Omar Al Marzooqi

AIQ creates and commercializes cutting-edge AI technologies across the oil and gas value chain in the UAE to spearhead the digital transformation of the oil and gas industry and support the wider energy sector.

In 2022, AIQ was the recipient of a Digital Enabler of the Year award. How do such honors help promote AIQ’s campaign for the future of energy?

2021 was the first year of existence for AIQ, and since then we have moved quickly, developing 13 AI solutions to date, primarily for the energy sector. These products have been successfully deployed at scale across onshore and offshore operations, demonstrating the value of our solutions and the potential for AI in the energy sector. Our diverse set of AI applications proves that we can develop advanced AI solutions that solve complex business cases and add value. Receiving the award for Digital Enabler of the Year is important recognition of how AIQ is enabling our customers to achieve their strategic goals for more efficient and more sustainable operations, and of how in a short space of time AIQ has become a critical enabler of the digital transformation of the energy industry.

How did AIQ grow to be a leader in promoting sustainable practices?

I am proud to say that each one of our solutions supports sustainability in some way, and our latest application, which enables our customers to monitor and measure GHG emissions, contributes directly to making a more sustainable future for energy companies and to achieving the UAE’s strategic targets. AIQ has deep understanding of the sustainability challenges facing the Energy sector, and we have aligned our solutions to ensure that our customers can enhance the pace and efficiency of production, while reducing the environmental impact of their operations. AIQ is constantly working on developing smart technologies and creating transformational innovations aimed at lowering the carbon footprint of energy operations. Through digitization and automation of operations, energy companies can activate long-term plans and strategies to support the reduction of their environmental footprint. AIQ also realizes the importance of long-term initiatives including UAE Net Zero 2050, and we appreciate that achieving these goals will mean energy transition in the long-term, while in the short-to-medium term, improving efficiency and reducing carbon emissions will be critical. Our solutions are helping customers make measurable steps today toward reducing emissions, without reducing growth.

What is your vision for the technology sector in Abu Dhabi?

In 2021, the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the UAE, the leadership set out the path for the next 50 years of prosperity, development, and economic growth. AI will play a major role in achieving all of these goals and is predicted to contribute around 13.6% of the country’s GDP by 2030. AIQ is proud to have been created in Abu Dhabi and the UAE, and to be actively contributing to achieving the nation’s goals for the future including AI leadership, sustainability and technology-driven growth and prosperity. The company realizes the fundamental role AI plays in boosting value creation in the energy sector, a priority sector for AI deployment as indicated in the National Strategy of AI.

What is the importance of supporting the government’s “Make it in the Emirates” initiative?

AIQ is a UAE company, and we are a strong supporter of Make it in the Emirates. We were able to build our AI solutions in the UAE, because the nation has put a lot of emphasis in establishing the necessary foundations and infrastructure for advanced technologies, including AI. We are partnered with G42 Cloud, as a national cloud provider to support our cloud-based offerings. In combination with our own expertise in data science, AI, and energy sector domains, this has enabled us to develop an outstanding portfolio of AI solutions. We are proud that these advanced technologies can support the strategy of the UAE and the Emirates. Today, we have the infrastructure, we have showcased the real creation of AI products, with actual deployment at scale on the ground for us to start realizing the value of AI once it becomes the new norm. Once we achieve widespread utilization we can contribute to growth and GDP.