The Arab Center for Artificial Intelligence (ACAI) of Qatar and Universal AI University (UAI), India has signed strategic cooperation to push the frontiers of artificial intelligence in the Gulf.
The two organizations inked an agreement yesterday in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which involves a ten-year partnership that will focus on working together to address and shape future education, research and innovation in AI and emerging technologies.
The cooperation will have several main directions, the creation of a specialized research center for the AI and related technologies. This center is to become a facilitator of innovative research with worldwide recognition.
In addition, ACAI and UAI will develop and implement advanced training programs, both online and short-term courses, in order to match the growing demand for AI professionals in the Qatari labour market.
Envisioning the future, the agreement sets the stage for the possibility of a specialized AI university campus being set up in Qatar. The initiative is planned as a regional centre for quality education, knowledge exchange and technological development, promoting AI, engineering, business administration and environmental sustainability. It is well in line with Qatar’s aspirations and national vision of transforming itself into a knowledge-based economy.
Eng. Khalid Abdulrahim Al Sayed, Chairman of the Board of the Arab Center for Artificial Intelligence, described the partnership as a “bold step” in pursuit of Qatar’s ambition to be an innovation and AI hub globally. He was confident that integration of regional expertise with global academic excellence would work to shape a high end knowledge driven future.
On the same note, Universal AI University president Tarandeep Singh Anand added, UAI is “proud” to be part of this forward looking project that is the first in Qatar’s history. He stressed that the university wanted to enable learners, researchers, and innovators to create and deliver world-changing smart solutions.
The all-encompassing MoU also outlines dispute resolution systems, IP rights distribution from jointly-developed projects and the annual review of the partnership to ensure the collaboration is producing real and sustainable results. More specific implementing agreements are anticipated to be issued to implement the described initiatives.
The Arab AI Center – Qatar: is a private Qatari initiative seeking to promote the development of national AI capabilities – through training, innovation, and contributions to digital transformation, in alignment with the development priorities of Qatar.
About the Author Universal AI University is a reputed institution based in Maharashtra, India, which provides high-end artificial intelligence education, data science, emerging tech and interdisciplinary research. This collaboration is an important milestone to promote international cooperation in the important area of artificial intelligence.
