The United Arab Emirates, in which Dubai is the most important emirate alongside Abu Dhabi, is preparing for the post-oil era and wants to transform itself from an oil state into an AI power. By 2031, 40 percent of the gross domestic product is to be generated with artificial intelligence. To this end, the UAE is investing billions, has appointed the world’s first Minister of State for AI, is attracting scientists to the Gulf and is providing massive support for start-ups.
AI prompt engineering is critical to getting the best out of generative AI. It involves understanding the capabilities, limitations and nuances of AI models and is predicted to be one of the most important skills in the future workplace.
‘One Million AI Prompters’, the first-of-its-kind prompt engineering initiative, that prepares expertise and competencies in AI prompt engineering, which involves crafting precise and effective instructions for AI systems to achieve desired outcomes in various tasks, ranging from generating creative content to solving complex challenges.
“We want to show people that there is a full spectrum of use cases. Whether you are technical or non-technical, you can utilise these tools,” said Omar Al Olama, the UAE´s Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications. He also highlighted the importance of developing practical prompt engineering skills, as these are crucial for the workforce of tomorrow and for enhancing quality of life through AI. Al Olama was appointed as the world’s first AI Minister of State in the UAE in 2017.
The Global Prompt Engineering Championship received thousands of entries from around 100 countries. Thirty finalists from 13 countries qualified to come to Dubai to compete for the title of best prompt engineer in the competition’s three categories. The winners were Australian Megan Fowkes in the art category and Indian Ajay Cyril, 33, for coding and Aditya Nair, 34, in literature. The Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI) provided one million dirhams, approximately 273,000 US dollars, in prize money for the three winners.