AI Week Contributes To Boosting Research Awareness

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA

DOHA: Qatar Science and technology Park (QSTP) President Dr. Jack Lau (pictured) hailed the AI Week 2024 as a platform to foster research awareness and consolidate businesses.

The week-long event from November 24-28, 2024 was organized by the QSTP, on the occasion of its 15th anniversary.

Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Dr. Lau expressed delight at the great interest in the AI Week 2024, which gathered 3,000 visitors, 260 school students along with 100 students who participated in the AI Hackathon, along with public attendance.

Dr. Lau added that the event outcomes would be felt in the short, medium and long term. Highlighting the signing of many MoUs during the event, he said the QSTP evolved into a technological talent hub that allures entrepreneurs and innovators.

Meanwhile, QSTP's Relation Manager Essa Al Jamali said told QNA that the event aimed to attract the largest number of emerging companies, technology experts, academics and AI enthusiasts to manage workshops and discussion groups. Several government agencies were in attendance including the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Qatar Scientific Club and the Al Jazeera Media Institute.

The Al Week 2024 was an important opportunity to meet emerging companies, whether based in Qatar or abroad, to present their AI researches and projects, exchange experiences and knowledge among students, he added.

He added the QSTP would adopt the initiatives and projects emanating from the discussions as part of its task of supporting entrepreneurs and youth innovators.

For his part, Hamad Al Qasmi Industrial Director of Information and Communication Technology at QSTP said in similar statements to QNA that the most prominent event witnessed by the AI Week was the signing of memoranda of understanding and contracts between participating companies, and that participating foreign companies expressed a strong desire to have a presence in the State of Qatar, noting that the great turnout for the workshops witnessed by the week reflects the extent of public awareness of learning about artificial intelligence

Based on the fact that the park is a center for technological innovation in Qatar, Al Qasmi stressed the keenness of QSTP to continue its initiatives and programs to accelerate business, as well as efforts to attract companies from outside Qatar. The park also holds educational programs for university students, encouraging them to work with companies operating there.

In addition, other new programs are currently being developed with the goal of expanding the Qatari market in the field of technology, as well as fostering the growth of emerging companies. He expressed hope to hold the same event next year, with the same success achieved by the last one.

The conclusion of the AI Week witnessed the distribution of awards to the winning projects, where the Best Project Award for the Persons with Disabilities category went to 'VISION' from Qatar Science and Technology Secondary School for Boys, while the Best Project Award for the Security category went to 'Gulf Security' from Gulf English School.

'Trash Ready' from Qatar Banking Studies and Business Administration Secondary School for Girls won the Best Recycling Project Award, while the Best Smart Homes Project Award went to 'Home Ai' from Qatar Technical Secondary School for Girls. 'Ai Assistant for Mental Health' from Qatar Science and Technology Secondary School for Boys won the Best Mental Health Project Award, while the Best Smart Farms Project Award went to 'Health Plant' from Qatar Technical Secondary School for
Girls.

'Robotic arm tank' from Qatar Banking Studies and Business Administration Secondary School for Girls won the Best Sustainable Transport Project Award, while the Best Smart Waste Systems Project Award went to 'AI smart trash' from Qatar Technical Secondary School for Boys, while the Best Airport Weather Monitoring Project Award went to 'Smart skys' (Qatar University, Northwestern University, Qatar Technical School for Girls, Al Khor Secondary School for Girls, Al Daayen).

'Weather station' from Qatar Technical Secondary School for Girls won the Best Industrial Area Weather Monitoring Project Award, while the Best Fire Smart Systems Project Award went to 'Smoke gard' from Qatar Technical Secondary School for Girls, while the Best Smart Weather Systems Project Award went to 'AI weather project' from Qatar Technical Secondary School for Girls. The Artificial Intelligence Week, which began last Sunday, celebrated the 15th anniversary of Qatar Science and Technology Park with a dynamic program that featured lectures by industry experts, discussion panels, workshops, live technology demonstrations, and inspiring speeches.

The week offered an in-depth look at the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, showcasing its applications and capabilities. It also fostered dialogue and collaboration in AI-driven innovation through specialized lectures, panels, workshops, and live demonstrations.

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