MBZUAI Professor Fakhri Karray delivered a talk on advances in operational AI, highlighting its potential to grow global GDP by 15% by 2025. He discussed AI's impact on IoT, self-driving machines, virtual assistants, and other fields. Karray outlined milestones in AI, achievements in operational AI, future directions, and challenges for safe and beneficial AI. Why it matters: The presentation underscores MBZUAI's role in shaping the discourse around AI's transformative potential and ethical considerations in the region.
Professor Fakhreddine Karray from the University of Waterloo has been appointed as the new Provost of Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), succeeding Professor Ling Shao. Karray previously served as the co-director of the Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute and holds fellowships with the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Engineering Institute of Canada, and the IEEE. He will collaborate with President Eric Xing to advance MBZUAI's academic and research strategy. Why it matters: This appointment signals MBZUAI's continued commitment to attracting top international AI talent to the UAE and solidifying its position as a leading AI research institution.
MBZUAI Professor Fakherddine Karray is developing deep learning algorithms for human activity recognition to monitor the health and safety of elderly people. The AI tools analyze movement, posture, and facial expressions to detect early warning signs of health emergencies. Remote patient monitoring systems integrate smart devices and secure communication to allow elderly patients to stay at home and communicate with healthcare providers. Why it matters: AI-powered smart homes can provide affordable healthcare solutions for the rapidly growing elderly population in the region and worldwide.
MBZUAI Professor Fakhri Karray and colleagues from the University of Waterloo are using AI to forecast crop yields, focusing on the impact of extreme temperatures on California strawberry yields. The research uses historical climate and agricultural data to predict yields, addressing issues from 2023 when unusual weather caused a $100 million loss to the strawberry industry. Better predictions could benefit consumers, farmers, and the agricultural industry by improving pricing and supply chain management. Why it matters: This research can improve understanding of agricultural system vulnerabilities amid climate change and extreme weather.
MBZUAI Professor Fakhri Karray and co-authors from the University of Waterloo have published "Elements of Dimensionality Reduction and Manifold Learning," a textbook on methods for extracting useful components from large datasets. The book addresses the challenge of the "curse of dimensionality," where growth in datasets complicates their use in machine learning. Karray developed the material from a popular course he taught at Waterloo. Why it matters: The textbook provides a unified resource for students and researchers in machine learning and AI, addressing a foundational challenge in processing high-dimensional data, relevant to diverse applications in the region.
MBZUAI hosted a webinar by Provost Fakhreddine Karray on "Advances in Operational Artificial Intelligence and Impact on Society." The talk covered AI's origins, advancements with a focus on Operational AI (OAI), and its potential to grow global GDP by 15% as early as 2025. Karray highlighted AI's impact on sectors like healthcare, finance, and transportation, emphasizing its transformative potential and connection to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Why it matters: This event signals MBZUAI's commitment to disseminating knowledge and fostering discussions on the impact of AI across various sectors, solidifying its role as a thought leader in the region's AI landscape.
MBZUAI hosted a senior delegation from Iraq to discuss potential collaborations. The delegation toured the university campus and met with Provost Fakhri Karray. Discussions focused on MBZUAI's objectives, strategic plans, and opportunities for cooperative development between the UAE and Iraq. Why it matters: This visit signifies MBZUAI's ongoing efforts to foster AI development and collaboration across the Middle East.
MBZUAI is developing AI algorithms to intelligently process data from wearables and home sensors for remote patient monitoring. The algorithms aim to analyze multiple strands of health data to provide a more comprehensive view of a patient's health, distinguishing between genuine emergencies and benign situations. MBZUAI's provost, Professor Fakhri Karray, believes this approach could handle 20-25% of diagnoses virtually, reducing the burden on healthcare systems. Why it matters: This research could significantly improve healthcare efficiency and accessibility in the UAE and beyond by enabling more effective remote patient monitoring and reducing unnecessary hospital visits.