AI Academy Launches Region’s First Chief AI Officer Executive Program

The AI Academy has launched the Middle East's first Executive Programme for Chief AI Officers (CAIO), set to begin in November 2025, to meet the growing demand for AI leadership as 69% of organizations in the region plan to increase AI investments. This two-week intensive course, developed in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi School of Management and Polynome AI Academy, includes 10 advanced modules covering AI systems architecture, enterprise deployment, governance, ethics, and public policy, with an optional international module for broader exposure. The program integrates expertise from global academic institutions and industry leaders, including NVIDIA, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to becoming a global AI hub and supporting an AI economy expected to add over $96 billion to its GDP by 2031. Separately, Blackline Safety Corp. appointed Vasi Philomin, a leading figure in industrial AI from Siemens and formerly Amazon, to its board, underscoring industry emphasis on AI-driven safety and productivity. Meanwhile, in the broader AI landscape, Kai-Fu Lee noted that while China lags the U.S. by a few months in AI technology, it excels in open-source AI development and applications, with American companies leading in monetization. These developments highlight the accelerating global race in AI leadership, innovation, and commercialization.