UAE sees Artificial Intelligence as a strategic national asset: SUSE

The UAE views Artificial Intelligence (Al) as a strategic national asset, leveraging open-source software to fuel its ambitions in both public and private sectors.

- WAM/Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

According to data published by the Abu Dhabi Chamber, the emirate, with 673 Al companies, has experienced a 61 percent increase in the Al sector between June 2023 to June 2024.

Globally, there are approximately 90,904 Al companies as of 2024, which places Abu Dhabi’s Al company count as a notable concentration within the global landscape.

The findings highlight Abu Dhabi’s rise as the fastest growing centre for artificial intelligence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and a global leader in Al-driven enterprise, innovation, and research.

Abu Dhabi is setting global standards for the adoption of Al across strategic sectors, supported by a constellation of unique institutions and establishments.

“Open source software, like SUSE, is a critical enabler in this journey. Unlike closed models, open Al frameworks allow for transparency, localisation, and rapid adaptation, all of which are essential when deploying Al at scale in sensitive or regulated environments and fit the ambitions of the UAE Government, as well as many operators within the private sector,” said Smail Ibrahim, Regional Sales Director & General Manager for CEMEA at SUSE.

He emphasised that the country’s investment in models like Falcon 40B reflects a clear commitment to developing sovereign Al capabilities.