News

Dubai’s Food Tech Valley & ReFarm Plan Hi-Tech Gigafarm

The “vertical farm” venture is expected to be operational by 2026 and will be capable of replacing 1% of UAE fresh produce imports.

Published

5 months ago

December 8, 2023

Nour Nasir

ReFarm

Food Tech Valley, a Dubai-based technology center designed to address food security, has entered a partnership with the ReFarm group to build a gigafarm capable of growing over three million kilograms of produce annually.

The project, which starts in mid-2024, aims to help decarbonize UAE food production, replacing 1% of the country’s fresh produce imports. Both parties signed an agreement at this year’s COP28, which should see the 83,612-square-meter farm becoming fully operational by 2026.

As well as producing vast quantities of food, the high-tech farm will be capable of recycling over 50,000 tons of food waste each year while growing two billion plants.

“Rethinking our food production systems is a clear priority, and the decision of ReFarm to launch a facility in Dubai’s Food Tech Valley is a significant step forward for the development of a technologically advanced, low-carbon agricultural sector,” said Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade.

The gigafarm will be split into four zones: Agritech and engineering, food innovation, research and development, and smart food logistics. In addition, the site will become a closed-loop circular waste-to-value system, maximizing resources and preventing waste from entering landfills by creating organic compost.

Also Read: Abu Dhabi’s Hub71 To Help Climate Technology Startups

“This is one of many transformative projects which is set to be part of Food Tech Valley, which will have a significant impact on the UAE’s food security, maximizing the use of precious resources and decarbonizing the food supply chain,” explained Hesham Al Qassim, chief executive of Wasl Asset Management Group, which is developing the project alongside the Ministry of Food and Water Security.

Technologies used at the gigafarm are expected to recover 90% of the ammonia sulfate from wastewater, and no mains or groundwater connection will be required for the vertical farm to produce fresh produce. Developers claim the site will be 98% more efficient than traditional field-based farming.

News

Meet JAIS Chat: The AI-Powered Chatbot For Arabic Speakers

The AI-driven mobile app was created by Core42 and offers seamless cross-language communication and advanced AI assistance.

Published

21 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Nour Nasir

meet jais chat the ai powered chatbot for arabic speakers

Emirates News Agency

Core42, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi’s G42 specializing in sovereign cloud solutions, cybersecurity, and AI infrastructure, has launched JAIS Chat, a mobile app for iOS.

Developed to cater to the increasing demand for Generative AI capabilities in the Middle East, the user-friendly chatbot serves both English and Arabic speakers, understanding various local dialects and cultural subtleties.

JAIS Chat allows seamless translation and cross-language communication on a large scale, leveraging AI to empower Arabic speakers worldwide. With its mobile version, JAIS Chat brings accessibility, efficiency, and convenience to users’ daily interactions, providing AI-driven assistance wherever they go.

Powered by JAIS 30B, the world’s leading Arabic Large Language Model (LLM), JAIS Chat boasts unparalleled Arabic language processing and accuracy. Core42 claims that the chatbot now rivals top-performing English language models of a similar size.

Andrew Jackson, Chief AI Officer at Core42, said, “Since the inception of JAIS in August 2023, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, and with the recent launch of JAIS 30B, we’ve witnessed a significant enhancement in its performance metrics compared to its predecessor, JAIS 13B. With its Arabic-first approach, JAIS reshapes how bilingual individuals interact with technology, and with JAIS Chat for mobile, we are delivering the next advancement in our mission to democratize AI access for the world”.

Also Read: Getting Started With Google Gemini: A Beginner’s Guide

JAIS Chat is now poised to revolutionize various sectors across the wider Middle East, from government communications to customer service automation with AI-powered functionalities that also include chat summarization and new content generation.

Future updates will integrate document processing, customizable user settings, voice conversation capabilities, and enterprise support for businesses seeking tailored AI solutions.

Apple users can download the chatbot on the App Store. If you’re interested in taking a more detailed look under the hood, click here.