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Researchers In Abu Dhabi To Receive The Middle East’s First Quantum Computer

A quantum computer doesn’t rely on traditional bits. Instead, it encodes information using qubits, which can have the value of “0” and “1” at the same time.

Published

4 years ago

August 26, 2021

Joanna Melki

researchers in abu dhabi to receive the middle east's first quantum computer

IBM

If there’s one emerging technology capable of single-handedly ushering in a new era of information technology, it’s quantum computing. Soon, researchers working at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi will get their hands on the Middle East’s first quantum computer, allowing them to solve incredibly complex problems by harnessing the phenomena of quantum mechanics.

“This will put the UAE on the map to be a known entity for research on such a topic. And that’s a big achievement for the entire Arab world,” said Boulos Alfakes, a senior researcher at the TII. “There will be a dramatic difference between the countries that own the technology and the ones that depend on the technology, believes Professor Jose Ignacio Latorre, chief of research at the TII’s Quantum Research Center.

One of the biggest challenges associated with quantum computing is cooling. The small quantum microchip at the heart of the computer is designed to operate at very low temperatures (near absolute zero). If the microchip gets too hot, it becomes unstable, rendering the whole computer useless.

To address this issue, researchers ordered two dilution refrigerators from Finland. The refrigerators are complex and expensive, but less sophisticated cooling methods are not up to the task.

Also Read: Saudi Researchers Use Quantum Computing To Design More Efficient Airplanes

Just like all quantum computers, the one that will soon be in the hands of researchers at the TII doesn’t rely on traditional bits (combinations of zeros and ones). Instead, it encodes information using qubits (or quantum bits), which can have the value of “0” and “1” at the same time.

Thanks to this and other unusual properties, quantum computers can solve certain difficult problems much faster than traditional computers. For example, some cybersecurity experts fear that quantum computing could break traditional cryptography in the near future, potentially forcing millions of organizations around the world to implement quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms.

Related Topics:Abu Dhabi Quantum Computing United Arab Emirates

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Google Releases Veo 2 AI Video Tool To MENA Users

The state-of-the-art video generation model is now available in Gemini, offering realistic AI-generated videos with better physics, motion, and detail.

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2025

Nour Nasir

Google

Starting today, users of Gemini Advanced in the MENA region — and globally — can tap into Veo 2, Google’s next-generation video model.

Originally unveiled in 2024, Veo 2 has now been fully integrated into Gemini, supporting multiple languages including Arabic and English. The rollout now brings Google’s most advanced video AI directly into the hands of everyday users.

Veo 2 builds on the foundations of its predecessor with a more sophisticated understanding of the physical world. It’s designed to produce high-fidelity video content with cinematic detail, realistic motion, and greater visual consistency across a wide range of subjects and styles. Whether recreating natural landscapes, human interactions, or stylized environments, the model is capable of interpreting and translating written prompts into eight-second 720p videos that feel almost handcrafted.

Users can generate content directly through the Gemini platform — either via the web or mobile apps. The experience is pretty straightforward: users enter a text-based prompt, and Veo 2 returns a video in 16:9 landscape format, delivered as an MP4 file. These aren’t just generic clips — they can reflect creative, abstract, or highly specific scenarios, making the tool especially useful for content creators, marketers, or anyone experimenting with visual storytelling.

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

To ensure transparency, each video is embedded with SynthID — a digital watermark developed by Google’s DeepMind. The watermark is invisible to the human eye but persists across editing, compression, and sharing. It identifies the video as AI-generated, addressing concerns around misinformation and media authenticity.

While Veo 2 is still in its early phases of public rollout, the technology is part of a broader push by Google to democratize advanced AI tools. With text-to-image, code generation, and now video creation integrated into Gemini, Google is positioning the platform as a full-spectrum creative assistant.

Access to Veo 2 starts today and will continue expanding in the coming weeks. Interested users can try it out at gemini.google.com or through the Gemini app on Android and iOS.