Abu Dhabi Government launches elite cyber hackathon at GITEX


Abu dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Government is participating in GITEX Global 2024 with an elite hackathon and groundbreaking AI-enabled projects propelling the emirate toward becoming a global leader in AI-driven governance.

Over 30 Abu Dhabi government entities and partners exhibited at the Abu Dhabi Pavilion under the theme “Towards an AI-native Government”.

Highlights of GITEX’s first day on Monday included the launch of a four-day cyber hackathon and “GovGPT” by the Department of Government Enablement (DGE), “Bayaan – The Unified Decision-Making Platform” by Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD), and “AI ALC Audiobooks” by the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT).

The “DGE Elite Hackathon” aims to uncover the UAE’s top cyber talent by inviting university students with expertise in defence-security, offensive and active security, threat intelligence, and vulnerability assessment.

Participants will engage in a high-stakes environment where they defend their systems while attempting to breach those of their op
ponents, navigating through advanced live cyber threats.

This immersive four-day experience culminates in a competitive showcase on Friday, surpassing traditional “Capture the Flag” exercises by demanding innovation, collaboration, and strategic thinking.

DGE also introduced GovGPT, an AI-driven knowledge agent tailored for the Abu Dhabi Government. This tool empowers government employees by providing easy access to resources and information. With self-service features and a growing library of AI tools-including a PowerPoint Builder and Tone-of-Voice checker-GovGPT streamlines daily operations and enhances department productivity.

Meanwhile, SCAD unveiled Bayaan – the Unified Decision-Making Platform, an advanced data platform designed to enhance data collection, analysis, and visualisation.

Serving as a central repository for diverse datasets, Bayaan equips government entities and private organisations with actionable insights that facilitate informed decision-making. By integrating advanced AI capabilit
ies such as predictive analytics and machine learning, the platform enables proactive responses to emerging challenges, fostering transparency and collaboration across government sectors.

Ultimately, Bayaan aims to improve public services and enhance community engagement, leading to a higher quality of life for residents.

The DCT also launched AI ALC Audiobooks, marking a significant step in utilising AI technology within the publishing sector. This initiative features ten titles from the “Emirates Documentation” series, showcasing pivotal Emirati publications.

By leveraging a rich archive of audio recordings that reflect natural human pronunciation, this project analyses contextual pronunciation and sentence structure to enhance the audiobook experience. This endeavour aligns with the UAE government’s vision to invest in AI and promote cultural heritage.

From 14th to 18th October, the Abu Dhabi Government will continue to present its innovative solutions at GITEX Global 2024 at the Dubai World Trade Cent
re with a focus on AI-powered solutions and data-driven decision-making, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s commitment to leveraging technology for the betterment of its citizens.

Source: Emirates News Agency