Doha: A number of speakers participating in the second Business Forum of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) stressed the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in the business sector, noting its role in enhancing productivity by reducing costs, increasing production, creating new jobs, improving operational efficiency, and developing communication strategies through customer behavior study algorithms. Speakers at the "Business Path to Artificial Intelligence" session held today stressed the importance of cooperation between countries and supporting the culture of learning and innovation, noting that there are wide opportunities in which AI can be applied, such as in small and medium-sized enterprises and supply chains by reducing expenses and enhancing efficiency and effectiveness, in addition to the healthcare sector through advanced diagnostic tools for patients, and many daily activities that may improve the performance of people working in them. They stressed the importance of having a clear vision that matches the application of artificial intelligence technology in companies, and is in line with the companys goals and objectives, in addition to the tools and mechanisms adopted by the company, as well as the leaderships familiarity with the current developments in artificial intelligence. They noted that a collaborative initiative can be launched between companies and universities in the State of Qatar. For example, collaborative initiative can be launched through the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council to enhance cooperation between companies and research centers in universities, which contributes to the transfer of knowledge. Educating people, especially university graduates and entrepreneurs in start-up companies, is also of utmost importance, in addition to focusing on enhancing culture and learning among people working in government agencies and bodies through the Qatar Digital Academy, which is working to launch comprehensive training programs for government employees and professionals working in the government field to provide participants with basic and advanced digital skills in the field of artificial intelligence. Participants indicated that there are sectors in which this technology can be applied more easily than others, due to the availability of a competitive advantage, as in some companies in the State of Qatar, especially start-ups that make more data-based or data-driven decisions in order to enhance profitability, and are also keen to integrate these technological tools with market needs, noting that Qatar Development Bank has worked on this in Qatar over the past years by focusing on the financial sector, products and indirect financial support through grants, indirect subsidies, in addition to technical assistance. They stated that in the current era, artificial intelligence technology cannot be ignored, as it currently affects all sectors from a global perspective, stressing the need for ethical and responsible use of this technology, reflecting digital right s and human rights, which are a priority at the national and global levels. They pointed out that the most prominent challenges facing countries in their quest to benefit from artificial intelligence are the lack of appropriate infrastructure and strategy, in addition to the fact that about 2.7 billion people in the world do not have communication services, in addition to the high costs of energy consumed in the field of artificial intelligence, in addition to the limited resources and complexities around the use of artificial intelligence and technological solutions. In addition to the challenge related to access to skills and innovation. They added that among the challenges, community members fear that this technology will violate their privacy, and that other people will be able to hack their personal data, and others fear that artificial intelligence technology will replace them, stressing that everyone must realize that this technology will not replace us, but will help and facilitate our lives, and we can only spread this awareness among community members through education. They pointed out that the Digital Cooperation Organization is working to develop a framework for the ethical and responsible use of AI technology, and to help others understand the risks, which is of utmost importance, and to clarify the risks of using AI and its compatibility with human rights, in addition to working to build a tool in the field of AI readiness, in that it is not only about the existence of the required infrastructure and investments, but whether and how this technology is used in the right way in the appropriate sectors that we need. They expected that this technology will lead to the restructuring of a number of sectors and the creation of new jobs, and other jobs will perhaps disappear, but in the end this technology will constitute a valuable addition to our lives and work. At the end of their participation, they stressed that the main problem is the lack of cooperation, stressing that the main factor in digital transformation is cooperation between the government, the private sector, and civil society from universities to research centers and others. Source: Qatar News Agency
Thursday, November 07, 2024