'Engineer it with AI' contest to foster innovation
Published: 05:08 PM,Aug 27,2024 | EDITED : 09:08 PM,Aug 27,2024
Muscat, August 27
The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, in collaboration with the Programming Academy and SAS Media Company, launched the ‘Engineer it with AI’ competition in Muscat.
The event, opened under the auspices of Dr Nasser bin Rashid al Maawali, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, was also attended by Dr Ali bin Amer al Shaithani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, and Eng Khamis bin Mohammed al Shammakhi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Transport. The competition attracted 100 participants, divided into 25 teams, showcasing a strong turnout of talent from diverse backgrounds.
This pioneering initiative aims to stimulate innovation in the field of generative artificial intelligence (AI). It is designed to attract promising talents, including students, job-seekers, and professionals interested in the development and application of AI technologies.
The competition kicked off with an introductory workshop outlining its primary objectives of fostering innovation, building technical skills, and nurturing local talent in the rapidly advancing field of AI.
Taw'ah bint Abdullah al Dawood, Head of the Development and Studies Department at the National Centre for Space, Advanced Technology, and Artificial Intelligence, emphasised that AI development is contingent upon capacity building and talent support.
She highlighted the importance of providing a conducive environment, offering necessary support to innovators, and fostering cooperation between public and private sectors to maximise AI application benefits across various domains.
Al Dawood noted that this competition comes at a critical time when the world is experiencing rapid AI advancements, and she encouraged participants to seize this opportunity to showcase their skills and creativity.
Among the participants is Haitham al Rahbi, a data analyst, who is part of a team comprising four specialists — Eshaq al Mantheri, an AI researcher; Al Ahlam al Salehi, an AI trainer; and Fatma al Harthy, a Future Skills trainer.
Their project aims to develop an AI model to unify government communication messages. This innovative system leverages natural language processing and deep learning to streamline and enhance governmental communication with the public.
The model is trained on extensive textual data, including institutional mandates, objectives, the Oman Vision 2040 document, and the communication goals outlined in media plans. It ensures that messages are consistent with national strategies and objectives.
Additionally, the model features tools for automatic message generation, linguistic proofreading, and integration into media texts, providing consistent and reliable communication. With a user-friendly interface and API integration, government officials can quickly input information and receive ready-to-publish texts, thereby improving transparency and trust between the government and its citizens.
The launch event featured various activities, beginning with welcome remarks from representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, and the Programming Academy. This was followed by presentations on generative AI and its applications across different sectors, and sessions explaining the roles of mentors and the e-learning platform (LMS). The workshop also included activities to enhance communication among participants.
The competition spans several stages, starting with an intensive training camp focused on developing technical solutions using generative AI and concluding with a final evaluation. It presents a golden opportunity to drive innovation in AI and support the creation of advanced technical solutions to enhance quality of life across multiple sectors.
Additionally, the National Digital Economy Programme, overseen by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, underscores the importance of AI by launching a dedicated executive program for AI and advanced technologies.
The programme aims to position Oman among the top 50 countries in the government's readiness index for AI, increase investments, and foster the growth of startups in this field.
It also includes several initiatives focused on empowering foundational and developmental sectors with AI, building capacities, and strengthening emerging companies with a human-centred governance approach to AI.
The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, in collaboration with the Programming Academy and SAS Media Company, launched the ‘Engineer it with AI’ competition in Muscat.
The event, opened under the auspices of Dr Nasser bin Rashid al Maawali, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, was also attended by Dr Ali bin Amer al Shaithani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, and Eng Khamis bin Mohammed al Shammakhi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Transport. The competition attracted 100 participants, divided into 25 teams, showcasing a strong turnout of talent from diverse backgrounds.
This pioneering initiative aims to stimulate innovation in the field of generative artificial intelligence (AI). It is designed to attract promising talents, including students, job-seekers, and professionals interested in the development and application of AI technologies.
The competition kicked off with an introductory workshop outlining its primary objectives of fostering innovation, building technical skills, and nurturing local talent in the rapidly advancing field of AI.
Taw'ah bint Abdullah al Dawood, Head of the Development and Studies Department at the National Centre for Space, Advanced Technology, and Artificial Intelligence, emphasised that AI development is contingent upon capacity building and talent support.
She highlighted the importance of providing a conducive environment, offering necessary support to innovators, and fostering cooperation between public and private sectors to maximise AI application benefits across various domains.
Al Dawood noted that this competition comes at a critical time when the world is experiencing rapid AI advancements, and she encouraged participants to seize this opportunity to showcase their skills and creativity.
Among the participants is Haitham al Rahbi, a data analyst, who is part of a team comprising four specialists — Eshaq al Mantheri, an AI researcher; Al Ahlam al Salehi, an AI trainer; and Fatma al Harthy, a Future Skills trainer.
Their project aims to develop an AI model to unify government communication messages. This innovative system leverages natural language processing and deep learning to streamline and enhance governmental communication with the public.
The model is trained on extensive textual data, including institutional mandates, objectives, the Oman Vision 2040 document, and the communication goals outlined in media plans. It ensures that messages are consistent with national strategies and objectives.
Additionally, the model features tools for automatic message generation, linguistic proofreading, and integration into media texts, providing consistent and reliable communication. With a user-friendly interface and API integration, government officials can quickly input information and receive ready-to-publish texts, thereby improving transparency and trust between the government and its citizens.
The launch event featured various activities, beginning with welcome remarks from representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, and the Programming Academy. This was followed by presentations on generative AI and its applications across different sectors, and sessions explaining the roles of mentors and the e-learning platform (LMS). The workshop also included activities to enhance communication among participants.
The competition spans several stages, starting with an intensive training camp focused on developing technical solutions using generative AI and concluding with a final evaluation. It presents a golden opportunity to drive innovation in AI and support the creation of advanced technical solutions to enhance quality of life across multiple sectors.
Additionally, the National Digital Economy Programme, overseen by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, underscores the importance of AI by launching a dedicated executive program for AI and advanced technologies.
The programme aims to position Oman among the top 50 countries in the government's readiness index for AI, increase investments, and foster the growth of startups in this field.
It also includes several initiatives focused on empowering foundational and developmental sectors with AI, building capacities, and strengthening emerging companies with a human-centred governance approach to AI.