#72. Unlocking AI Education in MENA with Christophe Zoghbi

Christophe Zoghbi is an experienced software engineer and entrepreneur focused on building the Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem and democratizing AI education in MENA. Chris founded Beirut AI in 2017 which grew to become the largest applied AI community in Lebanon, and enables participants to explore impacts of AI, explore employment opportunities, engage with others, and develop projects. To take things to the next level and on a broader scale outside Lebanon, Chris founded Zaka in 2019, providing AI bootcamps and certifications taught by industry leaders to accelerate one's career or business in AI. In this episode, Christophe discusses his take on AI and the future of AI in the region as well as tackling internal and external challenges.Key Timestamps:- [00:30] Introducing Chris and the Power of Data- [03:00] Tackling Industry Challenges in the Region- [04:55] Why do we need AI?- [07:58] Creating an Environment where your Team can Thrive in an Unstable Country- [11:45] Driving Emotional Intelligence in AI and the future of AI- [18:00] Will Arabs use AI Chat-bots?- [21:30] Fire RoundKey Quotes from Christophe Zoghbi:- “People need to understand what AI really is”- “The first thing we had to is educate the market”- “Get the right people who believe in that mission to be part of your team”- “There is no environment that is free of challenges but it's about the mentality and the approach”- “You can think of AI as the next version of software, it's actually software 2.0”- “AI allows me and the product developer to customize the experience for very user”- “AI is not something to be afraid of it's actually going to elevate our lives”---About Ally SalamaForbes 30 Under 30:https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/lists/30-under-30-2021/ally-salama/ Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/allysalama/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/allysalama/Twitter: https://twitter.com/allysalamaAbout Christophe Zoghbi:Website:https://zaka.ai/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophezoghbi/?originalSubdomain=lbInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaka.ai/?hl=en---Support the show by dropping us a rating and review!©Ally Salama 2022 | Produced by EMPWR House