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
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
MBZUAI Launches Institute of Foundation Models and Establishes Silicon Valley AI Lab
Exclusive Global Full-Chain Operations Secured—Turning Influence into a Capital-Grade Asset
With 360 Million Followers, Annual Live-Commerce Sales Could Reach $4 Billion
HONG KONG, Jan. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Khaby Lame, widely regarded as the world's defining TikTok creator, built his name on a universal language: silence. No captions needed, no cultural footnotes required—just clarity, humor, and that unmistakable gesture that says this is the simple way.
Now, that global influence is being elevated into something more permanent. Rich Sparkle Holdings (ANPA.US), a U.S.-listed company, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Step Distinctive Limited, a core company associated with Khaby Lame. The move signals a shift from one-off brand deals to a structured, exclusive, full-chain, platform-style commercialization system—designed not merely to monetize attention, but to industrialize it.
A Once-in-a-Generation Traffic Gateway
360 million followers, one borderless content engine
Khaby Lame's rise is unusual not because it's fast, but because it travels. His content—minimal, wordless, instantly readable—does what most internet fame cannot: scale across languages and cultures without translation.
Today, his global following totals 360 million across platforms, making him one of the rare creators who can drive attention in multiple major regions at once. Industry observers describe him as a "global-tier traffic entrance"—a scarce asset in the age of content commerce.
Not Just a Partner—A Controlling Shareholder
When traffic aligns with ownership, the incentives lock in
What's drawing heightened market attention isn't only the acquisition—it's Khaby Lame's positioning inside the company structure. According to disclosed information, Khaby Lame will become a controlling shareholder, upgrading his value from "influence" to a core equity-level asset.
Analysts see this as a powerful alignment mechanism: short-term monetization and long-term brand building begin to move on the same curve—reducing volatility, increasing commitment, and expanding strategic imagination.
From "Viral Moments" to "System Conversion"
Why the $4B annual sales outlook is a model, not a slogan
The cooperation's headline expectation is bold: Khaby Lame's fan-based commercialization could generate more than $4 billion in annual sales.
Market participants note that this forecast is not simply a function of follower count. It rests on a closed-loop conversion architecture:
- Top-tier global exposure that creates massive conversion potential
- Exclusive full-chain execution, spanning content planning, paid growth, storefront operations, product selection and pricing, cross-border supply chain, fulfillment, and after-sales
- AI Digital Twin integration, enabling content output to scale beyond human scheduling and time zones
In other words, the $4 billion figure is framed as the output of a four-part engine—traffic + operations + fulfillment + technology—rather than a single breakout campaign.
Exclusive Full-Chain Control
Platform-style operations, not traditional MCN collaboration
Under the agreement, Khaby Lame's global commercialization will be executed through a single operating system. During the 36-month cooperation period, Anhui Xiaoheiyang Network Technology Co., Ltd. (a China-based livestream and content-commerce operator) will hold exclusive global full-chain operating rights.
The scope spans:
- Livestream and short-video commerce planning and programming cadence
- End-to-end TikTok Shop operations and conversion optimization
- Cross-border supply chain coordination, QC, fulfillment delivery, and after-sales
- Brand endorsements, ad productions, and visual content coordination
- Commercial development of an AI Digital Twin (Digital Twin)
Industry sources suggest this structure resembles a platform battle plan more than an influencer network arrangement—built for standardization, replication, and scale across overseas markets.
AI Digital Twin Authorized
Commerce content becomes a replicable production force
The agreement discloses that Khaby Lame has authorized the use of his Face ID, Voice ID, and behavioral models for AI Digital Twin development. Within a compliant framework, this enables multilingual, multi-version content production and opens the door to cross-time-zone, long-duration virtual livestream commerce.
Investors are watching two incremental upsides:
Three Core Markets, One Coordinated Push
U.S., Middle East, and Southeast Asia
The cooperation will prioritize three strategic regions: the United States, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. The plan includes a region-specific pricing structure and independent profit accounting, intended to match different consumer purchasing power, logistics costs, and compliance requirements—while improving efficiency and transparency in cross-border execution.
The Ceiling Isn't Just GMV
A path toward premium brands and co-branded IP
Beyond transaction-based commerce, the strategy points toward higher-margin, longer-cycle brand business. International brand advertising shoots and visual collaborations are expected to be centrally coordinated, alongside plans for co-branded IP product lines spanning beauty, fragrance, and apparel.
Analysts interpret this as a clear upgrade in ambition: not simply to expand GMV, but to convert Khaby Lame's global influence into priced, accumulated brand equity.
Industry Watch: Compliance and Delivery Define the Real Limit
As the model scales globally, industry experts emphasize that the final ceiling will be determined by local compliance (data authorization, ad disclosure, consumer protection), cross-border fulfillment and after-sales experience, and AI content risk controls and brand safety.
With region-level independent accounting gradually going live, future operating metrics and financial guidance disclosed by Rich Sparkle Holdings are expected to become key reference points for assessing whether this "system" can truly be replicated at scale.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Rich Sparkle Holdings Closes Acquisition of TikTok Icon Khaby Lame's Core Company
