Today, on the sidelines of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit taking place in Paris, G42 and Microsoft have officially launched a Responsible AI Foundation, the first center of its kind in the Middle East.
Along with the support of research partner Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the Responsible AI Foundation aims to promote responsible AI standards and best practices in the Middle East and Global South. Inception, a G42 company, will serve as the institution’s Program Lead to help advance its mission. In collaboration with G42, Microsoft also announced the expansion of its AI for Good Lab to Abu Dhabi.
The Responsible AI Foundation is launching with two focus areas:
Responsible AI Research: Advancing both technical and ethical elements of Responsible AI through cutting-edge research. This includes developing AI safety methodologies, bias mitigation techniques, and explainability tools, while fostering collaboration with global and regional research institutions to set new standards for AI fairness, transparency, and accountability.
Responsible AI Implementation & Governance: Developing frameworks to ensure ethical development and deployment of AI systems, accounting for cultural diversity. This will involve designing risk assessment models, external ethics boards, technical audit tools, and adaptable governance guidelines that account for regional needs, ensuring AI adoption is both responsible and inclusive.
Dr. Andrew Jackson, Group Responsible AI Officer at G42, said, “The launch of a Responsible AI Foundation marks a defining moment in shaping the future of Responsible AI. By bringing together leading minds in research, policy, and industry, we are building a foundation that will drive ethical AI development at a global scale. Our mission is to translate principles into practice, developing actionable frameworks that ensure AI is safe, fair, and aligned with societal values. We are excited to embark on this journey and look forward to collaborating with partners to create AI systems that truly serve humanity.”
Natasha Crampton, Vice President, Chief Responsible AI Officer at Microsoft, said, “A Responsible AI Foundation and AI for Good Lab in Abu Dhabi will help ensure that AI serves humanity, not just in the West, but people around the globe. By sharing insights and expertise from our eight years of work in responsible AI governance, Microsoft is committed to helping build a robust, competitive AI economy grounded in good governance and safe, trustworthy, and ethical AI practices.”
Eric Xing, President, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, remarked, “A Responsible AI Foundation is a transformative step in ensuring AI addresses critical societal challenges while adhering to ethical standards. Our collaboration with the Foundation highlights MBZUAI’s commitment to advancing innovative research that pushes the boundaries of AI technology and ensures its responsible application. By contributing our expertise, we are proud to support the UAE’s leadership in fostering a culture of responsibility, excellence, and global progress in ethical AI development.”
Dr. Laura Haaber Ihle, Vice President of Governance, Policy & Ethics, is the first hire of the Responsible AI Foundation, bringing extensive expertise in AI governance and ethics. A Fellow at Harvard’s Department of Philosophy, she focuses on responsible AI frameworks and knowledge environments. Previously, she was a researcher at Northeastern University’s Institute for Experiential AI, where she worked on advancing collaborative research, stakeholder engagement, and the establishment of industry best practices.
The AI for Good Lab in Abu Dhabi, a regional hub of Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, will work with NGOs and governmental organizations to leverage AI to address societal challenges, with a focus on projects in the Middle East and Global South. The first researchers at the Abu Dhabi hub will begin work in March of this year.
With the establishment of the Responsible AI Foundation, and a Microsoft AI for Good Lab outpost, G42 and the United Arab Emirates are cementing themselves as a global hub for responsible AI development.