Omar Al Olama
Omar Sultan Al Olama (عمر سلطان العلماء) is Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence in the United Arab Emirates. He was appointed in October 2017[1] by the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The UAE was the first country to hire a minister for artificial intelligence.[2]
Omar Sultan Al Olama | |
---|---|
Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence | |
Assumed office 20 October 2017 | |
President | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
Prime Minister | Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum |
Preceded by | Position established |
Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence | |
Personal details | |
Born | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 16 February 1990
Nationality | Emirati |
Alma mater | American University in Dubai American University in Sharjah |
Early life and education
Al Olama was born on 16 February 1990 in Dubai. He has a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration and Management from the American University in Dubai, and a Diploma in Excellence and Project Management from the American University in Sharjah.[3]
Career
Al Olama’s responsibilities as Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence include creating and fostering international efforts in responsibly governing Artificial Intelligence and reflecting the UAE’s vision on ethical use of AI.
Before his ministerial position, Al Olama worked in several sectors including the banking sector, telecommunications, private enterprises and government. Between February 2012 and May 2014, AlOlama was member of the corporate planning at the UAE’s Prime Minister’s Office. From November 2015 to November 2016, he was Deputy Head of Minster’s Office at the UAE’s Prime Minister’s Office. Between December 2015 and October 2017, he was Secretary General of the World Organization of Racing Drones. In November 2017, he was appointed Deputy Managing Director of the Dubai Future Foundation. Since July 2016, AlOlama has been the Managing Director of the World Government Summit.
During his work in the Future Department at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, AlOlama participated in developing the UAE Centennial 2071 strategy. He also participated in developing the UAE 4th Industrial Revolution Strategy that aims to promote the UAE’s status as a global hub for the 4th Industrial Revolution and develop a national economy based on knowledge, innovation and future technologies. Prior to his appointment, he worked on developing the UAE’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy.[4]
Memberships
In November 2017, Al Olama was appointed as a member of the ‘Shaping the Future of Digital Economy and Society’ Council (working group)[5], part of the World Economic Forum (WEF) – Davos.
UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence
In October 2017, the UAE Government launched the ‘UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy’. It covers education, transportation, energy, space and technology.[6]
First AI Summer Camp
On 1 July 2018, Al Olama inaugurated the first UAE AI Summer Camp. 2,200 applications from university students and government executives were received in just 24 hours.[7]
References
- "UAE: First minister of artificial intelligence don land". BBC. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- "The United Arab Emirates is the first country in the world to hire a minister for artificial intelligence". 16 December 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- "LinkedIn Profile Page".
- "Omar bin Sultan AlOlama".
- "UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence appointed as a member in the World Economic Forum's Future of Digital Economy and Society Group". 10 November 2017.
- "UAE residents may feel like living in sci-fi world by 2025". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- "AI summer camp stands the nation in good stead to be a leader, not a follower". The National. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018.