Bill Gates talks up AI prospects in round of Abu Dhabi appearances
Gates discussed progress on the $200 million partnership formed between the UAE and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation at COP28 in Dubai
Bill Gates greeted by Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed, Chairman of the UAE International Philanthropic and Humanitarian Council, at the Presidential Court in Abu Dhabi (Emirates News Agency)
Bill Gates crisscrossed Abu Dhabi this week as an evangelist for the many applications of AI technology.
The Microsoft founder and philanthropist came to the UAE’s capital to participate in an event showcasing the benefits artificial intelligence can offer farmers and agricultural industries, particularly in Africa.
Together with Mariam Almheiri, head of International Affairs at the UAE Presidential Court, Gates discussed progress on the $200 million partnership formed between the UAE and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation at last year’s COP28 climate summit in Dubai. Microsoft is investing $1.5 billion in Abu Dhabi-based G42 to fund data centers and work on AI projects.
Among the projects Gates highlighted at the event on Wednesday was AgriLLM, which focuses on fine-tuning the open-source Falcon large language model to improve agricultural research and development knowledge. AgriLLM aims to synthesize complex agricultural research into accessible, actionable insights for farmers and extension workers.
Gates also taught a 30-minute “masterclass” for students at the CNN Academy Abu Dhabi and several UAE universities, which focused on how AI and other emerging technologies can address global challenges such as disease eradication, climate change, and food security in underserved regions.
Gates met separately with billionaire developer Hussein Sajwani, Chairman of DAMAC Properties, to talk about charitable activities.