Microsoft Expands Global Engineering Center to Abu Dhabi
This marks one of Microsoft's first engineering centers in the Arab world.
Microsoft has announced the expansion of its Global Engineering Development Center to the UAE, with a new facility set to be established in Abu Dhabi. This marks one of Microsoft's first engineering centers in the Arab world.[1]
It will join its global network of centers focused on artificial intelligence (AI) innovations, cloud technologies, and advanced cybersecurity solutions.
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The new center will contribute to the development of technologies, which will be integrated into Microsoft’s global solutions. It is part of a broader investment series by Microsoft, supporting the UAE's growing position as a technology and innovation hub.
The Engineering Development Center aims to develop technological solutions and attract talent from around the world. It will address challenges in sectors such as healthcare, energy, and finance through AI and cloud solutions.
In addition to technological efforts, Microsoft’s center will focus on upskilling the regional workforce. Through collaborations with local universities, training centers, and government initiatives, the company plans to equip professionals and emerging talent with skills in AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
Earlier, Microsoft and G42 announced two new initiatives to advance responsible artificial intelligence (AI) practices, building on their partnership established earlier this year. The initiatives include creating two new centers in Abu Dhabi that aim to promote responsible AI use and support societal goals.
The first center, co-founded by G42 and Microsoft with endorsement from the UAE's Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC), will focus on developing best practices and industry standards for responsible AI. This center will bring together academic researchers and industry practitioners from the Middle East and the Global South to share and advance responsible AI methodologies.
The second initiative involves the expansion of Microsoft’s AI for Good Research Lab to Abu Dhabi. This lab, Microsoft’s first in the Middle East, will collaborate with nonprofit organizations and partners to tackle economic and societal challenges. It will work on projects related to large language models for underrepresented languages, food security, and climate resilience, leveraging AI to enhance disaster preparedness and response.
This year, Microsoft unveiled a $1.5 billion investment in the UAE-based AI firm G42 to elevate the UAE's status as an AI hub.
Through this collaboration, Microsoft and G42 aim to disseminate the advantages of secure AI technologies and cloud capabilities to burgeoning economies globally.
On September 24, UAE's president HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with business leaders, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.[2]
The discussions focused on developments in modern technology and AI, highlighting the growing collaboration between the UAE and the US in this sector.
HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed emphasized the UAE’s commitment to investing in AI and advanced technologies as part of its development goals.