SHARJAH / WAM
BEEAH, the region’s pioneer in leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to advance sustainability efforts, is taking another leap forward by developing a new “AI Executive” to revolutionise business decision-making.
The AI Executive underscores BEEAH’s commitment to driving agility, efficiency and data-driven operations. The company has revealed that its “AI Executive” is being developed on a proprietary Language Learning Model (LLM), capable of simplifying complex, historical data into meaningful insights that will inform and empower employees from the leadership to senior executives and their teams to make decisions in their relevant functions or industries.As an LLM, the AI Executive will be capable of understanding and providing information based on intuitive language queries, both written and spoken. It will tailor responses to output relevant insights to further enhance organisational agility and increase efficiency. BEEAH has long been using AI to drive sustainability and create new efficiencies across its industries of operation. The company’s headquarters, an iconic landmark designed by Zaha Hadid, is one of the Middle East’s first fully AI-integrated buildings and is certified LEED Platinum.
Leveraging Microsoft’s Azure Cloud and Johnson Controls Open Blue platform, the BEEAH Headquarters uses AI and digital twin technology for energy optimisation and predictive maintenance.
BEEAH has also used AI within its industries, including waste management. Its waste collection and city cleaning fleet comprises advanced vehicles fitted with 360-degree cameras integrated with AI. BEEAH’s AI City Vision technology logs instances of overflowing bins or streets with litter, sharing insights on optimising service coverage and conducting awareness campaigns. Similarly, BEEAH’s Commercial and Industrial (C&I) facility is equipped with an AI Vision robot that automatically identifies and segregates different types of waste, enabling faster and more accurate recovery of valuable, high-quality alternative materials.
Speaking about the project, Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO and Vice Chairman of BEEAH, said, “As we grow and diversify as an organisation, we are constantly building systems, generating data and gaining intelligence across different functions and industry operations.
Over the past decade, we have been using future technologies proactively, including AI and digital twins, which have enabled us to drive towards targets both from the standpoint of sustainability and business. The new AI executive will be a singular source that unites and amplifies our digitalisation efforts to date, drawing data and authenticating our sources and systems to enable leadership and their teams to make well-informed, holistic decisions and accelerate innovation.”
Utilising machine learning, the AI Executive will use big data from BEEAH’s digital infrastructure to generate insights. Access management will ensure data security and privacy, providing personalised recommendations based on relevant individual attributes. By drawing from existing digital systems and building on them, the AI Executive helps technological systems be future-ready, minimising the need for frequent updates and maintenance.
“The AI Executive will be a reliable, digital advisor that captures real-time data from across our digital systems and assets. Through text and speech, leadership can seamlessly gain the insights they need in a timely manner, enhancing visibility and promoting effective alignment across the organisation,” added Khaled Al Huraimel.
BEEAH has already formed a team to develop the AI Executive in-house, while working with leading technology providers to ensure the solution is secure, effectively learns from the company’s historical data and provides tailored insights.
Nearly a decade ago, the UAE launched the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence of 2031, with the goal of being the most AI-prepared nation. In alignment with the UAE’s future-ready strategy. According to PwC, the annual growth rate for AI in the Middle East ranges from 20 to 34 per cent, projecting a potential impact of $320 billion by 2030.
“In line with the national agenda for AI preparedness and economic diversification, BEEAH has continued to pursue AI over the past decade. The AI Executive is the next frontier of AI technology at BEEAH, acting as a singular source to bring together insights from all our systems, platforms and technologies in order to further drive innovation, efficiency, growth and ultimately add greater value to our stakeholders and cities of operation,” said Khaled Al Huraimel.
BEEAH has invested in digitalisation and future technologies through ventures like EVOTEQ and re.life. EVOTEQ’s SmartTrack is used by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention for “Tatmeen”, ensuring medicine integrity. re.life’s platforms facilitate virtual recyclables trading and logistics, driving value from waste. Additionally, BEEAH has formed the Khazna Sharjah joint venture to develop the region’s first waste-to-energy powered data centre, setting new sustainability standards.