Oman Lens, an Omani space technology startup, earned a bronze award at the International Telecommunication Union's AI for Good initiative in Geneva on Tuesday. The recognition came for its participation in an international project titled 'Eradicating Hunger,' which leveraged artificial intelligence to analyze agricultural crops and bolster food security using advanced algorithms based on space data and satellite imagery, according to the Oman News Agency.
UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance
The award was presented during the UN Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, an event that gathered representatives from 193 UN member states, technology companies, civil society groups, and academic and technical institutions. The AI for Good initiative, as described on its website, aims to harness artificial intelligence to benefit humanity by building skills, setting standards, and advancing partnerships.
Oman's Engagement at the Event
On the sidelines of the dialogue, Ali bin Amer Al Shidhani, undersecretary of Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, met with ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. Their discussion focused on cooperation opportunities and Oman's ongoing efforts to modernize legislation and update policies to keep pace with rapid advances in AI, the report stated. Oman also reaffirmed its readiness to support international efforts to strengthen AI governance and maximize the benefits of AI applications in cooperation with the UN and other partners.
