In this thought-provoking, enlightening CIK Talk, Dr. Waleed Kudus (Islam and AI thought leader | Former Head of AI Engineering and Chief Scientist at StockApp, Canva, Anyscale, Uber, and Google) examines how Artificial Intelligence is rapidly emerging as the defining technology of our age—reshaping economies, knowledge production, governance, and global power structures.
Yet, as Dr. Waleed Kadous argues, the Muslim community risks repeating a familiar historical pattern: a 10–20 year delay in adopting transformative technologies, a lag that, in the case of AI, may prove far more consequential than ever before.
This CIK Talk examines the concept of tech and AI sovereignty—the capacity of a community to control its digital infrastructure, data, and technological direction in ways that reflect its values and protect its interests. Moving beyond abstract concerns, the lecture explores how dependence on external platforms can translate into real vulnerabilities, including the shaping, suppression, or distortion of Muslim voices in global digital spaces.
Dr. Kadous situates AI not merely as another technological wave, but as a meta-technology—one that accelerates progress across all domains while reinforcing inequalities between those who build it and those who consume it.
As AI systems become increasingly self-improving and embedded in critical sectors, the gap between technologically sovereign communities and those without control is set to widen dramatically.
Yet, as Dr. Waleed Kadous argues, the Muslim community risks repeating a familiar historical pattern: a 10–20 year delay in adopting transformative technologies, a lag that, in the case of AI, may prove far more consequential than ever before.
This CIK Talk examines the concept of tech and AI sovereignty—the capacity of a community to control its digital infrastructure, data, and technological direction in ways that reflect its values and protect its interests. Moving beyond abstract concerns, the lecture explores how dependence on external platforms can translate into real vulnerabilities, including the shaping, suppression, or distortion of Muslim voices in global digital spaces.
Dr. Kadous situates AI not merely as another technological wave, but as a meta-technology—one that accelerates progress across all domains while reinforcing inequalities between those who build it and those who consume it.
As AI systems become increasingly self-improving and embedded in critical sectors, the gap between technologically sovereign communities and those without control is set to widen dramatically.
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Dr. Waleed KadousDr. Waleed Kadous is a leading expert in artificial intelligence with over 25 years of experience in building and deploying AI systems. He completed his PhD in AI in 2000 and has held senior leadership roles across some of the world’s most influential technology companies.
Dr. Kadous founded Google’s Android Location and Sensing team—responsible for the widely recognized “blue dot”—and later led system architecture and machine learning initiatives at Uber. He has also served as Chief Scientist at multiple startups and led AI Engineering at Canva. His work is reflected in more than 40 patents across AI and related technologies. In recent years, Dr. Kadous has focused on the intersection of artificial intelligence, Islam, and ethics. He is the creator of Ansari, an Islamic AI assistant, and developed the “AI for Imams” course, which aims to equip Islamic leaders with the tools to navigate emerging technological challenges. His work reflects a commitment to ensuring that AI is developed and applied in ways that are ethically grounded and socially beneficial. |
