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UAE: Microsoft, G42 launch new foundation to ensure responsible, ethical AI practices
The US tech giant also announced the expansion of its AI for Good Lab to Abu Dhabi in collaboration with G42
- PUBLISHED: Sun 9 Feb 2025, 4:06 PM UPDATED: Sun 9 Feb 2025, 9:53 PM
The UAE's G42 and US giant Microsoft announced on Sunday the launch of a new foundation to promote responsible AI standards and best practices in the Middle East and the Global South.
The "Responsible AI Foundation" will be the first centre of its kind in the Middle East. It was launched on the sidelines of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris with the support of research partner Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI).
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Inception, a G42 company, will serve as the institution's Programme Lead to help advance its mission. In collaboration with G42, Microsoft also announced the expansion of its AI for Good Lab to Abu Dhabi.
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With the establishment of the Responsible AI Foundation and a Microsoft AI for Good Lab outpost, the UAE is cementing its position as a global hub for responsible AI development.
Focus on 2 areas
The companies revealed that the new foundation will focus on two areas.
Firstly, it will advance both technical and ethical elements of responsible AI through cutting-edge research. This includes developing AI safety methodologies, bias mitigation techniques, and explainability tools while fostering collaboration with global and regional research institutions to set new standards for AI fairness, transparency, and accountability.
Secondly, it aims to develop frameworks to ensure the ethical development and deployment of AI systems, accounting for cultural diversity. This will involve designing risk assessment models, external ethics boards, technical audit tools, and adaptable governance guidelines that account for regional needs, ensuring AI adoption is both responsible and inclusive.
“The launch of a Responsible AI Foundation marks a defining moment in shaping the future of Responsible AI. By bringing together leading minds in research, policy, and industry, we are building a foundation that will drive ethical AI development on a global scale. Our mission is to translate principles into practice, developing actionable frameworks that ensure AI is safe, fair, and aligned with societal values," said Dr Andrew Jackson, Group Responsible AI Officer at G42.
“A Responsible AI Foundation and AI for Good Lab in Abu Dhabi will help ensure that AI serves humanity, not just in the West, but people around the globe. By sharing insights and expertise from our eight years of work in responsible AI governance, Microsoft is committed to helping build a robust, competitive AI economy grounded in good governance and safe, trustworthy, and ethical AI practices, said Natasha Crampton, vice president, chief responsible AI officer at Microsoft.
Eric Xing, president of Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, said the foundation is a transformative step in ensuring AI addresses critical societal challenges while adhering to ethical standards.
Dr Laura Haaber Ihle will assume the post of Vice-President of Governance, Policy & Ethics at the Responsible AI Foundation. She is the first hire at the new entity.
The AI for Good Lab in Abu Dhabi will work with NGOs and governmental organisations to leverage AI to address societal challenges, with a focus on projects in the Middle East and the Global South. The first researchers at the Abu Dhabi hub will begin work in March of this year.
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