Qirong Ho, co-founder and CTO of Petuum Inc., will be contributing to the "ML Systems for Many" initiative. Petuum is recognized for creating standardized building blocks for AI assembly. Ho also holds a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University and is part of the CASL open-source consortium. Why it matters: Showcases the ongoing efforts to democratize AI development and deployment, making it more accessible and sustainable, although the specific initiative is not further detailed.
Harvard Professor David C. Parkes is leading a session on AI, Machine Learning, and Economics for the inaugural cohort of the MBZUAI Executive Program. This program includes 42 participants, including ministers and C-suite executives, and spans 12 weeks. The program aims to support the UAE's AI leadership mission through education and capacity building. Why it matters: This highlights the UAE's ongoing efforts to attract global AI expertise and develop local leadership in the field, furthering its national AI strategy.
Microsoft Azure AI CTO Dr. Xuedong Huang will speak at the MBZUAI Executive Program on AI-powered communications. Huang will share his experience in advancing Microsoft's AI stack, from deep learning infrastructure to new user experiences. He has over 170 U.S. patents and has contributed to speech technology, including Windows SAPI and Azure Speech. Why it matters: This talk can help foster knowledge transfer and collaboration between a global AI leader and the UAE's flagship AI university.
The Autonomous Robotics Research Center (ARRC) at Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII) has appointed a board of advisors composed of globally-recognized experts in robotics and autonomous systems. The advisors include professors from Georgia Tech, ETH Zurich, University of Bologna, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, NYU, and Czech Technical University. The board will guide ARRC's research into robotics technologies aimed at building hybrid biological and artificial systems. Why it matters: This signals the UAE's continued investment in attracting top international expertise to advance its AI and robotics research capabilities.
Technology Innovation Institute (TII) has announced new leadership appointments across multiple research centers. Dr. Elias Tsoutsanis is the Acting Chief Researcher at the Propulsion and Space Research Center (PSRC), and Prof. Enrico Natalizio is the Chief Researcher of the Autonomous Robotics Research Center (ARRC). Other appointments include Dr. Felix Vega as Acting Chief Researcher of the Directed Energy Research Center (DERC), Dr. Victor Mateu as Acting Chief Researcher of the Cryptography Research Center (CRC), and Prof. Vincenzo Giannini as Chief Researcher of the Advanced Materials Research Center. Why it matters: These appointments signal TII's commitment to strengthening its research capabilities and driving technological innovation in key areas, potentially leading to significant advancements in various fields within the UAE and beyond.
Giulia De Masi, Principal Scientist at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi, specializes in Collective Intelligence and Swarm Robotics. Her work focuses on designing emergent behaviors in robot swarms through local interactions, drawing inspiration from social insects. De Masi's background includes positions at academic institutions in the UAE and a PhD from the University of Rome La Sapienza. Why it matters: This highlights the growing focus on swarm robotics and collective intelligence research within the UAE, with potential applications in various industries.
MBZUAI Executive Program participants gathered for community-building activities on Jubail Island, including a mangrove walk and dinner. MBZUAI President Eric Xing emphasized the opportunity to build partnerships and an AI community. The event aimed to foster collaboration and understanding among participants to drive positive AI progress. Why it matters: Such initiatives can help bridge divides between organizations and facilitate the responsible development of AI in the UAE.
Marcus Engsig at DERC has developed DomiRank, a new centrality metric to quantify the dominance of nodes within networks. DomiRank integrates local and global topological information to determine the importance of each node for network stability. The research demonstrates that nodes with high DomiRank values indicate vulnerable areas heavily dependent on dominant nodes. Why it matters: This metric can help identify critical infrastructure components and vulnerabilities in complex systems, enhancing resilience against targeted attacks.