Abu Dhabi, UAE – Dr. Andrew Jackson, Chief AI Officer at Core42, outlined how governments are approaching artificial intelligence at national scale during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Jackson shared these insights in an on stage interview with Katie Jensen following discussions with global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Jackson described growing urgency among heads of state to understand where AI development is heading and how sovereignty shapes national strategy. Leaders focused on AI literacy, data sovereignty, compute sovereignty, and model ownership as core priorities.
“Governments want clarity,” Jackson said. “They hear a lot about AI, but turning potential into real economic and social value remains difficult.”
Jackson identified culture and literacy as the main bottlenecks in large scale deployment. Many organizations struggle to translate AI capability into real world applications that deliver measurable value across society.
“AI behaves like electricity,” he said. “The hard part is converting raw power into useful outcomes.”
He noted that confusion around AI remains widespread, even at senior leadership levels. Many discussions behind closed doors focused on foundational understanding rather than advanced use cases.
Addressing the global talent gap, Jackson pointed to the UAE’s grassroots approach. National programs focus on broad based education rather than elite specialization. Initiatives support reskilling, workforce entry, and AI literacy across schools, universities, and communities.
“This is not about the top one percent,” Jackson said. “This is about preparing everyone for an AI driven economy.”
Jackson also discussed access to advanced AI chips and large scale compute infrastructure. Core42, part of the G42 ecosystem, operates AI systems globally and continues to expand domestic capacity through the Stargate program.
Stargate ranks as the fastest built and fastest growing data center project worldwide, delivering hundreds of megawatts of compute capacity each quarter. Jackson described this shift as transformational for the country.
“The UAE moves from energy exporter to intelligence exporter,” he said. “That shift defines the next phase of national growth.”
Responsible AI governance featured prominently in the discussion. Jackson highlighted Core42’s work with Microsoft on responsible AI frameworks, transparency reporting, and safety standards. These efforts extend beyond internal policy through the Responsible AI Foundation, led in partnership with Microsoft and BZO AI.
“Scale without trust fails,” Jackson said. “Responsible deployment must grow alongside capability.”
Jackson also reflected on Core42’s language and domain specific models, including the Arabic language platform Jais and recent expansion into Hindi. These models support sectors such as energy, healthcare, genomics, and investment.
“Building from the ground up for language and industry changes adoption,” he said. “It sharpens relevance and accelerates real use.”
Looking ahead, Jackson pointed to rapid innovation in world models and AI for science as areas with near term impact. Advances in physics, materials science, and biology stand to reshape industries and daily life.
“AI already sits in everyday routines,” Jackson said. “Adoption is no longer optional. It is part of how families, businesses, and governments operate.”
The interview captured key themes of the Machines Can Think Summit 2026, national AI infrastructure, education, sovereignty, and responsible growth.
About Core42
Core42 is a technology company under G42. The company builds secure cloud and AI infrastructure for governments and large enterprises. Core42 focuses on sovereign cloud platforms, AI computing, and managed services to support large scale digital and AI systems.
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Interview conducted by Katie Jensen at Machines Can Think Summit 2026
