King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), renowned for its early embrace of artificial intelligence (AI), stands at the forefront of academic leadership in Saudi Arabia and the surrounding region. This preeminence is underpinned by its solid infrastructure, cutting-edge technologies shepherded by industry authorities, and strategic alliances with pivotal entities in both the public and private sectors.
Aligning with the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030, KAUST’s initiative to incorporate AI within crucial national sectors such as security, energy, data analysis, and healthcare is a testament to its commitment to enhancing human expertise and spurring innovation.
In a move to bolster its AI acumen, KAUST has rolled out a suite of science and technology-focused training initiatives through the ‘Continuing Education’ program, run by the KAUST Academy. Since its launch in 2022, the Academy has executed six training courses and three summer camps, in partnership with 20 local universities, drawing in attendees from 12 different cities within the Kingdom. Notably, women represent an impressive 70% of the participants. By the close of 2022, the Academy had enriched the knowledge of around 2,000 students, with contributions from eminent figures like Professor Jurgen Schmidhuber, often hailed as the ‘father of modern AI.’
KAUST’s journey in AI aims to harness the power of AI for processing data at unparalleled speeds, driving innovation, extracting actionable intelligence, and efficiently executing skill enhancement programs. The inception of the tuition-free KAUST Academy highlights the institution’s resolve to democratize educational opportunities for the Kingdom’s citizens and residents, irrespective of their background.
The university also channels its efforts into cultivating skills pertinent to national goals, covering areas like cybersecurity, bioinformatics, computational and applied sciences, business analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics. KAUST’s participation in the 2022 Global AI Summit in Riyadh allowed it to display its trailblazing AI and deep neural network (DNN) projects, reinforcing its influence in propelling AI research and nurturing talent within the Kingdom.
With initiatives such as the program developed in partnership with the University of Oxford, which is integrated into KAUST’s educational offerings, the university aspires to fortify alliances and endow students with contemporary technological competencies. This collaboration enables learners to delve into the intricacies of these technologies, building upon KAUST’s history of aiding over 800 students from various regions of the Kingdom through robust partnerships. In summary, KAUST’s Artificial Intelligence Initiative is devoted to promoting interdisciplinary learning and creating avenues for both local and international participation in AI innovation and education.