Stars Of Science Brings Arab Perspective To AI

Doha: Hundreds of aspiring young Arab innovators converged in Doha this week to audition to be a part of the top seven on Qatar Foundation's Stars of Science Season 14. Artificial Intelligence featured prominently throughout.

Stars of Science hosted the auditions at Qatar Science & Technology Park, a member of QF, with a wide range of ideas spanning from healthcare and education to environmental sustainability and workplace safety. Terms such as machine learning, speech recognition, and expert systems were commonplace throughout this year's auditions.

The heavy use of artificial intelligence (AI) mirrors a rapidly growing trend throughout the world — and especially the Arab world. According to a report published by Economist Impact and Google titled 'Pushing Forward: The Future of Artificial Intelligence in the Middle East and North Africa', the region is estimated to accrue $320bn by 2030 from value added by AI.

“We are entering a golden age for AI research and development in the Arab world. Ambitious national strategies and staggering amounts of investment symbolise just how the region has embraced the potential of AI and the endless opportunities that come with it,” said Dr. Ahmed Elmagarmid, Executive Director of Qatar Computing Research Institute, part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University — also a member of QF — who returns to this year's season of Stars of Science as an AI expert.

However, while the region has demonstrated a deep commitment to realising a future with AI, the global discourse surrounding this field of study often excludes Arab perspectives, according to the Global AI Narratives Project, a collaboration between the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge.

“We in the Arab world are clearly underrepresented in the ongoing discussions surrounding AI, which has a tangible impact on those of us who masterfully engage with the technology and its various applications. Our concerns, needs, and ideas of what role AI can serve are often overshadowed, and so we must work even harder to overcome these biases,” added Dr. Elmagarmid.

QF's Stars of Science tackles this issue and empowers Arab innovators aiming at introducing new AI-powered solutions. The show puts contestants in touch with experts from the country's various AI-focused research entities, encouraging them to turn ideas into tangible products that envision locally relevant applications of this powerful technology.

Several of the show's alumni have tailored AI to better suit the region's culture and needs.

Stars of Science will air every Friday and Saturday from September 2 to October 14 on six channels in the region and online. 

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