The United Arab Emirates is set to launch new artificial intelligence models influenced by China’s DeepSeek, a move that a senior official has described as “fantastic news.”
Faisal Al Bannai, Advanced Technology Research council (ARTC) secretary general and Edege Group board of directors chairman and a key figure behind the UAE’s Falcon large language model, highlighted DeepSeek’s emergence as a major challenge to American tech firms, emphasizing that it signals an open race for AI dominance.
"The oil-rich Gulf monarchy is betting big on the transformational technology as part of its push to diversify its economy away from fossil fuels."
Bannai expressed optimism regarding DeepSeek’s high-performance capabilities and its cost efficiency, which sent US tech stocks tumbling after its debut.
"It’s fantastic news. Because it proves one thing: this game is at its beginning," Bannai stated during the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Tuesday.
The UAE launched Falcon in 2023 as a large language model that rivals leading AI platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Bannai further noted how DeepSeek has demonstrated that smaller, more agile teams and nations can have a significant impact on the AI landscape.
"What happened with DeepSeek was another proof that small teams, agile teams, agile countries, can move fast and can make an impact," said Bannai, the UAE’s presidential advisor on advanced technologies.
"So we are learning, I think, from what they showed. We are taking learnings, and we will be also launching other models in this regard.
"And I think (DeepSeek gives) a serious sense of encouragement that you can punch way above your weight in this game, because the game is still starting."
Alongside Falcon, the UAE has also developed Jais, an Arabic-language AI chatbot, while advancing digital and automated government services.
Additionally, the country has committed billions of dollars towards constructing data centers in France and the United States.
Bannai, who serves as secretary general of the Abu Dhabi-based Advanced Technology Research Council, pointed to the UAE’s wealth, talent acquisition, and efficient decision-making as key strengths in AI development.
"When the internet phase 1.0 or 2.0 happened, we were not necessarily ready," he said. "Today we are in an amazing situation where we have such a diversified ecosystem as a country over here, talents from all over the place.
"And we are in a fantastic position to move very fast in an age where sometimes people are taking time to decide... this is a time where countries or companies that can make good decisions... can move fast."