Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies has announced plans to explore and encourage the adoption of Falcon large language models (LLMs) and solutions powered by Falcon artificial intelligence (AI). In this endeavour, they will be supported by the United Arab Emirates' Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), which will provide technical expertise for the integration of AI in government services and technological infrastructure.
As per the agreement, Uzbekistan is expected to drive the adoption of Falcon LLMs and Falcon-powered solutions, while also encouraging other organizations to join the Falcon Foundation. This information was disclosed in a news release dated Feb. 22, which also announced a new memorandum of understanding. The partnership is seen as a potential starting point for a global collaboration framework aimed at fostering future technological innovation.
"The signing of this agreement underscores ATRC's steadfast dedication to forging global partnerships in the realm of AI. Collaborating closely with the government of Uzbekistan, we look forward to supporting the wider adoption of Falcon's pioneering solutions across diverse organizations within the country," said Shahab Issa Abu Shahab, director general of ATRC.
The creation of the Falcon Foundation was initially announced on Feb. 14 during the 2024 World Government Summits, according to a press release issued by Wamda. The Foundation's mission revolves around advancing open-source generative AI development and building sustainable ecosystems around these open-source projects. The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a founding member, has committed $300 million to projects under the foundation.
According to an announcement on Feb. 14 regarding the launch of Falcon Foundation, its aim is to support customization of Falcon models for specific industries and sectors. The Foundation anticipates creating an ecosystem that allows these models to be adapted for various applications.
"We are pleased to join forces with ATRC in encouraging innovation as we integrate state-of-the-art Falcon AI models into Uzbekistan’s technological infrastructure and government services. Our joint efforts are poised to fast-track innovation and help us overcome digital barriers to achieve our potential," said Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan.
The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) is credited as the creator of the Falcon series of large language models.