SAN FRANCISCO, May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has expanded its global footprint with the launch of its Institute of Foundation Models (IFM). The IFM is a multi-site initiative consisting of a newly established Silicon Valley Lab in Sunnyvale, CA, combined with previously announced lab facilities in Paris and Abu Dhabi.
The launch event yesterday at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, establishes the third node in its global research network. This strategic expansion connects the university with California's vibrant ecosystem of AI researchers, startups, and tech companies.
For the UAE and MBZUAI, this move represents another strategic step in the country's long-term economic diversification plan. By investing in cutting-edge technologies like advanced AI foundation models, the UAE continues to build knowledge-based sectors to support its long-term economic and social transformation efforts.
"Today's launch of the IFM represents a major step forward for the collaboration and global development of frontier-class AI foundation models," said Professor Eric Xing, President and University Professor, MBZUAI. "Our expansion into Silicon Valley provides a critical footprint to grow our presence in one of the most vibrant AI ecosystems in the world. We're creating pathways for knowledge exchange with leading institutions and accessing a talent pool that understands how to scale research into real-world applications."
The launch event drew representatives from the world's leading AI companies and academic institutions, highlighting the growing interest in MBZUAI's global approach to foundation model research.
At the heart of MBZUAI's demonstrations was PAN, a world model capable of infinite simulations of diverse realities ranging from basic physical interactions to complex agent scenarios.
Unlike previous systems focused primarily on generating text, audio, or images, PAN predicts comprehensive world states by integrating multimodal inputs like language, video, spatial data, and physical actions. This enables advanced reasoning, strategic planning, and nuanced decision-making for applications from autonomous driving to robotics.
PAN's innovative hierarchical architecture supports multi-level reasoning and real-time interaction within simulations, maintaining high accuracy over extended scenarios. Its companion, PAN-Agent, showcases its utility in multimodal reasoning tasks, such as mathematics and coding, within dynamic simulated environments.
K2 and JAIS: Advanced Foundation Models with Global Impact
The IFM lab is also advancing two flagship AI systems demonstrating the commitment to further advance frontier-class foundation models: K2 and JAIS.
A soon to be released update to K2-65B will focus on delivering breakthrough reasoning capabilities with sustainable performance.
JAIS stands as the world's most advanced Arabic large language model. At the IFM JAIS will continue to expand in capability with increased language support and add more context to preserve and promote the cultures it supports.
Building AI in the Open: Transparency as a Core Value
MBZUAI has established one of the industry's most transparent approaches to AI development, open-sourcing not just models but entire development processes—positioning IFM as a leader in building openly. The LLM360 initiative provides researchers with complete materials including training code, datasets, and model checkpoints. This openness is balanced with safeguards including international advisory boards and peer review processes that maintain research integrity.
The IFM's structure includes dedicated teams focused on model architecture, training methods, evaluation frameworks, and safety systems—combining the agility of a startup with the resources of an established research institution.
About Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)
MBZUAI is a research-focused university in Abu Dhabi, and the first university dedicated entirely to the advancement of science through AI. For more information, visit www.mbzuai.ac.ae.
For press inquiries:
Aya Sakoury
Head of PR and Strategic Communications
media@mbzuai.ac.ae
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MBZUAI Launches Institute of Foundation Models and Establishes Silicon Valley AI Lab
SHANGHAI, April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Orka, a pioneer in hearing health technology, officially launched the Orka O1 Pro at the 2026 Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE). The Orka O1 Pro is the world's first Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) hearing aid to feature Powered by Bose QuietControl Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology.
The launch took place at the Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone during AWE 2026's inaugural international showcase. As a new gateway designed to support global exchange and cross-border collaboration, the Eastern Hub provided a fitting stage for Orka's global debut. Orka was the only hearing health company featured alongside leading technology brands including Sony, LG, and Lenovo, a placement that reflects the international ambition of the Orka × Bose partnership and Orka's broader mission to bring hearing health into the mainstream of global consumer technology innovation.
Bringing Premium Audio Innovations to Hearing Health
As recently noted by Hearing Tracker, while Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is familiar to millions of consumers from premium headphones, the Orka O1 Pro answers the highly anticipated question of its future in hearing aids.
The device achieves this through the seamless integration of two powerhouse features, heavily supported by Bose's decade of research. First, Bose QuietControl ANC technology acts as the foundation, effectively neutralizing steady-state environmental noises before they reach the ear. Working in perfect tandem, Bose SpeechClarity Voice technology precisely isolates and enhances human speech, ensuring that once the background noise is silenced, essential conversations remain crystal clear.
This collaboration brings powerful, premium audio experiences to users without the battery and processing tradeoffs typically associated with such features, helping make the O1 Pro a true all-day wearable device.
A Milestone in Hearing Health
"For years, we've been focused on the real-world challenges of hearing loss, especially how background noise can make conversations more difficult," said Nicholas Smith, President of the Audio Technology Business and Chief Strategy Officer at Bose. "We saw the potential for our noise cancellation technology to improve this experience, and we knew we needed a partner capable of bringing this kind of breakthrough to the hearing industry. That's why we partnered with Orka."
Smith further emphasized the impact: "Orka integrated our core technology into a complete hearing aid experience engineered for reliable performance in real-world environments. The result is clearer conversations and less effort required to hear — so people can stay in the conversation and stay connected."
Restoring Control and Energy
The Orka O1 Pro hardware is designed for maximum comfort and durability. Weighing just 3.5g per earpiece, it features Bluetooth 5.3 dual-mode connectivity, IP68 durability, and provides over 35 hours of continuous battery life.
In Icelandic, "Orka" translates to "energy." The core philosophy behind the Orka O1 Pro is to significantly reduce the cognitive load and energy drain required to focus in noisy environments. By lowering the effort required to hear, the device returns a sense of control and confidence to the user.
About Orka
Founded in Silicon Valley in 2018, Orka is a premium audiology technology company developing AI-driven products for the future of hearing and wearable listening. Backed by top-tier investors including Tencent, HongShan (formerly Sequoia Capital China), Primavera Capital, and Atypical Ventures, Orka integrates advanced acoustic hardware with proprietary on-device AI to create beautifully designed, all-day wearables. Recognized globally by the CES Innovation and Red Dot Design Awards, the company's mission is rooted in its Icelandic name, meaning "energy": to significantly reduce the cognitive load required to hear in noise, returning a sense of control and confidence to every user.
For more information about Orka and the O1 Pro, please email contact@hiorka.com.
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Orka O1 Pro Makes Global Debut at AWE 2026: The World's First Hearing Aid with Powered by Bose QuietControl ANC Technology
Orka O1 Pro Makes Global Debut at AWE 2026: The World's First Hearing Aid with Powered by Bose QuietControl ANC Technology
Orka O1 Pro Makes Global Debut at AWE 2026: The World's First Hearing Aid with Powered by Bose QuietControl ANC Technology
