Microsoft announced that it will open an AI Center of Excellence for Energy in the United Arab Emirates—a global first for the company—to empower organizations in the industry in accelerating digital transformation and equipping their workforce with AI skills.
Revealed during the Abu Dhabi International Exhibition and Conference, the AI center is expected to open in early 2020 and is supported by several partners, including ABB, Accenture, AVEVA, Baker Hughes, C3.ai, Emerson, Honeywell, Maana, Rockwell Automation, Schlumberger, and Sensia.
“Microsoft’s mission is to empower every individual and organization on the planet to achieve more,” said Omar Saleh, Microsoft’s head of energy and manufacturing for the Middle East and Africa region.
“Our aim with the AI Center of Excellence is to foster innovation, develop effective collaboration, and champion AI skills development for the energy industry. We believe in the power of AI to drive business transformation,” he added.
Along with a focus on digitization, Microsoft said the AI center would also work with coalitions toward tackling the industry top-of-mind challenges and aspirations, with a primary mandate to create societal impact, as it focuses on environmental sustainability, worker safety, and energy efficiency needs.