- UAE’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII) introduces Falcon 2 series: Falcon 2 11B and Falcon 2 11B VLM.
- TII, part of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council, spearheads UAE’s AI advancements.
- Emirati AI firm G42 shifts focus, secures $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft.
- Falcon 2 series released amidst global race to develop large language models.
- OpenAI’s ChatGPT release in 2022 ignites AI model development trend.
- UAE’s Falcon and Meta’s Llama make AI code publicly available.
- TII’s Secretary General expresses confidence in Falcon 2 series, hints at Falcon 3 generation.
Main AI News:
The United Arab Emirates continues its stride in the realm of artificial intelligence with the launch of the Falcon 2 series, a move aimed at challenging the dominance of major tech players. Spearheaded by the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi, this release includes the Falcon 2 11B, focusing on text-based modeling, and the Falcon 2 11B VLM, specializing in vision-to-language capabilities, enabling it to generate textual descriptions of images.
As part of the Advanced Technology Research Council, TII represents the UAE’s commitment to technological advancement. Despite being a significant oil exporter and a key player in the Middle East, the UAE’s ambitious foray into AI has attracted scrutiny from U.S. officials, who have urged caution in technology partnerships.
In response, Emirati AI firm G42 strategically shifted its focus away from Chinese partnerships, securing a substantial $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft. Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary General of the Advanced Technology Research Council, highlighted the UAE’s determination to establish itself as a significant player in artificial intelligence.
The Falcon 2 series emerges amidst a global race to develop large language models, spurred by OpenAI’s ChatGPT release in 2022. While some entities opt for proprietary technology, others, like UAE’s Falcon and Meta’s Llama, have chosen to make their AI code openly accessible.
Al Bannai expressed confidence in the Falcon 2 series, hinting at future developments with the “Falcon 3 generation.” “We’re very proud that we can still punch way above our weight, really compete with the best players globally,” he affirmed.
Conclusion:
The introduction of UAE’s Falcon 2 Series marks a significant step in the global AI landscape. With TII leading the charge, supported by strategic investments and partnerships, the UAE positions itself as a formidable competitor to established tech giants. This move underscores the increasing decentralization of AI development and the potential for new players to disrupt the market with innovative solutions.
