World’s first AI university demonstrates its relevance
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) recently held its second commencement ceremony for the Class of 2023, further strengthening the global AI talent pool and contributing solutions to pressing challenges in health, education, and climate. The ceremony took place at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre and was attended by prominent figures, including His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Excellency Khalifa bin Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, and His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber.
The commencement celebrated the graduation of 59 students, who received a master’s degree in computer vision (CV) and machine learning (ML). This year also marked the first-ever natural language processing (NLP) cohort. MBZUAI, the world’s first graduate research university dedicated to AI, is currently ranked 19th globally in AI and in the three areas of specialization (CV, ML, and NLP) according to CSRankings.
H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber highlighted the importance of AI and the university’s efforts in advancing the technology through research, industry collaborations, and empowering the next generation of AI experts. He expressed confidence in the Class of 2023’s ability to develop impactful AI solutions for major societal challenges, particularly in climate, healthcare, and education.
MBZUAI President and University Professor Eric Xing emphasized the significant interest in AI from the public and the UAE’s position as an innovative hub attracting talented individuals in the field. He congratulated the Class of 2023 as they embark on their next journey.
The graduating class consisted of 32 students majoring in ML, 20 in CV, and seven in NLP. The class represented 25 nationalities, reflecting the university’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive learning environment that attracts top talent from around the world.
The Class of 2023 also achieved notable research accomplishments, with 17 academic papers published or accepted at prestigious conferences and journals, including the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR 2023), Journal of Physics Energy, and IEEE Access journal.
Currently, 46 per cent of the graduating class have confirmed employment, Ph.D. placements, or paid internships. Graduates have secured positions with renowned organizations such as Snapchat UK, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Abu Dhabi Police, G42 Healthcare, and Inception Institute of Artificial Intelligence (IIAI)/G42.
