Abu Dhabi-UAE – The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a leading global scientific research center and the applied research pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), today announced that its AI and Digital Science Research Center (AIDRC) has joined forces with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) to accelerate Abu Dhabi’s vision of transitioning into a smart and sustainable city by 2030 through enhancing its capabilities in AI and cybersecurity.

Under the terms of the partnership, 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, alongside MBZUAI professors, will mentor several associate professors, post-doctoral fellows, PhD and post-graduate students over a three-year period on developing advanced AI models for cybersecurity and smart city applications.

The collaborative research initiative will focus on securing several sensitive-to-threat systems, including sustainable cognitive and connected buildings, beyond 5G communication networks, and autonomous systems that are integral to shaping sustainable smart cities.

Speaking on the partnership, Prof. Mérouane Debbah said: “Integrating AI with cybersecurity yields multiple advantages. However, there remain significant challenges to using AI in cybersecurity for real-time applications in smart cities. Such a unique ecosystem requires substantial computing resources, trained data sets from different domains, and malware code features to be in place to safeguard against intrusion behavior and anomaly signatures. Our synergies with MBZUAI will enable us to deal with these challenges through investigating emerging cybersecurity issues and propose viable solutions using futuristic AI models.”

Prof. Mohsen Guizani, Professor of Machine Learning at MBZUAI, said: “This partnership with TII allows us to reinforce links among research institutions in Abu Dhabi, and we believe our collective efforts will contribute to enhancing the UAE’s position as a leading player in R&D innovation in the region and beyond. We look forward to future cooperation with TII in research areas that go beyond AIDRC's current scope.”

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About Technology Innovation Institute (TII)

The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) is the dedicated applied research pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). TII is a pioneering global research and development center that focuses on applied research and new-age technology capabilities. The Institute has 10 dedicated research centers in advanced materials, autonomous robotics, cryptography, AI and digital science, directed energy, quantum, secure systems, propulsion and space, biotechnology, and renewable and sustainable energy.

By working with exceptional talent, universities, research institutions and industry partners from all over the world, the Institute connects an intellectual community and contributes to building an R&D ecosystem that reinforces the status of Abu Dhabi and the UAE as a global hub for innovation.

For more information, visit www.tii.ae 

About AI and Digital Science Research Center (AIDRC)

The AI and Digital Science Research Center (AIDRC) – at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) – is dedicated to pioneering next-generation AI-powered telecommunications and secure systems, applications, and services. A multi-disciplinary and industry-focused applied research and development center, AIDRC fosters the adoption of safe, sustainable, and reliable intelligent autonomous and connected systems and specializes in high-impact AI-powered cyber security and wireless communications (B5G, 6G) to bring to life operational and practical solutions to key challenges faced across vertical markets in their digital transformation journey. AIDRC collaborates with key international organizations, such as ITU, and 3GPP to inspire far-reaching benefits to society in the UAE and the wider region and is well aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and its commitment to harnessing AI for good. For more information, visit https://www.tii.ae/ai-and-digital-science

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