Abu dhabi: In a landmark move for regional innovation, the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and NVIDIA have launched the Middle East’s first Joint Lab dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Announced at a high-level signing ceremony in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), the TII-NVAITC Joint Lab for AI and Robotics will serve as a premier hub for developing next-generation AI models, robotics platforms, and humanoid technologies that will accelerate innovation across industries.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, TII Chief Executive Officer, Dr Najwa Aaraj, stated, ‘This collaboration with NVIDIA marks a major step toward building AI-enhanced robotic systems capable of reasoning, adapting, and acting in complex environments. By combining our advanced robotic platforms with powerful AI models and compute, we are accelerating the convergence of perception, control, and language – laying the foundation for a new era of intelligent machines.’ Meanwhile, NVIDIA Vice President – Enterprise Solutions and Operations EMEA, Carlo Ruiz, hailed the launch as a new chapter in the NVAITC network, stating: ‘We are expanding the scope of these centres into robotics for the first time in the Middle East-helping accelerate breakthroughs that will shape the future of intelligent systems.’
As the first NVIDIA AI Technology Center (NVAITC) in the region, the lab integrates NVIDIA’s accelerated computing platforms with TII’s advanced research in robotics, autonomy, and high-performance computing. The initiative aligns with the UAE’s broader ambitions to lead in AI and robotics, complementing the recent US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership and cementing Abu Dhabi’s status as a global innovation hub, according to TII in a statement.
Research will focus on embodied AI, real-time robotic control, and large language model (LLM) integration-including TII’s Falcon LLMs, the largest developed in the Middle East. The TII-NVIDIA lab emphasises open innovation, practical deployment, and cross-border knowledge exchange, driving real-world AI advancements from the heart of Abu Dhabi.