The UAE and France have teamed up for an artificial intelligence investment partnership that will include developing talent and the creation of semiconductors, in a boost to the Emirates' technology drive.
This collaboration is aimed at enhancing both countries' AI ecosystems, which will be developed and deployed in key sectors, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a statement on Wednesday.
The partnership was formalised with the signing of a preliminary agreement between the Abu Dhabi Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council and France's Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty.
It was signed by Khaldoon Al Mubarak, member of the AIATC and group chief executive of Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Company, and Bruno Le Maire, France's Minister of Economy.
The collaboration will cover infrastructure for data centres and supercomputers, AI training, cloud and data, as well as start-up investments and AI applications in key sectors including health, finance, software, retail and industry, the media office said.
During a separate media roundtable announcing a similar partnership with Mubadala, Mr Le Maire said the tie-up between the countries is expected to boost economic co-operation and be a “win-win” for both sides.
Mr Le Maire did not provide any projected figures for investments in the partnership, which was forged “on the basis of the decision taken” by President Sheikh Mohamed and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The UAE and France “share exactly the same view that AI is a game-changer … we want to have more [of the best] scientists, researchers and students on AI” between the UAE and France, said Mr Le Maire.
Skill development will be partly done in the Abu Dhabi campus of France's Sorbonne University, the minister said.
The partnership will also involve the “creation and production of chips” for AI applications, Mr Le Maire said, noting Mubadala's access to the technology through its stake in US-based GlobalFoundries.
The UAE aims to become a global AI leader and hub and continues to tap into new technologies in preparation for the economy and society of the future.
It has pivoted towards partnerships with technology majors from the West and achieved a major deal in April when US technology bellwether Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion investment in Abu Dhabi AI leader G42.
Mubadala, meanwhile, had already revealed plans to make “significant” investments across key geographies and new economy sectors, including in AI, Mr Al Mubarak said at February's Investopia conference in Abu Dhabi.
At that time, he did not disclose Mubadala's expected investments or any partnerships the company might be considering.
In March, Abu Dhabi set up a new technology investment company, MGX, to expedite the development of AI and other advanced technologies, in which, Mubadala and G42 are foundational partners.
France, meanwhile, has also sought to boost its AI expertise, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness Franck Riester told The National during the World Trade Organisation's 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi in February.
Trade between the UAE and France hit €7 billion ($7.6 billion) in 2023 and is expected to increase this year amid the deepening of investment and trade ties between the two countries, he said at the time.
The UAE and France “want to be the example of a fruitful co-operation to make AI a matter of better productivity for growth, better help for people and better life”, Mr Le Maire said on Tuesday.
In February, the countries signed a preliminary agreement to establish the UAE-France Bilateral Climate Investment Platform, to help French and Emirati investors boost investments in clean energy projects, with a particular focus on advancing the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate industries.
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2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
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Saturday Sevilla v Real Sociedad (4pm), Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao (7.15pm), Granada v Barcelona (9.30pm), Osasuna v Real Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Levante v Eibar (4pm), Cadiz v Alaves (7.15pm), Elche v Getafe (9.30pm), Real Valladolid v Valencia (midnight)
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
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1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
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- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
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Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
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Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
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Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Dust storm
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How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
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About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
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Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
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