MBZUAI expands globally with the launch of its Foundation Models Institute and a new AI Lab in Silicon Valley, deepening research and collaboration in AI.
 |
| MBZUAI launches its Foundation Models Institute and Silicon Valley AI lab, signaling strategic expansion in global AI research and cross-border innovation. Image Courtesy: Aya Sakoury |
San Francisco, USA – May 24, 2025:
The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has taken a bold step in expanding its global footprint with the official launch of the Institute for Foundation Models (IFM) and the establishment of a new AI research lab in Silicon Valley. The initiative represents a major milestone for the UAE’s ambitious strategy to lead in next-generation artificial intelligence research and economic diversification.
The announcement was made yesterday during a high-profile event at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, attended by top executives, researchers, and academic leaders from around the world. The new lab, located in Sunnyvale, forms the third node of MBZUAI’s growing international research network, complementing existing labs in Abu Dhabi and Paris.
The Foundation Models Institute is a multi-site research initiative focused on developing cutting-edge, large-scale AI models with cross-domain applications. Its creation is a direct response to the global demand for more robust, scalable AI systems that can integrate diverse data modalities—text, video, speech, and physical interactions—into unified frameworks for decision-making and simulation.
“The launch of the IFM today represents a major leap forward for global collaboration and the development of cutting-edge AI foundation models,” said Professor Eric Xing, President and Chair of MBZUAI. “Our expansion into Silicon Valley provides a critical foundation for strengthening our presence in one of the world’s most dynamic AI ecosystems. We are creating avenues for knowledge exchange with leading institutions and accessing a talent pool that understands how to scale research to practical applications.”
According to Xing, this move aligns with the UAE’s broader economic vision to shift from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a knowledge-driven one. By investing in AI infrastructure, MBZUAI is positioning itself at the forefront of global efforts to build transparent, reliable, and ethical foundation models that can serve real-world purposes—from healthcare and climate forecasting to autonomous robotics and digital governance.
One of the highlights of the launch event was the live demonstration of PAN, MBZUAI’s flagship AI foundation model. Unlike conventional models that specialize in text or image generation, PAN is designed to simulate full-spectrum realities, integrating language, spatial data, motion, video, and sensor inputs into coherent world states. This multi-dimensional capability allows PAN to reason, plan, and make decisions in dynamically evolving environments.
For instance, PAN can simulate the physics of objects in motion, predict agent behavior in interactive scenarios, and support applications such as self-driving cars, robotics, logistics, and intelligent infrastructure. Its novel hierarchical architecture enables both high-level strategic reasoning and low-level physical modeling, delivering real-time performance even in highly complex simulations.
Additionally, the university introduced PAN-Agent, a complementary model designed for multimodal reasoning tasks. It excels in solving math problems, programming challenges, and physical simulations by analyzing inputs from multiple data streams simultaneously. These breakthroughs mark a significant evolution from current generative AI models, which tend to focus on single-modal tasks.
The lab’s location in Silicon Valley offers strategic advantages. It connects MBZUAI with world-class academic institutions such as Stanford and UC Berkeley, as well as AI pioneers like Google DeepMind, OpenAI, and Meta. This proximity is expected to accelerate joint research projects, faculty exchanges, and industrial collaborations.
Industry experts view MBZUAI’s expansion as an example of how emerging nations like the UAE are playing a more active role in shaping the global AI agenda. The university, founded in 2019, has already earned recognition for its advanced research output, interdisciplinary faculty, and commitment to responsible AI development.
“This launch isn’t just about a physical location,” said Professor Xing. “It’s about opening new intellectual and collaborative frontiers. We are aligning with the global scientific community to ensure that AI serves humanity, not just profit or power.”
With the foundation of the IFM and its new California hub, MBZUAI is expected to play a pivotal role in the next wave of AI innovations, especially in fields requiring deeply contextual and multimodal understanding.
As the global AI race intensifies, MBZUAI’s strategic positioning in Silicon Valley marks a significant move for both the institution and the UAE’s broader aspirations to become a world leader in technological innovation and research excellence.