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Monday, Feb 16, 2026

UAE announces $500m investment in AI, research platform

UAE announces $500m investment in AI, research platform

The UAE has launched a $500 million investment to boost artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technology research.
This initiative was revealed by the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) during the World Governments Summit in Dubai.

This funding includes a $200 million program to provide state-of-the-art technology to developing nations and establishes the Falcon Foundation, a $300 million nonprofit to promote open-source generative AI models.

Faisal Al-Bannai, ATRC's secretary-general, emphasized the commitment to equip all nations with the tools to excel in a tech-centric world, offering to share the UAE's tech expertise to tackle global challenges and foster progress in the AI era.

The ATRC Global Tech R&D Platform will facilitate global access to UAE's tech advancements across six key sectors: aerospace, agriculture, healthcare, safety, sustainability, and transportation.

The platform aims to cover research costs to enable the creation of advanced tech solutions, helping nations stay updated with technological progress, per an ATRC press statement.

The ATRC's Technology Innovation Institute claims that the Falcon Foundation will hasten AI democratization and knowledge sharing.

The foundation is set to bolster a dynamic ecosystem for Falcon AI's research and application versatility, ensuring the models are adaptable for various uses.

Ray Johnson, CEO, stated the UAE's commitment to transparency and cooperation in AI development. He highlighted their early move to open-source the Falcon 40B language model, promoting transparent governance and knowledge sharing, and invited global entities to support open-source initiatives.
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