The United Arab Emirates, where artificial intelligence is king

The ChatGPT chatbot, the superstar of artificial intelligence (AI), is being targeted by various actions in several countries due in particular to concerns about the security of personal data.

However, in the Emirates, the first country in the world to have a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, in 2017, this technology – called obstetrics – does not frighten the eye. On the contrary, it fuels the great technological and scientific ambitions of this wealthy Gulf country, known for its modern infrastructure and disproportionate projects.

We want the UAE to become the most prepared country in the world for artificial intelligenceMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, was fired on the day of appointing a ministerAmnesty InternationalOmar bin Sultan al-Ulama was 27 years old at the time.

” Being the most prepared country means more than carrying out the laws […]it involves dynamically and voluntarily changing the world. […] The UAE will build an economy based onAmnesty International And don’t wait for such an economy to arrive. »

Concretely, the UAE wants to deliverAmnesty International In many sensitive sectors, including transportation, health, space exploration, renewable energies, water, education and the environment.

This oil-rich country aims to become one of the world leaders in the field of artificial intelligence by 2031, with the aim of generating during this period up to 335 billion dirhams (more than 123 billion Canadian dollars) thanks to this technology that is able to simulate human intelligence.

The first Minister of Artificial Intelligence in the world, Emirati Omar Al Olama.

Photo: ap via getty Images / FABRICE COFFRINI

According to consulting Pwc Middle EastI’Amnesty International It could contribute nearly 14% of the country’s GDP by 2030. Ministry of the United Arab EmiratesAmnesty International For its part, it hopes to increase the contribution of this sector to 20% gross domestic product within 10 years.

Driverless taxis, robot teachers…

This country, which is seeking to diversify its economy and reduce its dependence on oil, has doubled its investments in technology over the past ten years, with a particular focus on autonomous transportation.

Self-driving taxis have already taken over the streets of the capital, Abu Dhabi, which includes the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, as well The first in the worldas well as the centerAmnesty International and Robotics (CAIR), which is exploring ways to combat climate change through technology.

The UAE has also become the first country to introduce ChatGPT, a chatbot with artificial intelligence, in its government services. In February, DEWA became the first utility provider in the world to adopt this technology built by OpenAI and Microsoft.

In March, the UAE Minister of Education also announced that it was working with OpenAI to bring GPT-powered robot teachers into classrooms. A UAE-based company has just launched ChatGPT in Arabic, which is the first of its kind.

Children search for a book in a Dubai bookstore with the help of an AI robot.

Photo: Getty Images/AFP/GIUSEPPE CACACE

However, this trend is mirrored elsewhere in the world. At the end of March, Italy banned the use of this chatbot due to data usage concerns. This is the first move of its kind in the Western world, but it is likely to inspire its European neighbours, including France, Ireland and Germany.

In Canada, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner announced an investigation into OpenAI, which still involves personal information, while in the United States and China, authorities announced on Tuesday their intention to regulate tools based onAmnesty Internationalincluding ChatGPT.

Meanwhile, the European police agency Europol has warned that criminals are ready to take advantage of artificial intelligence, such as chatbots, to commit fraud and other cybercrime. ChatGPT’s ability to quickly produce text makes it Perfect for advertising and misinformation purposesEuropol also warned in a report.

Two weeks ago, hundreds of big names in the tech world asked in an open letter to suspend development of certain advanced systems for at least six months.Amnesty International By mentioning great dangers to humanity.

Understand possibilities and limits

Marcus du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics and holder of the Simonyi Chair for the General Understanding of Science at Oxford University, is among the signatories to this letter.

He is also a lecturer in the UAE Artificial Intelligence Studies Program, a program that mainly targets UAE government officials to introduce them to issues and concerns related to these technologies.

Museum of the Future in Dubai, a building with exceptional circular architecture.

Photo: Getty Images/AFP/Karim Sahib

The UAE we realize thatAmnesty International It will have a huge impact on society which is why this program existsindicates in a telephone interview with Radio Canada Mr. du Sautoy, who introduces himself as A Technical optimist. They want officials to understand the possibilities and limitations of this technology for appropriate legislationhe explains.

According to him, this approach does not contradict what the signatories of the open letter are asking for, that is, greater participation of political decision-makers in Significantly accelerate the development of robust systems of governance.

Who is responsible if a self-driving vehicle fatally hits a citizen? Elected officials, not tech company CEOs, should decide these important issuesJustice M. du Sautoy, who in 2019 co-authored a report for the British government that examined the implicationsAmnesty International on the society.

” Turning away from or banishing this technology is not the right way to go, as AI will be more prevalent anyway. »

The author of the book Creativity lawwho questions the boundaries between man and machine, especially in the arts, argues that we must avoid repeating the same scenario that happened with personal data online when it was controlled entirely by the giants of the web or GAFAM, an acronym that includes Google (Alphabet) and Apple, Facebook (Meta), Amazon, and Microsoft.

“oil of the future”

Europe has taken the lead internationally in legislation on issues related to managing personal data online, providing a model for other countries to follow.Mr. Du Sautoy recalls.

General view of the hyper-connected city of Dubai, UAE.

Photo: Getty Images/AFP/Karim Sahib

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The UAE, with a population of 9.3 million, about 80% of whom are expatriates from more than a hundred countries, says it relies on the diversity of its population to develop a database. opened And Ready forAmnesty International.

Data is the oil of the futureRead the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence.

However, these questions raise many concerns, particularly of an ethical nature. But the young Emirati ministerAmnesty International Refine it: We want to ensure that development, deployment and useAmnesty International Be responsible.

In 2022, the authorities launched an online guide that provides guidelines and principles for ethical AI. It reads, among other things:

• What’Amnesty International It must be fair, transparent, accountable and understandable;
• Technology must serve and protect humanity;
• What’Amnesty International It must be beneficial to humans and compatible with human values;
• What’Amnesty International It should benefit everyone and respect everyone’s rights and dignity.

Dubai Library is the first in the Middle East to use artificial intelligence to search for and store books.

Photo: Getty Images/AFP/GIUSEPPE CACACE

Elsewhere in the Arab world, Saudi Arabia is investing heavily inAmnesty International. In 2019, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, announced a $500 billion investment inAmnesty International and in other emerging technologies over the next decade.

In Kuwait, this week, a news site unveiled Fidaa, a virtual TV anchor created by artificial intelligence, with the ambition of assigning her to display a news newspaper on the Twitter account of this media outlet. What kind of news do you prefer? We listen to your opinionsshe says in a short 13-second presentation video.

According to Mr. Du Sautoy, the break Demanded by the stars of artificial intelligence is not intended to rein in pushAmnesty Internationalon the contrary. We just want to make sure that we control the rate at which this technology evolves.

In other words, he concludes, We want a long and beautiful summer withAmnesty International And not a heat wave that can burn us all out.