Dubai's new drone & AV laws; M42, healthcare giant!
Middle East AI News weekly news digest...
Good morning!
Here’s your weekly Middle East AI News!
The big M&A news of the week is the formation of M42, now the Middle East’s biggest helathcare group, formed via the merger of G42 Healthcare and Mubadala Health. After this merger was announced, M42 then announced the acquisition of Swedish global healthcare group Diaverum, the world's 3rd largest dialysis provider, in a deal estimated to be worth $2 billion. The new group aims to leverage G42’s AI and technology expertise to help accelerate enhancements in personalised, precise, and preventative healthcare.
Meanwhile, Dubai has moved forward on the policy front, passing a new law to govern the use of autonomous vehicles last Friday and another law this week amending the 2020 Dubai drone law. The news is sure to spark a wave of optimism among industry stakeholders, but the reality is that these laws give the responsibility to develop the detailed regulation to the relevant local authorities (i.e. RTA & DCAA). So we’ll have to wait for further announcements from these authorities before its clear what the timescale is for each area of regulation.
Scroll down for these stories and more!
And, as usual, thanks for reading!
/Carrington
AI Policy
New law regulates AV sector in Dubai
#UAE #AutonomousVehicles - Dubai issued a new law regulating autonomous vehicles last week, making the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) responsible for creating detailed regulations and licensing for AVs in the emirate. The law aims to accelerate Dubai's smart mobility transformation and attract investments in the sector. The RTA and Cruise plan to begin introducing driverless taxi services in the Jumeirah One district of Dubai from December this year. (WAM)
Dubai amends drone law, enhances safety standards
#UAE #Drones - A new Dubai law was issued this week, amending the 2020 Dubai drone law and clarifying the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority's (DCAA) role in setting standards, approvals, and certifications for drone infrastructure and operations. This aims to enhance safety standards for drone use in the city. (WAM)
Healthcare
G42 and Mubadala launch M42, a tech-enabled healthcare group
#UAE #healthcare - AI and technology holding group G42 and Mubadala Investment Company have launched M42, a result of the merger of G42 Healthcare and Mubadala Health. The new group aims to leverage technology to provide enhanced patient services and state-of-the-art facilities to deliver the highest level of personalised, precise, and preventative care. (Mubadala)
M42 acquires Diaverum, becomes largest ME healthcare provider
#UAE #Healthcare - Abu Dhabi-based M42 has acquired Sweden's Diaverum, making it the largest healthcare provider in the Middle East. This acquisition expands M42's global presence, and enhances its renal care services in the GCC region. Diaverum is the third-largest provider of dialysis services worldwide. (The National)
Emirates Health Services partners with MBZUAI on skills and research
#UAE #healthcare - Emirates Health Services (EHS) has signed an MoU with the Mohammed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) to identify research opportunities and conduct AI training programs. (Zawya)
Education
Saudi teams join FIRST Robotics Championship Finals
#Saudi #Robotics - Three Saudi student teams are set to compete in the 2023 FIRST Robotics Championship finals in Houston, USA. Sponsored by the Saudi Federation for Robotics & Tele Sports and the Ministry of Education, the event is an annual celebration of STEM, preparing young people for the future. (SPA)
Space
Saudi astronauts to conduct exclusive experiments in space
#Saudi #space - Two Saudi astronauts will conduct two scientific research experiments in space during their mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in May. The experiments will study artificial rain-seeding and immune cells. (Zawya)
Banking
Jordan Ahli Bank announces 'ahliGPT'
#Jordan #customerservice - Jordan Ahli Bank launched 'ahliGPT', a new AI system to enhance the banks customer service. The bank says it is the first in the region to use the technology for customer service. 'ahliGPT' will provides customers the with quick and accurate answers to their banking queries. (Zawya)
Environment
Drones help protect biodiversity in Saudi Arabia
#Saudi #diversity - Saudi Aramco is using drones to distribute tree seeds in a desert oasis to help protect the biodiversity of the area. The company also utilises Geographic Information System technology to monitor the progress of trees and map and observe wildlife, while it plants over 13 million mangrove seedlings under the Saudi Green Initiative. (Arab News)
Defence
US Navy sails drone boat through Strait of Hormuz
#Iran #US #USVs - The US Navy has safely sailed its first drone boat through the Strait of Hormuz, a busy waterway for global energy supplies between Iran and Oman. The L3 Harris Arabian Fox MAST-13, a 13-meter speedboat carrying sensors and cameras, was accompanied by two US Coast Guard cutters. (Al Arabiya)
Brazilian group partners with Saudi to develop drones
#Saudi #drones - Brazilian technology group Akaer has partnered with Saudi group Intra Defense Technologies to develop large unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the country. Intra has already been operating UAVs in Saudi Arabia with great success, with over 4,000 flight hours in various missions. (Zawya)