Our future with artificial intelligence [MBRF Knowledge Summit Special Issue]

This article is part of a Special Issue featuring highlights of the 9^th Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) Knowledge Summit and associated 3^rd UNESCO World Open Educational Resources (OER) Congress.

Reflecting the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) Knowledge Summit 2024 theme of “Future Skills and AI Economy,” many of the presentation sessions explored our future with artificial intelligence (AI). What will this future look like, and what do we need to do to prepare?

AI vs. HI

The AI-focused sessions began with an extraordinary joint presentation by robot Sophia and human Monika Bielskyte on the topic of “AI vs. HI (human intelligence): who is driving the future?”. Sophia¹ is an AI-powered human-like robot developed in 2016 by the Hong Kong–based company Hanson Robotics. Monika Bielskyte is founder of Protopia Futures, a collective of thinkers exploring hopeful visions for the future.

Sophia and Monika engaged in a fascinating conversation about our future with AI that you can follow in this X thread:

“AI Meets HI: Who is Driving the Future of Technology”#KnowledgeSummit24 #MBRF #UNDP@MBRF_Knowledge@knowledge4All1@UNDPArabStates@UNDPArabic@monikabielskyte@RealSophiaRobot pic.twitter.com/p0k4oaK66s

— Knowledge Summit – قمة المعرفة (@KnowSummit) November 18, 2024

Monika’s key messages to the audience included:

Is AI magic or simply misunderstood science? It amplifies our perspectives and goals but must be used responsibly. AI can change the world, but it needs to serve us, not the other way around. Let’s ensure it benefits humanity.

AI can create something new, but we must constantly question and refine it to ensure it shapes the future.

A wide diversity of perspectives

MBRF Knowledge Summit sessions then explored a wide diversity of perspectives on a wide range of AI topics, from setting up your first AI project, to the roles that AI can play in our future, and addressing the risks associated with AI.

Some of these perspectives are featured below, and you can explore the discussion by opening the X thread linked from the person’s name.

Dr. Andrew Ng, Chairman and Co-Founder of Coursera and Founder of DeepLearning.AI:

Generative AI is revolutionising corporate innovation, allowing rapid prototyping and transforming all knowledge work.

Kendal Parmar, Co-founder and CEO of Untapped AI:

EQ in algorithms isn’t just a feature – it’s a game-changer. It connects cold data with human emotions, creating tools that truly understand the people they serve.

Bas Puts, Global Head of Learning & Skill Architecture at Siemens:

Leadership matters. Managers must embrace AI’s transformative power, adapting strategies to remain competitive and innovative in a changing landscape.

Safia Tmiri, Executive Director of Alfanar:

AI’s success depends on connectivity, digital literacy, and avoiding pitfalls. Companies must bridge data to use effectively, upskill teams, and process efficiently. To leverage AI, businesses need to invest in the right tools, the right talent, and the right processes.

Dr. Ayman El-Sherbiny, Chief of ICT Policies and Digital Development, ESCWA:

AI national policy must engage all sectors, not just tech or healthcare, to foster innovation across the entire country. A holistic approach is key to unlocking AI’s full potential in every industry.

Dr. Reema Diab, Founder and CEO, Galaxy for Technology:

Regulating AI is crucial for transparency, privacy, and diversity in data. At Galaxy, we prioritise these values in solutions like our LMS, ensuring privacy and inclusivity for young, diverse communities.

Cal Al-Dhubaib, Head of AI and Data Science at Further:

The real challenge lies in bridging the gap between mechanical intelligence and human cognition—a dynamic best captured by the metaphor of brains and gears working together.

Walter Pasquarelli, esteemed advisor, researcher, and speaker on GenAI policy:

The risks are real – disinformation, deepfakes, and synthetic realities. Deepfake detection has increased tenfold across industries from 2022 to 2023, highlighting the scale of this challenge. The future is synthetic. From AI-recreated songs to virtual relationships, our understanding of truth and reality is fundamentally changing.

Dr. Hanan Salam, Co-Founder, Women in AI & Assistant Professor, Director of SMART Lab, NYUAD:

Creating socially intelligent robots requires collaboration across multiple fields – psychologists, engineers, computer scientists, and even policymakers. Ethical considerations are key, as we equip machines with the ability to understand human behaviour.

Priya Lakhani, OBE, Founder and CEO of Century Tech and contributor to BBC AI Decoded:

AI is reshaping the way we live, work, and think about the future. It’s transforming how we research, write, create imagery, and communicate. AI is revolutionising sectors like healthcare and education. In classrooms, it addresses the ‘lockstep problem,’ where students with varied skills are expected to progress uniformly.

Dr. Patrick Paul Walsh, Vice President and Director of the SDG Academy, UNSDSN:

AI plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between science, practice, and policy, particularly in sectors like agriculture and energy. A great example is the integration of AI into a UN parliamentary digital library, enhancing resource management and supporting SDG strategies.

Donald Farmer, Principal of TreeHive Strategy:

AI excels at tasks that are manual, repetitive, or prone to error, such as data entry, predictive analytics, and task guidance. It’s about using AI to enhance efficiency where it’s needed most.

Karim Saad:

AI is redefining the art of filmmaking, transforming how we tell stories, engage audiences, and produce and distribute films.

Prof. Elizabeth Churchill, Professor and Department Chair, MBZUAI:

Critically engage with AI instead of fearing it.

Scott Shireman, Director, University of Michigan Centre for Innovation:

People who learn AI skills will create opportunities for themselves.

A take-home message

Reinforcing the insights from these presentations, Moataz Mashal, an entrepreneur and life and business development strategist, left the audience with the very valuable take-home message in one of the final AI sessions:

Acknowledgements: Knowledge Summit and Knowledge4All on X.

Header image: Robot Sophia presents to the MBRF Knowledge Summit 2024. Source: Bruce Boyes, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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