future-ready" approach that the UAE government has made a priority, launching its UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 in a bid to become one of the most advanced nations in the AI field.
Fifteen-year-old Bakshi added, "Any country that’s not investing in AI at the moment is going to be left behind because it’s almost too late. The extra efficiency and abilities that AI technology affords us is necessary to stay competitive in the future."
In the 2019 KPMG 'Enterprise AI Adoption Study', a survey of 30 Global 500 companies revealed that most organisations would increase investments in AI-related talent and supporting infrastructure by approximately 50 to 100 percent in the next three years.
"Applications like self-driving cars, personal assistants, recommendation, cancer detection, preventative healthcare, and so much more, require innovation on a large scale, and AI education is the first step to achieving it," Bakshi noted.
Addressing how the UAE can play a role in AI education, the young tech expert said, "I see the UAE’s role being very specific and well-defined: to bring access to resources and technology to the youth."
He advised that tech educators need to be experts in the field so that young students derive real value from their educational experience.
Bakshi went on to say that providing the necessary resources for young students to code is essential. "Put it in their hands, and use their curiosity as a catalyst to have them work with technology. Once the youth are interested in this technology, they’ll have the ability to innovate on larger scales than ever before," he enthused.
MBZUAI aims to support the advancement of scientific research, development, transfer, and use of Artificial Intelligence through the introduction of MSc and PhD programmes that allow students to fulfil their intellectual potential in a state-of-the-art environment.
