One Saudi scientist has a dream: that her country embraces research and development in artificial intelligence, especially for women. Fatma Bauthman, who holds a Ph.D. in computer science with an emphasis on artificial intelligence from Heathersfield University in Britain, is an international expert on the technology of making computers “think” like humans.

While talking recently with Hia magazine, Bauthman said her dream is to spread the AI technology in the Kingdom with greater women’s participation and to offer solutions for complicated technological issues.

“It is vital that we not remain behind in acquiring skills in AI or else we would not be able to join the contemporary march of progress,” she said. “The country should get some returns for its massive investment in women’s education. It will also help women get employed in technological establishments. Special sections should be opened for research and development.”

The Saudi scientist has published several papers in international journals on the subject. It was with her initiation that the Dar Al-Hekma College for Women conducted an experiment on distance learning.

Bauthman pursued an academic career in artificial intelligence because she wanted to work on a topic that is most relevant to the society in the present time.

“I believed that the theory and application of artificial intelligence is related to every other branch of science and could be useful in solving various issues in real life,” she said.

With regard to her experience in the field, Bauthman said she helped Saudi Arabia’s King Abdul Aziz University prepare a special syllabus for the technology, arranged several lectures and seminars on the topic at various educational institutions including the Fakieh Medical College, the College of Public Administration and Dar Al-Hekma College. She also has been the director of the Apple Center for Women and worked as the director general of information security at a private company. She also prepared a project for marketing study for the Savola Group and served as a consultant for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in 1990.

Explaining the concept of AI, Bauthman said until the middle of the last century the discipline remained rather confined to computers and then efforts were made to copy human intelligence. At the preliminary stage the artificial intelligence confined to algorithms for data processing. Extensive research on this branch of science led to various useful applications. Attempts are progressing in order to develop intelligent devices that would function without human intervention, she said. Experiments in this discipline aims at finding fast and cheap solutions for unexpected and most complicated problems in real life.

She is also interested in organizing the techniques of distance learning with the help of videoconferencing that would solve the problem of shortage of expert teachers. The idea was first introduced in Tokyo University in collaboration with Zurich University.

Bauthman is proud of the first experiment in distance education in the Kingdom, which was a first in the Middle East. “We first made our first experiment on science education for the first time in the Kingdom at the Dar Al-Hekma College for Women in December 2005 with the support by the late Prince Abdul Majeed, governor of Makkah. It was viewed by 10 million the world over,” she said.

Bauthman considers the AI technology market in Saudi Arabia as the largest in the Arab world. The growth rate over the next five years is expected to range between 20 and 25 percent involving billions of dollars. The technology sector in Kingdom has witnessed a rapid growth over the past 10 years. It has benefited a number of people including women.

“The market stands in need of women’s participation particularly in the next five years” the AI expert said. She stressed the need for increased activating the role of women in AI technology.

“The objectives are several. The priorities should be training and employing women in the AI applications including operation, maintenance and designing various systems and their applications. It is vital that we should not be late to enter this field and consequently miss the opportunity to join the march of progress in the world.”

Bauthman is currently preoccupied with the methods to boost the country’s AI activities and keep the Kingdom in the forefront of technology. “My dreams are many. Part of them is popularizing the topic of AI in the Kingdom. I also wish to take the topic to the secondary schools level. With the help of videoconferencing the shortage of expert teachers could be sidestepped besides making use of international experts. I also hope to get the government’s support in organizing the technology’s progress in the Kingdom,” Bauthman summed up her aspirations.