'Inclusivity benchmark' for LMMs; New US chip export rules
Middle East AI News weekly digest...
Good morning!
Welcome to this week’s Middle East AI News!
The second full week of January was an eventful week, to say the least! However, I can only see it getting busier throughout the next month. This week the US government announced new export regulations for AI chips and models, MBZUAI releases open-source data and code for a new benchmark to measure AI model inclusivity, and Malaysia and the UAE sign an tech investment accord. Also brand-creator platform Halo AI announced a $6 million seed funding round, and Spanish BPO multinational announced $100 million investment in Egypt!
Scroll down to read all the news!
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And today marks the 500th episode of The Middle East News Minute, our one minute daily podcast that rounds up the latest AI headlines every morning!
Thanks for reading!
/Carrington
LLMS
ALM Benchmark evaluates inclusivity
#UAE #inclusivity – Researchers from Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and global partner institutions released ALM Bench, an open-source evaluation benchmark assessing 100 languages and 13 cultural dimensions via 22,000 question-answer pairs. It highlights limited inclusivity in a variety of large multimodal AI models. (Middle East AI News)
Infrastructure
US tightens AI chip export rules to protect leadership
#US #semiconductors – The US government restricted AI chip exports to 120 nations while exempting allies like Japan and the UK. The new rules aim to curb GPU access critical for AI development while supporting bilateral trade agreements. (Reuters)
Funding
Halo AI secures $6M for global expansion
#Saudi #funding– Saudi-based Halo AI raised $6M in seed funding led by Raed Ventures and Shorooq Partners. The platform, designed for brand-creator collaborations, plans regional and global growth after its 1 Billion Pitches competition win. (Middle East AI News)
AI Diplomacy
UAE and Malaysia sign AI collaboration agreement
#UAE #datainfrastructure – The UAE and Malaysia signed an MoU under Malaysia's AI policy framework. The agreement targets AI use in national security and data centre infrastructure, supporting Malaysia's position as Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing data centre market. (Middle East AI News)
FDI
Konecta to invest $100 million in Egypt over three years
#Egypt #CX - Spanish group Konecta, a global leader in digital and CX AI, has opened a new subsidiary in Egypt. The company plans to invest $100 million over the next three years and hire about 3,000 workers to deliver advanced digital and technical services, technical support, and multilingual customer services. (Konecta)
AVs
Masdar City launches autonomous vehicle trial
#UAE #AVs– Masdar City began trials for a new autonomous shuttle fleet, operated by Solution Plus. Building on its 2018 driverless trials, the urban sustainability hub aims to deploy seven AVs. (WAM)
GenAI
Dubai’s One Million Prompters initiative expands
#UAE #prompting – Registration is open for Dubai's One Million Prompters initiative, which aims to train 1 million people in AI prompt engineering over three years. Four certified courses are currently available. (Middle East AI News)
Al-Futtaim introduces AI lifestyle advisor in UAE
#UAE #CX – UAE retail giant Al-Futtaim launched Blue AI, an AI lifestyle advisor integrated into its Blue Rewards programme. The GenAI feature offers customers personalised brand experiences, spanning fashion to automobiles, with seamless checkout functionality. (Zawya)
Education
MBZUAI Executive Programme open for applications
#UAE #execeducation - The Executive Programme of Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has opened registration for its 2025 cohort. Now in its 6th edition, the programme has over 200 distinguished alumni, including undersecretaries, ambassadors, CEOs, and director generals. (MBZUAI)
Ras Al Khaimah trains government staff in data and AI
#UAE #training – Ras Al Khaimah celebrated the first graduates of its Data and AI Program, developed with PwC Academy. The 11-month course equips government employees with skills in AI, Data Science, and advanced analytics to modernise operations. (Ras Al Khaimah Government)
Industry 4.0
WEF awards Africa's first 'Lighthouse Factory'
#Morocco #4IR- The Moroccan manufacturing plant of CITIC Dicastal, the world's largest producer of automotive aluminium wheels, has been recognised by the World Economic Forum as a 'Lighthouse Factory'. The Global Lighthouse Network identifies and awards the most advanced operational sites in the world. (China Daily)
Media
Jordan Media Commission signs AI MoU
#Jordan #media - Jordan Media Commission has signed an MoU with Beyond Universe XR Solutions, to develop media initiatives and projects that use AI to enhance digital media. The company will also organise training workshops. (PETRA)
Hackathons
Saudi Arabia launches AI-driven Injaz Hackathon
#Saudi #innovation – Over 400 participants joined the Injaz Hackathon, a three-day event organised by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) in collaboration with nine other government entities. Teams are tasked with developing AI applications to enhance government efficiency. (Saudi Press Agency)
Events
Just three weeks to Ai Everything GLOBAL!
#UAE #AiEverthing - Dubai World Trade Centre’s flagship AI event, Ai Everything GLOBAL is nearly upon us, scheduled. More than 500 AI companies, 500 Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) and 150 international expert speakers from 100+ countries are expected to convene in the UAE from February 4-6. (Ai Everything)
GITEX Africa 2025 registrations open
#Morocco #GITEX – GITEX Africa 2025 will run from April 14-16 in Marrakech, featuring an AI Everything track. Africa’s largest tech event invites participants with early bird ticket offers now available. (GITEX Africa)
Al Jazeera explores AI's role in future media
#Qatar #media – Al Jazeera’s AI in Media Conference examined AI’s impact on journalism, focusing on technologies like deep fakes, automated content creation, and digital assistants. The event emphasised how AI reshapes news production. (The Peninsula)
Morocco hosts Arab cultural ministers conference on AI
#Morocco #culture – Morocco hosted the 24th Arab cultural ministers conference, focusing on digital transformation and AI in creative industries. The event highlighted regional challenges and opportunities in leveraging AI for cultural preservation and growth. (Hespress)
[ This newsletter was AI edited & human edited ]
