UAE Non-Oil Business Activity Surges to Nine-Month High in December

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 The United Arab Emirates' non-oil private sector recorded its fastest expansion in nine months in December 2024, buoyed by strong domestic demand and increased business activity, according to the latest S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) report. PMI Highlights Robust Growth The seasonally adjusted UAE PMI climbed to 55.4 in December from 54.2 in November, signaling robust growth well above the 50.0 threshold that separates expansion from contraction. This marked the third consecutive monthly increase, underscoring sustained recovery in the non-oil sector. Key drivers of growth included a notable rise in new business activity. The new orders subindex rose sharply to 59.3 in December from 58.0 in the previous month, reflecting strong domestic demand. Challenges Amid the Growth While domestic demand flourished, export growth slowed, with the export orders subindex dropping to a seven-month low. Additionally, businesses faced mounting backlogs due to capacity constraints,...

Serbia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have launched a pioneering collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence.

 

UAE

Serbia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have launched an unprecedented collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), with authorities from both countries signing an agreement to investigate AI innovation and applications.


The deal, inked during the World Government Summit in Dubai, is Serbia's first step into collaborative AI research outside of the EU. The collaboration intends to accelerate AI research and development, with an emphasis on customer safety and privacy. 

Serbia, led by Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, plans to employ the UAE's large language model (LLM) for local use cases. The UAE had previously stated ambitions to minimize its reliance on AI technologies from other countries, citing national security and cultural concerns.

Key Serbian authorities present at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) included Dubravko Culibrk, Director of the Serbian Institute for Research and Development for AI, and Mihailo Jovanovic, Minister of Information and Telecommunications. 

While specifics of the agreement have yet to be released, Serbian officials are anticipated to follow the UAE's approach to localizing LLMs, ensuring conformity with local cultural subtleties and languages.

The MoU grants Serbian researchers and AI enterprises unrestricted access to the UAE's tailored LLM. This measure demonstrates both governments' commitment to responsible AI development while also protecting consumer safety and privacy.  

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