Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) said Monday its AI and Digital Science Research Center (AIDRC) has partnered with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) to accelerate the emirate’s goal of becoming a smart and sustainable city by 2030 by enhancing its capabilities in AI and cybersecurity.
The partnership involves a team of AIDRC scientists, including Prof. Mérouane Debbah (Chief Researcher), Dr. Bassem Ouni (Lead Researcher), Dr. Thierry Lestable (Executive Director), and Prof. Lucas Cordeiro (Director), who will collaborate with MBZUAI professors to mentor several associate professors, post-doctoral fellows, PhD, and post-graduate students.
Over a period of three years, the researchers will work on developing advanced AI models for cybersecurity and smart city applications.
The primary focus of the research initiative will be to secure various sensitive-to-threat systems, including sustainable cognitive and connected buildings, beyond 5G communication networks, and autonomous systems that are critical to shaping sustainable smart cities.
Prof. Mérouane Debbah highlighted the significance of integrating AI with cybersecurity and the multiple advantages it can bring.
However, he also emphasized the challenges in using AI for real-time applications in smart cities, which requires substantial computing resources, diverse data sets, and malware code features to safeguard against intrusion behavior and anomaly signatures.
He believes that the partnership with MBZUAI will enable them to investigate emerging cybersecurity issues and propose viable solutions using futuristic AI models.
Prof. Mohsen Guizani, Professor of Machine Learning at MBZUAI, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership with TII and the opportunity to strengthen collaboration among research institutions in Abu Dhabi.
He believes that their collective efforts will contribute to enhancing the UAE’s position as a leading player in R&D innovation in the region and beyond. Prof. Guizani also expressed his interest in future cooperation with TII in research areas that extend beyond AIDRC’s current scope.