President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to discuss opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the company and its counterparts in the UAE, particularly in artificial intelligence research and its practical applications.
OpenAI is the creator of ChatGPT and one of the foremost players in the AI business.
The President met Altman at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi during his recent trip to the country, during which he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZAI) in recognition of his influential leadership role in the field of AI.
According to state news agency WAM, cooperation with OpenAI aligns with the UAE’s ambition to establish an integrated AI ecosystem, supporting the country’s development plans and its drive to build a knowledge-based economy. The vision also seeks to reinforce the UAE’s global leadership in this vital field while creating new opportunities across both the public and private sectors.
During the meeting, Altman commended the UAE’s artificial intelligence vision and its global partnerships in this key sector.
A major oil exporter, UAE has embarked on a mission to diversify its economy and new technology is a major part of that push. It is building one of the world’s largest AI data centres and launching a new Arabic-language AI model.
The meeting was also attended by His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and HH Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, among other dignitaries and senior government officials.
Earlier, the Crown Prince witnessed MBZUAI’s inaugural Honorary Doctorate conferral ceremony, which celebrated a professional lifetime of achievements of Altman’s that has propelled AI from research labs to real-world impact at an unprecedented scale.
Altman said: “I am honoured to receive MBZUAI’s inaugural honorary doctorate. The University’s commitment to putting AI at the centre of education and research is truly commendable. As we enter a new era shaped by AI, the UAE’s bold vision to advance this technology responsibly and ambitiously aligns with our mission to ensure its benefits are widely shared.”
Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of MBZUAI’s Board of Trustees, added: “Contributing to the UAE’s ambition to create positive global change through advanced technology, the conferral of MBZUAI’s first Honorary Doctorate on Sam Altman is a testament to the university’s growing stature as a global centre of excellence in artificial intelligence.
“Sam is a pioneer whose brilliance and tenacity have made the transformational benefits of AI accessible and impactful for individuals, organizations, and societies worldwide.”
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