Who really shapes and influences the development of AI? The creators or the users?
Peng Xiao, Group CEO, G42, argues it’s both. “I actually do not subscribe that the creators have so much control they can program every intent into this technology so users can only just respond and be part of that design,” he explains. He stresses, “The more a society uses AI, the more we can influence the development of it. We are co-creators, co-influencers of this technology.”
Highlighting the UAE’s national AI strategy, Xiao points to Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, where undergraduates as young as 16 are founding their own companies.
The UAE has also launched programs teaching AI to learners aged 7 to 70 and is deploying billions of AI agents to augment productivity across industries, including oil, cybersecurity, and agriculture.
Xiao spoke at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit panel “Bringing AI Technology, Trust, and Talent to the World,” part of GZERO Media’s Global Stage series in partnership with Microsoft. The Global Stage series convenes global leaders for critical discussions on the geopolitical and technological trends shaping our world.
