Artificial Intelligence (AI) was the subject of the Masterclass that was held by Dubai Press Club (DPC) and Google . The workshop, which sought to give participants a strong understanding of AI and machine learning technologies, was attended by UAE-based journalists specialised in technology and business reporting.
The masterclass, led by Dr. Ahmad Khwileh, Senior Consultant on AI & Data Science at Google MENA, sought to demystify AI and machine learning and debunk some common myths about these technologies. Ziad Jammal, Cloud Consultant at Google MENA, also joined the session to highlight the latest regional and global developments in AI.
During the masterclass, the Google experts spoke about how artificial intelligence powers many of the products the tech major uses every day and how AI can be applied to transform work. The session also explained the practices Google follows to ensure AI is used in a responsible way.
Welcoming the collaboration between GDMO and Google to host the masterclass, Salem Belyouha, Acting Director of the Dubai Press Club (DPC), said: “Organising the workshop is part of our commitment to introduce UAE-based journalists to new technologies shaping the future of the world, With Artificial Intelligence being a key priority for Dubai’s future strategy, we want to ensure media professionals are aware of the various ways AI can be used to overcome challenges and provide efficient solutions for the challenges we face in various spheres of life.”
Belyouha added that DPC is keen to partner with leading media organisations to host workshops for media professionals in order to impart the knowledge and skillsets required to excel in today’s rapidly evolving media sector.
Joyce Baz, Head of Communications for Google in MENA, said: “At Google, we are committed to bring the benefits of AI to everyone and help people access the latest technologies. We are very excited to host Google’s very first AI masterclass in the region. This event was focused on helping media professionals stay abreast of the latest developments in AI and machine learning.”
The session gave insights into how Google is using advanced machine learning to reinvent its value offering, from products like YouTube and Translate to new experiences like Google Assistant, an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant. Participants in the Masterclass were given a deeper understanding of new machine learning approaches with examples of Google products and features including classification, prediction, generation and understanding.
The session also explained how Google uses AI in products like Google News, Gmail (Smart Reply), Assistant and Lens. During the workshop, Senior Consultant on AI & Data Science at Google MENA Dr. Ahmad Khwileh introduced journalists to the seven principles guiding Google’s use of AI. “Google believes AI should provide social benefits, avoid creating or reinforcing unfair bias, be built and tested for safety, be accountable to people, incorporate privacy design principles, uphold high standards of scientific excellence, and be made available for uses that are in harmony with our seven principles,” he said.
Cloud Consultant at Google MENA Ziad Jammal spoke about the types of Cloud Machine Learning APIs developed by the organisation and gave demos of how they can be used to assist journalists in their work.
