UAE Launches $300 Million Falcon Foundation to Develop Open-Source AI

The UAE’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII) has launched the ‘Falcon Foundation’, a $300 million non-profit foundation that aims to stimulate development of open-source generative AI models. The TII, which is the applied research pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), launched the foundation at the prestigious World Governments Summit (WGS).

The Falcon Foundation will support the customisation of TII’s existing Falcon AI models, convening stakeholders, developers, academics and industry to accelerate the global democratisation of AI as it continues its exponential growth and development.

“In a world where AI continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, initiatives like the Falcon Foundation play a crucial role,” H.E. Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary General of ATRC, tells StartupScene. “Initiatives like these steer the trajectory of AI development towards greater transparency and accessibility.”

"We're committed to fostering transparency and collaboration in AI,” Dr. Ray O. Johnson, CEO of TII, explains. “Extending the UAE's collaborative spirit into AI development, we set new standards for openness, and we encourage all other entities that support open source from around the world to join us."

With the relentless growth of AI, and developments in generative variants, which are still in their infancy, many companies and initiatives around the world call for collaboration rather than closed corporate strategies, in order to leverage global best practices and minimise dependence on external vendors. These independent, yet interconnected technological choices will allow the fastest development of AI, which many think will provide solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues.