Smart Investment

Al Watan Fund, created by renowned Emirati entrepreneurs, has focused on smart investment in human capital through a number of initiatives that encourage youth innovation and their skill enhancement, in line with the Emirates Artificial Intelligence Strategy. The initiative comes within the social responsibility of businessmen and the private sector so that they can contribute to the development and mentoring of future generations. It is as if the founders of Al Watan Fund Strategy were viewing the vision of our great leadership in building a knowledge-based economy.
Al Watan Fund will enter its second year in about three months. Over the past two years, six initiatives have been launched aimed at rehabilitating national cadres capable of meeting future needs. These initiatives are: Our Future, National Talents, Career Guidance and Counselling, Research and Development, Business Enterprises, and the UAE Programmer Initiative. Looking at these initiatives, I forsee a hesitant attempt to create the Emirates Center for Artificial Intelligence or the Arab Center for Artificial Intelligence. I do not know why an Artificial Intelligence research center has not yet been launched in the UAE or Saudi Arabia until now, despite the availability of all the components to be the best exporters of industrial intelligence to the world, given the capabilities we already possess and the  support of great leaders.
No criticism and negativity is intended by any means, the idea is all positive and we have a bright future for our children. Yet, the delay in moving forward in this area provokes our patriotic feelings to urge the founders to do more towards becoming the largest Arab initiative to export Artificial Intelligence to the world. The causes of the delay may be from a lack of financial liquidity among the businessmen managing the fund?! Maybe. But what if Al Watan Fund was listed in the stock market to become a public contribution. Who will invest in a fund managed by the best businessmen in the world? The fund’s shares will certainly be the best choice. Alabbar succeeded with Emaar and so Al Watan Fund should succeed too. Al Naboodah succeeded in all his economic projects which were announced based on his honesty in dealing and consequently the name of his heirs is obliged to preserve this success. Al Habtoor is also another title of success. In fact, I do not want to turn the article into compliments and praise. They deserve the praise as the sons of Zayed, and as a result more is  expected from them.
Someone might ask, “What is this, Yasir ?” The rush into projects without prior planning may have disastrous consequences. Yet, out of the desire to be the best in all fields, here I allow my pen to express what I see beneficial to the fund. I hope that Al Watan Fund will be of even higher value than Emaar and Aldar. The contribution to Al Watan Fund is not only a material value offered by the private sector as a social responsibility. Investment in Artificial Intelligence, represented by national human capital, is indeed smart investment.

.Yasir Almahri

2018/11/21