MBZUAI researcher wins Google fellowship for breakthrough in AI video

Muhammad Maaz was at his desk coding when an email arrived. Professor Ian Reid, Chair of Computer Vision at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), couldn't contain his excitement breaking the news that Maaz had been selected as a 2025 Google PhD Fellow in Machine Perception, making him the first researcher from the Gulf region to receive the prestigious recognition.

- Ahmed Waqqas Alawlaqi [e-mail]

Muhammad Maaz is the first researcher from the Gulf region to receive the prestigious recognition.

"I just sat there, stunned," Maaz told Khaleej Times. “It was one of those rare moments when you realise years of hard work is finally paying off.”

The Google PhD Fellowship, now in its 16th year, selected 255 PhD students globally from thousands of nominees across 35 countries and 12 research domains. Universities can nominate only four students each, making selection highly competitive. The fellowship provides $85,000 annually, Google Research mentorship, and connects recipients to a global research community.

Maaz’s achievement challenges the persistent narrative of regional brain drain, where top researchers leave the Middle East for opportunities abroad. Instead, he represents a reversal of talent who chose Abu Dhabi over departing.