Manama : Speakers and participants in the tenth edition of the Bahrain International eGovernment Forum and the first edition of Comex Bahrain 2023 Expo said artificial intelligence (AI) can upgrade the current format of jobs and create a dynamic shift in the quality of services, business activities, education and other key sector.
They said the region had the infrastructure that allows it to leverage the boom in AI and the information technology and telecommunications sector (ICT).
Speaking to Bahrain News Agency (BNA), they said the forum created a dynamic platform for the interaction of specialists in this field to exchange expertise and experiences, as it brought together an array of companies from around the globe.
Jennifer Vessels- a global transformation expert, CEO of Next Step and founder of Executive Growth Alliance (EGA), said that more significant positive development is upcoming in AI as it continued to evolve, adding that the focus should be on harnessing its pace of development to obtain tangible success and results.
She said she believed in its great potential in boosting the growth of businesses and its ability to drive innovation, creativity and productivity in corporations and communities.
She advised to avoid negative takes on AI and its effects on individuals, and to instead perceive it as an opportunity to drive growth.
There is a possibility that AI will affect 30-50% of jobs, but this will create new jobs by restructuring and upgrading the current format of jobs, she explained.
Nina Schick- a globally recognized author, entrepreneur, and advisor specializing in Generative AI, said the region was prepared for this advancement.
Governments have shown their readiness and interest to benefit from this technology in improving their services, which will create a strategic shift, she said.
The region has the infrastructure and more has to be done to invest in this sector, she noted.
She said the US and China led in this area, but everyone can partake.
AI can reprogramme procedures and working methods in all sectors; particularly education, health, business and public services, she said.
Abdullah Parkar, Delivery Head at ITCube Solutions in India, expressed his optimism in the use of AI and digital transformation, explaining that it will not affect the future of jobs, but will in fact develop them.
He said that this was his first visit to Bahrain and that he looked forward to exploring AI related opportunities here.
Dr. Ali Al Soofi, an advisor at the Information and eGovernment Authority, said the panel discussions of the forum highlighted the fact that AI’s applications exceeded businesses, health and education, to directly improving the lives of individuals through public services.
Al Soofi added that with the vast uses and applications of AI, it was important to assess capabilities and set measures to ensure safe use.
IT professor at the University of Bahrain (UoB) Dr. Abdullah Al Qadumi said he was optimistic about the change AI can introduce in education, curricula and teaching methods.
He said UoB currently had three master degree level programmes related to AI which are machine learning and computational intelligence, big data science and analytics and AI systems in engineering; which have been attracting Bahraini youth.
