Abdullah Hamdi, a Ph.D. student at KAUST, is researching AI, deep learning, and computer vision in the Image and Video Understanding Lab under Associate Professor Bernard Ghanem. His work focuses on developing reliable testing methods for deep learning tools, particularly for sensitive applications like self-driving vehicles. Hamdi aims to disseminate AI knowledge and contribute to the AI ecosystem in the region. Why it matters: This highlights KAUST's role in fostering local AI talent and contributing to critical research areas like autonomous vehicles, aligning with Saudi Arabia's broader technology goals.
KAUST has announced the latest recipients of the Ibn Rushd Fellowship Program, which supports early-career Saudi scientists for up to three years of postdoctoral research at international institutions. Fellows Abdullah Alghamdi and Abdulrahman M. Alfaraidi will conduct research at UC San Diego and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, respectively. Their research aligns with Saudi Arabia’s health, wellness, and energy priorities while maintaining ties with KAUST. Why it matters: This fellowship program helps develop talent in priority fields and elevates the profile of Saudi academia, contributing to Saudi Vision 2030.
Dr. Abdelrahman AlMahmoud from the Secure Systems Research Center (SSRC) has been named a founding member of the Emirates Robotic and Automation Society (ERAS). He also joins ERAS's Board of Directors, alongside 20 other members from government, academia, and the private sector. This appointment will help align SSRC's robotics research goals with other entities and strengthen TII's ability to attract talent. Why it matters: This establishes a formal body to advance robotics and automation in the UAE, signaling increased focus and coordination in this sector.
Dr. Abdelrahman AlMahmoud from TII's Secure Systems Research Center (SSRC) will participate in a WGISTA webinar on adopting a digital mindset in auditing and fighting corruption. The webinar, organized by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), will discuss the impact of emerging technologies on public sector auditing. Dr. AlMahmoud will share insights on how AI and Big Data can enable auditors to process data at a new scale. Why it matters: This highlights the UAE's growing role in applying advanced technologies like AI and big data to improve governance and accountability in the public sector.
This paper introduces two methods for creating Arabic LLM prompts at scale: translating existing English prompt datasets and creating natural language prompts from Arabic NLP datasets. Using these methods, the authors generated over 67.4 million Arabic prompts covering tasks like summarization and question answering. Fine-tuning a 7B Qwen2 model on these prompts outperforms a 70B Llama3 model in handling Arabic prompts. Why it matters: The research provides a cost-effective approach to scaling Arabic LLM training data, potentially improving the performance of smaller, more accessible models for Arabic NLP.
Ahmad Alabdulghani, a KAUST master's student in Energy Resources and Petroleum Engineering, is studying fluid flow mechanisms in heterogeneous media under the supervision of Professor Hussein Hoteit. Alabdulghani is a member of the Advanced Reservoir Modeling and Simulation (ARMS) research group at ANPERC. He previously worked at Saudi Aramco's EXPEC Advanced Research Center and aims to pursue a doctorate at KAUST. Why it matters: This highlights KAUST's role in developing Saudi talent for the energy sector and fostering collaboration between academia and industry.
The provided content mentions KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) and its association with King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. It also includes a copyright notice. Why it matters: This is a routine update reflecting KAUST's branding and legal information.